IF YOU’RE LOOKING for an accurate snapshot of your fitness level, the mile remains one of the best tests available. But it’s important to aim for a time that is realistic, yet aspirational for your age.
The good news is that getting older doesn’t mean giving up on running fast. While aerobic capacity can naturally decline with age, consistent training can help preserve fitness, speed and endurance as you age.
What’s a Good Mile Time?
According to benchmark data from Running Level, the average one mile times for men in their 50s fall within the following ranges:
- Beginner: 10:42-11:08
- Novice: 8:51-9:13
- Intermediate: 7:31-7:49
- Advanced: 6:33-6:49
- Elite: 5:50-6:04
That means breaking 8 minutes for the mile in your 50s places you comfortably above average, while running closer to 6 minutes 30 seconds is an impressive performance that would put you in the advanced category.
It’s worth noting that these numbers should be viewed as a guide rather than a definitive measure of your fitness. The data is drawn from recreational and competitive runners who choose to log their performances, meaning it may skew towards more active individuals. Factors such as training history, injuries, health conditions and time away from running can also have a significant impact on mile performance.
How to Improve Your Mile Time in Your 50s
What makes the mile particularly useful is that it tests multiple aspects of fitness at once. It rewards runners who can maintain a hard pace while resisting the urge to start too fast.
If your current mile time falls into the beginner or novice categories, there’s plenty of room for improvement. According to running coach Ben Parkes, speed work becomes increasingly important as we age. Rather than simply adding more miles, he recommends incorporating faster efforts into your week
One option is a fartlek session, where you add 3 or 4 bursts of 60-90 seconds at a hard effort into an otherwise easy run. Alternatively, Parkes is also a fan of hill sessions, describing them as ‘so good to improve our form, improve our strength as well’. He recommends completing 4 or 5 reps of 60 to 90 seconds uphill before walking back down for recovery.
Alongside running, Parkes says it’s ‘really important to try and get a strength session in at least one, ideally two strength sessions in every week’. These can focus on calf raises, squats, lunges and planks. According to the coach, just 20-30 minutes of strength training once or twice a week can help improve speed while reducing injury risk.
