How Long Is a 10K?

How long is a 10K? You're new to running and have heard about races called a 10K, but you have no idea what it means. It's okay, you're not alone. 

Here's the 10K breakdown.

The 'K' stands for kilometer, which is 0.62 miles or 1093.6 yards (http://www.metric-conversions.org). Therefore, a 10K is 10 kilometers (10,000 meters) or 6.2 miles. It's double the distance of a 5K race.

MoreHow Long Is a 5K? 

When you hear about races such as Annual Summers End 10,000, you can know that it's a 10K or 6.2 miles.

The 10,000-meter race is the longest standard track event. On a standard outdoor track (400 meters) you would need to run 25 laps to complete a 10K. On a standard indoor track (200 meters) you would need to run 50 laps to run a 10K. 

How Long Is a 10K?

To help put this distance into perspective, consider the following facts:

  • You would have to run a football field (including the end zone, which is 109.73 meters) 91.14 times to finish a 10K. 
  • King Kong would have to climb the Empire State Building (443.2 meters high, including antenna) 26.25 times to complete a 10K.
  • A tourist would need to scale the Eiffel Tower (324 meters tall) 31.25 times to cover a 10K distance.

More: 10 Steps to a Successful 10K

World Records

According to Track and Field News, the current men's outdoor world-record holder is Ethiopian runner Kenenisa Bekele at 26:17.53. The current women's outdoor world-record holder is Wang Junxia of China at 29:31.78.

The 10K distance is popular with both beginner and experienced runners. If you're a true beginner, check out online training programs to help you train for a 10K.

More4 Tips to Finish Your First 10K Strong

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About the Author

karen janos

Karen Janos

Karen Janos is a freelance writer who took up running at age 36 and never looked back. She has completed the New York City Marathon twice and many other shorter road races as well. She loves to help new runners find their running legs. You can keep up with her running trials and tribulations at http://www.runningwithkaren.com.
Karen Janos is a freelance writer who took up running at age 36 and never looked back. She has completed the New York City Marathon twice and many other shorter road races as well. She loves to help new runners find their running legs. You can keep up with her running trials and tribulations at http://www.runningwithkaren.com.

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