What percentage of American males aged 18-30 can run a 6:00 mile?

kartelite wrote:

but occasionally still bang out a 6:00 mile on the treadmill just to make sure I can do it....

Let me know the next time your do this so I can look upon you in awe.

If tested today 2-3%

If given a year to train on their own with a substantial monetary reward: 15%

If given a year to train with a professional with a substantial monetary reward: 25%

*These numbers are pulled completely from thin air and should be taken with less than a grain of salt.

I ran a miler race last night.

119 finished. 33 ran under 6 min.

27%, right?

That's everyone.

Men 19-29:

15 finished. 13 ran under 6 min.

86%

whattheduck wrote:

I ran a miler race last night.

119 finished. 33 ran under 6 min.

27%, right?

That's everyone.

Men 19-29:

15 finished. 13 ran under 6 min.

86%

Ok so you raced a miler last night, with runners, who train and race and 86% broke 6.

Thank you for this very important data point.

Even 2-3% seems high. 50 years ago in the Army 6:00 was 100 points on the PT test, of the basic training company I was with only 4(out of ~125)ran 6:00 and we trained on our own with getting low 5 minutes times as a goal. So after 8 weeks of basic training and getting soldiers in better shape no non-runner was near 6;00. All 4 were kids who ran XC or track in HS and could go 6:00 on the first day of bootcamp any way.

Combat boots and pants slow you down a good bit. 5:30 combatboot mile is equal to a 5 minute mile I'd say.

12 laps of 80 twice a day plus wrote:

Even 2-3% seems high. 50 years ago in the Army 6:00 was 100 points on the PT test, of the basic training company I was with only 4(out of ~125)ran 6:00 and we trained on our own with getting low 5 minutes times as a goal. So after 8 weeks of basic training and getting soldiers in better shape no non-runner was near 6;00. All 4 were kids who ran XC or track in HS and could go 6:00 on the first day of bootcamp any way.

Combat boots and pants slow you down a good bit. 5:30 combatboot mile is equal to a 5 minute mile I'd say.

The Army and police trainers must have some good information because recruits, and long-timers, are required to pass fitness tests.

This winter I watched both ROTC and police recruits working on their fitness tests at an indoor track. Out of groups of about 30, maybe one or two were even close to 6:00 mile; the pack was 7-8, and there were several stuggling to break 10.

At one of the more competitive 5ks in the area here recently, 20% of men 20-29 ran a time equivalent to a 6min-mile or better. Definitely less than 5% in the whole population.

we are the X% wrote:

See thread title.

1-2%.

This seems right. In HS my junior year we ran a 6:00 minute run. Only 2 non-XC guys made a mile both of which were in other sports, basketball and soccer. That was 1974 and I can't imagine people are faster on average now.

Flagpole wrote:

we are the X% wrote:

See thread title.

1-2%.

moron wrote:

At one of the more competitive 5ks in the area here recently, 20% of men 20-29 ran a time equivalent to a 6min-mile or better. Definitely less than 5% in the whole population.

Not a representative sample. About 23 of the 25 or so guys on my DIII college cross country team could break 6.

1%

Less than one percent. You guys are way overestimating.

we are the X% wrote:

See thread title.

A sub 6 mile requires good fitness and good talent ....without much training.

Today, probably less than 5% of 18-30 yo. After several months of training, with a sub 6 as a goal...maybe 10%?

Hmm, I ran 4:30 in high school so I'll say 30%.

A 6 minute mile is aerobically equivalent to a 20 minute 5K. A 20 minute 5k has easily won my kids' school fundraiser race the last 5 out of 6 years.

A 6 minute mile is aerobically equivalent to a 42 minute 10K. At the BolderBoulder, a 42 minute time would put you about 800th out of 50,000-this is the biggest citizen race in a very fit state.

A 6 minute mile is aerobically equivalent to a 3:12 marathon. A 3:12 marathon will put you in about 2000th place out of 45,000 entrants.

People who enter races-even hobby joggers-are far more fit than the average DMV customer. For example-the BolderBoulder gets 50,000 entrants. 3 Million people live within an hour of Boulder. 50,000 enter, perhaps ten times that number, or 500,000, are capable of running or walking 6 miles-but choose not to. That leaves well over two million sitting home watching Doogie Howser reruns on Nicklelodeon. Divide 800th place by 3 million?? You get 0.02 percent. Divide 8000 by 3 million?? You get 0.2 percent.

My vote is less than 1% of the 18-30 age group could run a 6 minute mile, with no preparation time. In my heart, I think it's far less-even down to as little as 1/10th of a percent.

less than 1%.

RU Kidding me wrote:

A 6 minute mile is aerobically equivalent to a 20 minute 5K. A 20 minute 5k has easily won my kids' school fundraiser race the last 5 out of 6 years.

A 6 minute mile is aerobically equivalent to a 42 minute 10K. At the BolderBoulder, a 42 minute time would put you about 800th out of 50,000-this is the biggest citizen race in a very fit state.

A 6 minute mile is aerobically equivalent to a 3:12 marathon. A 3:12 marathon will put you in about 2000th place out of 45,000 entrants.

That's only aerobically equivalent for someone in great shape, even among runners. A 20 minute 5k (6:26 pace) is definitely harder for most people than a 6 minute mile, and it only gets harder from there. But yeah, with no prep time it's going to be low indeed.

Whoa whoa whoa whoa wait a minute. They have Doogie Howser reruns on Nicklelodeon?

george oscar bluth wrote:

At my public accounting firm, we have probably 120 people in that age range, and I would guess that maybe 8-10 could break 6 in the mile.

At my public accounting firm there are likely 4 out of 100 that could break 6.