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Running EventsCheveron Right Icon5k RunsCheveron Right IconLondon

5k Runs in London

5k (or 3.1miles) is London's most popular distance for running events. There are Parkrun races across the city every weekend, which help to get the local community together, shake off the hangovers, or seek a new PB. There are over 50 locations in London for you to find a Parkrun, so it's easy to find a 5k event near you. 5k races are often hugely enjoyable, getting friends, family, kids, and even dogs involved! Fun runs always have a great atmosphere, and give you an opportunity to get into your favourite fancy dress, and get covered in coloured paint, bubbles, or mud. If you're just starting out as a runner, this is a great distance for either maintaining fitness or building towards longer challenges. Beginners should aim to run a 5k in under 30 minutes, and more regular runners can set themselves a challenge of finishing in under 20 minutes. Running festivals, such as the Richmond RunFest are popular events, where there are often 5k events so that anyone can get involved.

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About 5k events in London

You can find 5ks being run on a Saturday morning in most parks across the city. However, large scale events and fun runs will often include a 5k in their roster. The 5k is for everyone, people join in to walk, run or just to dress up and have fun. You'll even find running legends such as Mo Farah loving the 5k distance. 5ks come in many guises, you'll be able to find night runs, colour runs, fun runs and charity runs at all times of the year.

What are the best 5k events?

London life can be busy, if you feel you've been cooped up in the office for far too long, then a 5k is a good place to start. A summer 5k series to encourage you to get out of that office chair and into the parks, it can also get quite competitive. If you'd rather an emphasis on fun, join a Where's Wally run on Clapham Common and help Wally blend in by dressing up in your red and white stripes. If it's coming towards the end of summer but you want to prolong the festival vibes then larger events have their own 5ks and 10ks in London to keeping the party going.

What is the average time to run a 5k?

The fastest in the world can finish in under 14 minutes, but these guys are seriously quick. The running community would consider anything under 28 minutes to be a very good time for one of these events. This requires you to run consistently at 9 minutes per mile. Definitely achievable, but you'll have to train for it. On the other hand, walking it is fine too, and this can take up to an hour. Set yourself some goals ahead of the race and go smash them.

How long should I train for a 5k?

This really depends on your goals, fitness and motivation. Take a look at our 6 week 5k training plan, this will give you an idea of the training challenge ahead of you. It also has different options depending on what you want to achieve. Even if you've run a lot in the past, we definitely recommend building up to an event with training - it'll help you push towards a competitive time and minimise the risk of injury.

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