The 5k has become one of the most popular ways to measure everyday fitness, and for men in their 40s the benchmark is clearer than many casual runners might expect. Data from Running Level suggests recreational male runners in that age group average around 24 minutes for the distance.

That makes the race useful in a way longer events are not. A 5k is long enough to test endurance, but short enough to show how efficiently a runner moves, recovers and paces under fatigue. The Running Level figures were compiled from running enthusiasts before publication, giving a practical snapshot of what many committed amateurs are actually running.

Lee Grantham said it is possible to take five minutes off a 5k time with the right programme, and his advice cuts against the habit many runners have of doing too much, too hard, too often. In a YouTube video, he laid out a three-phase plan built around gradually rising interval volume, shorter repetitions first and longer race-specific efforts later. The sessions are meant to feel controlled, not all-out, with easy running and recovery placed between the harder workouts. As Grantham put it, what goes in between should be recovery runs and easy runs that speed recovery.

The plan starts with Week 1 at 12 x 500m with 60-second rest, paired with a Sunday 12-14k conversational long run. Week 2 moves to 6 x 1k with 60-second rest, then Week 3 extends to 3 x 2k with the same recovery. The pattern keeps the load steady while asking for more from the runner’s endurance and pacing, not just raw speed.

The second phase builds on that base. Week 4 includes 14 x 500m with 60-second rest, Week 5 shifts to 7 x 1k, and Week 6 adds 3 x 2k plus 1 x 1k, again with 60-second rest. Sundays in that block include a long run with 6 x 1k Zone 3 efforts, a sign that the plan is designed to push aerobic strength without turning every run into a race.

The final phase is the most race-specific. Week 7 calls for 16 x 500m with 60-second rest, Week 8 moves to 8 x 1k, and Week 9 finishes with 4 x 2k, still on 60-second rest. Sundays in those weeks include a long run with 3 x 2k Zone 3 efforts, the last step in a progression that asks runners to hold form longer under pressure.

The point of the guidance is not that every man in his 40s should chase the same target, but that a 5k time can be trained down with structure rather than guesswork. The article behind the guidance notes that times vary with training experience, injury history and overall health, and it also says these numbers are benchmarks to work toward. For new runners, simply finishing a 5k remains an achievement regardless of the clock.

That is why the 5k keeps drawing attention: it is a clean test, but not a simple one. It rewards consistency more than bravado, and the gap between an average 24 minutes and a faster result may come down less to talent than to whether runners can stay patient long enough to let the work add up.