How long is a 10K? You're new to running and have heard about races called a 10K, but you have no idea what it means. It's okay, you're not alone.
Here's the 10K breakdown.
The 'K' stands for kilometer, which is 0.62 miles or 1093.6 yards (http://www.metric-conversions.org). Therefore, a 10K is 10 kilometers (10,000 meters) or 6.2 miles. It's double the distance of a 5K race.
More: How Long Is a 5K?
How Long Is a 10K?
To help put this distance into perspective, consider the following facts:
- You would have to run a football field (including the end zone, which is 109.73 meters) 91.14 times to finish a 10K.
- King Kong would have to climb the Empire State Building (443.2 meters high, including antenna) 26.25 times to complete a 10K.
- A tourist would need to scale the Eiffel Tower (324 meters tall) 31.25 times to cover a 10K distance.
More: 10 Steps to a Successful 10K
World Records
According to Track and Field News, the current men's outdoor world-record holder is Ethiopian runner Kenenisa Bekele at 26:17.53. The current women's outdoor world-record holder is Wang Junxia of China at 29:31.78.
The 10K distance is popular with both beginner and experienced runners. If you're a true beginner, check out online training programs to help you train for a 10K.
More: 4 Tips to Finish Your First 10K Strong
Sign up for your next 10K race.
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