How fast could the average American run 400m on the track?

Great progress! Keep it up. You have all the time in the world to achieve your fitness goals.

I've been pretty fast my whole life. I'm a year out from lung surgery and am only just now developing the confidence to do a 400 time trial.

My first time on a track was 84sec (39yo, coming back from 20yrs of doing nothing). This came down to 64sec within a half dozen attempts, so unlikely to have been down to a huge increase in fitness, but rather, understanding the unique pacing strategy of a 400m. So IMO, the question is probably irrelevant because it isn't just a question of fitness, its about ability/knowledge.

Hi, so I was looking for this info myself. It’s New Year’s Day, so I’m going to take our first recorded 400m as pretty dismal (after a late night and a few drinks). Weather was 40 degrees and windy as well. I would classify us as AVERAGE Americans, although former athletes WAY back in the day. (So still have the competitive spirit). I am a 46 year old female (5’5, 127-130lbs) and my husband is 44 (6’ 0.5” and approx. 175lbs). He is more sedintary than myself. He ran 94 seconds (1:34) and I ran 116 seconds (1:56). I would have to say I was a wee bit disappointed in our times, but then again, I have a junior who ran his 400m PR in 10th grade in the 49’s. That boy could run two full laps in my time. However, for 46 and not a "super" workout freak, 116 ain’t too bad. So I’m going to say that if a male cannot run my time, they have got bigger problems than running this 400m lol. Might be time to re-evaluate your life choices ?.

smitty werbenjagermanjensen wrote:

The average is well over 2 minutes because you have to include all the 95 year olds that can only walk it in 10 minutes. The median would be closer to 80 though.

Good answer but some people cannot even walk so the slowest time is even worse than 2 minutes.

If you narrow it down to "only those who can walk," you might be spot on!

TheMidCoach wrote:

These are the people who think running a 6 minute mile is impressive if they didn't run themselves.

Average time... I'd guess 90 seconds.

With respect to the US population of 330 million, 6 flat is a fast mile.

I would bet the median average is about 11 minutes.

90 seconds for the 400?

No way.

I bet less than 20% of the population as a whole could run under 90 seconds for a lap.

I would guess 2:30 or more is the average.

What I am amazed at is why no one has attempted, after all the years this post has been up and after 8 pages, attempted to recruit the 1000 males 20-30 ordered by the OP, time trialed them and posted the results. We could even collaborate and get many people to help so that we have less work to do.

Men over age 20:

Height in inches: 69.2

Weight in pounds: 195.7

Waist circumference in inches: 40.0* (101.5 centimeters)

Percent of adults aged 20 and over with obesity: 37.9% (2013-2014)

Percent of adults aged 20 and over with overweight, including obesity: 70.7% (2013-2014)

food porn for thought wrote:

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/body-measurements.htm

Men over age 20:

Height in inches: 69.2

Weight in pounds: 195.7

Waist circumference in inches: 40.0* (101.5 centimeters)

Percent of adults aged 20 and over with obesity: 37.9% (2013-2014)

Percent of adults aged 20 and over with overweight, including obesity: 70.7% (2013-2014)

Bogus fake info - fabricated by Big Pharma to make people feel sick so they'll become clients of the medical system and get hooked on a lot of medical drugs.

Where I live (Denver metro) gyms are cropping up everywhere (e.g., 24hr, Chuze, PF) and they are crowded almost all the time! Because of some very cold weather over the last week, I needed to run on a treadmill for a couple of days. Went during the late evening and not a treadmill available (about 40) & not a bike either! Wall to wall people working out - and quite a few of them overweight but looking fit. I've also seen more & more runners & walkers clogging up the trails & parks then ever before.

So, I'm just not seeing all these supposedly obese people that these stats talk about. And the overweight people out there are working out like crazy!

For a HS athlete, a 6 minute mile (for a male) is probably not that impressive. For the average american (over 30 and more so over 40), a 6 minute mile is pretty stellar. I would be impressed. There are percentiles for age groups, and if you run a 6 minute mile at 40, you are somewhere in the top 10% for your age bracket. However, this wouldn't pertain to the "average" american, but to those who work their tails off to achieve that.

Well, I should not throw numbers out there, but that is my guess. I can't find the Percentage chart.

It's well-established that the average American farm boy in 1966 could run 43.97 for 400.

There has been a radical decline in standards since then.

Tell It Like It Is wrote:

So, I'm just not seeing all these supposedly obese people that these stats talk about. And the overweight people out there are working out like crazy!

I think all the obese people are helping with the cover up of the faked moon landings, it is full time work so you don't see them out and about.

I’m an out of shape chick bmi 23 and do it in 80 sec, I comsider my fotness stats and weight fairly average at the moment so I’d say for 20-30 year olds who can actually finish it is probably between 80-100sec..

Anyone who has done any running at all is wasting their time relating what they can do to the subject. It is not remotely relevant to the question.

Dude, you live in Colorado, the fittest and one of the most educated states...of course people

will be thinner there! I used to live in Durango, everyone there was 'fit' by American standards.

The word here is 'selection bias'

What does the CDC have to do with big Pharma?

Try going to Mississippi or Louisiana...obesity rate is more like 50% in many areas...being fat is the new normal

in the deep south.

? 43.97? That is basically the Olympic world record time lol. I don't think so lol.

Dang tinfoil hat, how old are you?? That's a great time? My husband is still pretty fast (on shorter sprints) but no where near 80 on the 400, but he's 44.

Currently 400m record times:

The current men's world record is held by Wayde van Niekerk, with a time of 43.03 seconds; van Niekerk is also the reigning world and Olympic champion. The world indoor record holder is Kerron Clement, in 44.57 seconds