When Olly Murs ran his first half marathon, it put him off running for years. But after taking on one of the toughest physical challenges of his life – the 400km he covered in five days by running, rowing and riding in support of Soccer Aid for UNICEF – it's clear that the Heart Skips A Beat singer has officially caught the running bug.
On his Instagram, he has recently been sharing the results of his running sessions, and the times he’s been clocking are no joke. In fact, he sits comfortably below the average for men of all ages, and at 42, one of his recent 5k performances put him in the advanced category for his age.
How Olly Murs' 5K Time Compares to the Average
The singer’s 5k time is perhaps his most impressive running achievement. Earlier this month, he shared that he’d run his first sub-20-minute 5k, clocking a 19:47 time with an average pace of 3:57/km.
According to data from Running Level, the average 5k time across men of all ages is 22:31, which makes Murs’ time almost three minutes faster than the standard.
But when you look at his time for his age, things get even more impressive. At 42, his result puts him under the average advanced time of 20:46 listed on Running Level’s website – and firmly on his way to the elite benchmark of 18:36.
‘Today I finally ran a sub-20 5K,’ he wrote in the caption. ‘Can’t tell you how buzzing I am… proper proud of this one! It’s been a goal of mine for agesssss! GET IN!!!!!’
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He continued: ‘I don’t wanna get too deep on here but if you’re chasing your own goal, stay consistent. Keep showing up, even on the days you can’t be arsed DO IT cos trust me… it’s worth it in the end no matter how big or small that goal is!!’
It’s worth noting that since that 2018 half marathon, he’s undergone five knee surgeries, including an ACL reconstruction. But as Murs has highlighted in his recent posts, his running performance doesn’t seem to have suffered as a result.
How Olly Murs' Half Marathon Time Compares to the Average
According to his most recent running-related post, Murs can run a half marathon in 1:46, which equates to a 5:03/km average pace.
‘First half marathon since 2018... Old Mr One Knee somehow beat his time from 8 years ago by 25 mins,’ he wrote. ‘Make it make sense.’
Running a half marathon after so many knee surgeries (and seemingly enjoying it) is impressive enough, but Murs’ time actually puts him way above average.
According to data from RunRepeat, the average half marathon finish time for men in the UK sits at 1:55:26 – making Murs’ time nine minutes faster.
And at 42, data from Running Level suggests Murs’ performance puts him in the ‘intermediate’ category; for men aged between 40-45, the average beginner half marathon sits at 2:29:29, while novice runners should aim for 2:04:59. The average intermediate time for this age group is 1:46:48 – so Murs is exactly on track.
The Average Running Times for Men in Their 40s
Want to know how your times compare to Murs'? According to Running Level, these are the benchmarks to aim for per distance.
5K
Beginner: 33:09
Novice: 27:43
Intermediate: 23:43
Advanced: 20:46
Elite: 18:36
10K
Beginner: 01:07:58
Novice: 56:43
Intermediate: 48:29
Advanced: 42:26
Elite: 38:01
Half Marathon
Beginner: 02:29:29
Novice: 02:04:59
Intermediate: 01:46:48
Advanced: 01:33:24
Elite: 01:23:32
Marathon
Beginner: 05:06:20
Novice: 04:17:56
Intermediate: 03:41:40
Advanced: 03:14:37
Elite: 02:54:32
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Lauren Geall is deputy site editor for Women’s Health UK and Men’s Health UK. She graduated from Exeter University with a BA in English Literature before studying an MA in Magazine Journalism at City, University London. She’s been writing about health, fitness and wellbeing for over five years, with a total of seven years in digital journalism. Prior to her current role, she worked at Stylist as the acting health and fitness editor. As well as being a keen runner, Lauren is passionate about women’s sport and can often be found cheering on Arsenal Women at the Emirates or keeping tabs on the Red Roses’ latest win.
