average running speed?

spyrosmom

spyrosmom

Cathlete
I'm trying to find out the average running speed of a human. I asked The Google and The Wiki and am getting answers all over the place. A lot of them are saying 25 mph - which is just re-freaking-diculous! I know the numbers vary widely, but I am just looking for an average. I feel like I'm kinda a slow runner, and want to know if I'm really slow or not. I could settle for average, but I don't want to be slow. I can find running speed for everything from cheetahs to sloths to sea slugs, but not people. What gives?

Nan
 
spyrosmom said:
I'm trying to find out the average running speed of a human. I asked The Google and The Wiki and am getting answers all over the place. A lot of them are saying 25 mph - which is just re-freaking-diculous! I know the numbers vary widely, but I am just looking for an average. I feel like I'm kinda a slow runner, and want to know if I'm really slow or not. I could settle for average, but I don't want to be slow. I can find running speed for everything from cheetahs to sloths to sea slugs, but not people. What gives?
Nan
Click to expand...


Sprinting :
The fastest speed of a human running was set by Maurice Greene, who achieved a sprint speed of 26.7 mph.

June 2000, the fastest running human is Michael Johnson, the American track and field star who on August 1, 1996 set the world record of running 200 meters in 19.32 seconds. Johnson, by doing this, won an Olympic title in Atlanta, Georgia and broke the longest standing field record of the time; Pietro Mennea's 1979 record of 19.72 seconds. Johnson's record can be calculated to equal 10.35 m/s or 37.267 km/h.




The fastest time for a marathon, as set in official competition, is 2 hours, 3 minutes and 59 seconds (4 minute 44 second miles). This is the current men's world record for marathon distance, and was set by Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia on 28th September 2008 in the real,-Berlin marathon.

The fastest time run by a woman in a marathon is 2 hours, 15 minutes and 25 seconds (5 minute 9 second miles). This currently stands as the women's world record for marathon distance, and was set by Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain on 13th April 2003 in the London Marathon.
 
I guess it all depends on the distance, as noted by Tami. I won't tell you my running speed because I do need to maintain some dignity :p
 
Nan, just to give you some input from a normal person (that would be me, ;) ).....I was never a runner; always an athlete but never a runner. I started running about 6 years ago and I averaged a 10 min mile...that's 6 mph. I've been running off and on ever since and am now coming in with an average of just under a 9 min mile. Hope that helps SOME!

And WOW on those marathon times! What, did they look like to BLUR to those watching them? Holy COW!

Gayle
 
Hmm I don't know mine. I average a 8-9 minute mile but I run 4-8 miles during those runs. I doubt that I'll break any sound barriers. :(
 
I'll have to check my time next time I'm out, thinking in the 10 min mile range...for now! ;)
So I have a question. When I'm the elliptical I am doing a 6 minute mile. Is that a whole other time, not counting the same as running?
 
Tamrahan said:
The fastest time for a marathon, as set in official competition, is 2 hours, 3 minutes and 59 seconds (4 minute 44 second miles). This is the current men's world record for marathon distance, and was set by Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia on 28th September 2008 in the real,-Berlin marathon.

The fastest time run by a woman in a marathon is 2 hours, 15 minutes and 25 seconds (5 minute 9 second miles). This currently stands as the women's world record for marathon distance, and was set by Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain on 13th April 2003 in the London Marathon.
Click to expand...

Hmm - I didn't even run my HALF marathon in that time... :rolleyes:

I think you'll find that the majority of average runners (meaning us every day folk who get out there and trudge the streets for exercise and not for a living) run between 9 MPH and 11 MPH.

If you look at any half marathon - the biggest "corral" is the 2 hr 30 minute one which is about an 11 minute pace. So if you figure that a person runs slower when they run long distances - the 9-11 mph holds pretty true.
 
My Garmin shows a list of "speed zones" as follows:
walk: 3-3.7 mph
fast walk: 3.6-4.6 mph
slow jog: 4.3-5.5 mph
jog: 5-6.7 mph
fast jog: 6-7.5 mph
slow run: 6.7-8.6 mph
run: 8.6-12 mph
sprint: 12-15 mph
max speed: 15-20 mph

I just found the list on my unit the other day, and I have no idea what this is based on, but it is changeable, so it may just be an average.

HTH!
 
Looking at that chart confirms what I thought about myself. I'm new to running (only bout 3 weeks) and I am running an 11 minute mile at a speed of 5.45 MPH. That makes me somewhere between a slow jog and jog. Much of my run is uphill and I don't know how that factors in. I just know that "heart break hill" is killer and I can't breathe by the time I reach the top. But I'm okay with slow jog. At least I can do that.

Tracy
 
I am doing a sprint distance triathlon tomorrow and was quizzing the guy who is in charge of it about average speeds that people do. For running, it is the 10 minute mile as the average.
 
10 min miles average - not sure about that.....Average running speed is about 8 to 9 minute miles (sadly, I currently fall into this category). 7 min miles to 7.5 min miles for women is considered competitive (but not ridiculously fast).

Hope your race went well!
 
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ITA with Christine-- in my experience 9-11 minute miles has been the average at most events I've been at.

Shana, how did your race go???? Congrats-- that's a great accomplishment! :)
 
Brighton - thanks for asking :) It went well. The swim was slow as expected since I literally had exactly one week to train for that...just wanted to finish that part! Biking was excellent - running (and part walking) was fine but wish I had pushed harder!
 
i'm embarrassed! i run on the tread at 5.6.at least it seems like a run to me and start get breathless after one mile. so far i can do no more than 3 miles with breaks. i have only just started. it will be my 4th time to do it tomorrow and will try sprinting

laura
 
Maybe I am misunderstanding the question.....wouldn't average running speed depend entirely on the total distance the runner is covering? For instance, average running speed for one mile would be much much faster than average running speed for a marathon. And then terrain must be considered, as well.

Am I confused, or what?
 
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