{"id":710385,"date":"2026-07-25T11:13:15","date_gmt":"2026-07-25T11:13:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/710385\/"},"modified":"2026-07-25T11:13:15","modified_gmt":"2026-07-25T11:13:15","slug":"at-42-olly-murs-sub-20-5k-puts-him-in-the-advanced-category-for-his-age-see-how-you-compare","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/710385\/","title":{"rendered":"At 42, Olly Murs’ Sub-20 5K Puts Him in the ‘Advanced’ Category for His Age \u2013\u00a0See How You Compare"},"content":{"rendered":"

When Olly Murs<\/a> ran his first half marathon<\/a>, it put him off running for years. But after taking on one of the toughest physical challenges of his life \u2013 the 400km he covered in five days<\/a> by running, rowing and riding in support of Soccer Aid for UNICEF \u2013 it’s clear that the Heart Skips A Beat singer has officially caught the running bug. <\/p>\n

On his Instagram, he has recently been sharing the results of his running sessions, and the times he\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

How Olly Murs’ 5K Time Compares to the Average <\/p>\n

The singer\u2019s 5k time is perhaps his most impressive running achievement. Earlier this month, he shared<\/a> that he\u2019d run his first sub-20-minute 5k, clocking a 19:47 time with an average pace of 3:57\/km. <\/p>\n

According to data from Running Level<\/a>, the average 5k time across men of all ages is 22:31, which makes Murs\u2019 time almost three minutes faster than the standard. <\/p>\n

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\u2019s website \u2013 and firmly on his way to the elite benchmark of 18:36. <\/p>\n

\u2018Today I finally ran a sub-20 5K,\u2019 he wrote in the caption. \u2018Can\u2019t tell you how buzzing I am\u2026 proper proud of this one! It\u2019s been a goal of mine for agesssss! GET IN!!!!!\u2019 <\/p>\n

He continued: \u2018I don\u2019t wanna get too deep on here but if you\u2019re chasing your own goal, stay consistent. Keep showing up, even on the days you can\u2019t be arsed DO IT cos trust me\u2026 it\u2019s worth it in the end no matter how big or small that goal is!!\u2019 <\/p>\n

It\u2019s worth noting that since that 2018 half marathon, he\u2019s undergone five knee surgeries, including an ACL reconstruction. But as Murs has highlighted in his recent posts, his running performance doesn\u2019t seem to have suffered as a result. <\/p>\n

How Olly Murs’ Half Marathon Time Compares to the Average<\/p>\n

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. <\/p>\n

\u2018First half marathon since 2018… Old Mr One Knee somehow beat his time from 8 years ago by 25 mins,\u2019 he wrote. \u2018Make it make sense.\u2019 <\/p>\n

Running a half marathon after so many knee surgeries (and seemingly enjoying it) is impressive enough, but Murs\u2019 time actually puts him way above average. <\/p>\n

According to data from RunRepeat<\/a>, the average half marathon finish time for men in the UK sits at 1:55:26 \u2013 making Murs\u2019 time nine minutes faster. <\/p>\n

And at 42, data from Running Level suggests Murs\u2019 performance puts him in the \u2018intermediate\u2019 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 \u2013 so Murs is exactly on track.
<\/p>\n

The Average Running Times for Men in Their 40s<\/p>\n

Want to know how your times compare to Murs’? According to Running Level, these are the benchmarks to aim for per distance.<\/p>\n

5K<\/p>\n

Beginner: 33:09<\/p>\n

Novice: 27:43
<\/p>\n

Intermediate: 23:43<\/p>\n

Advanced: 20:46<\/p>\n

Elite: 18:36<\/p>\n

10K<\/p>\n

Beginner: 01:07:58<\/p>\n

Novice: 56:43
<\/p>\n

Intermediate: 48:29<\/p>\n

Advanced: 42:26<\/p>\n

Elite: 38:01<\/p>\n

Half Marathon<\/p>\n

Beginner: 02:29:29<\/p>\n

Novice: 02:04:59
<\/p>\n

Intermediate: 01:46:48<\/p>\n

Advanced: 01:33:24<\/p>\n

Elite: 01:23:32<\/p>\n

Marathon<\/p>\n

Beginner: 05:06:20<\/p>\n

Novice: 04:17:56<\/p>\n

Intermediate: 03:41:40<\/p>\n

Advanced: 03:14:37<\/p>\n

Elite: 02:54:32<\/p>\n

If there\u2019s one thing Kori Sampson knows, it\u2019s how to optimise your body composition for performance. To tap into his knowledge as an elite athlete and coach, we asked him to create a 4-week plan to help you move faster, recover quicker and keep pushing when the fatigue sets in \u2013 all while improving your muscle-to-fat ratio.<\/p>\n

Ready to build muscle, burn fat and come out the other side looking, feeling and performing better? CLICK HERE<\/a> to get 14 days of free access to the plan via the Men\u2019s Health app.<\/p>\n

\"kori\"Headshot<\/p>\n

Lauren Geall is deputy site editor for Women\u2019s Health UK and Men\u2019s 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\u2019s 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\u2019s sport and can often be found cheering on Arsenal Women at the Emirates or keeping tabs on the Red Roses\u2019 latest win.\u00a0<\/p>\n