What Is a Good Time for Running the Mile?

By Staff WriterLast Updated April 12, 2020

Running the mile in under four minutes puts a person in an elite class of runner, but strong runners who do not compete can still achieve a time under six minutes. A good time to aim for when running the mile depends on age, gender, body composition and past running experience.

The mile is a common race length, consisting of four laps of a standard track. Over time, the record for running a mile has continued to improve. The one major plateau occurred when runners struggled for years to break the four-minute mark. Roger Bannister was the first runner to run the mile in under four minutes, followed shortly by many other athletes.