10K run

The mass public race at the 2012 London 10000 race

Amateur runners completing the 2006 Peachtree Road Race

The 10K run is a long-distance road running competition over a distance of ten kilometers (6.2 miles). Also referred to as the 10K road race, 10 km, or simply 10K, it is one of the most common types of road running event, alongside the half marathon and marathon. It is usually distinguished from the 10,000 metres track running event by stating the distance in kilometers, rather than meters.

As one of the shortest common road distances, many 10K races attract high levels of public participation. Among the largest 10K races, the Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta, United States had over 55,000 participants in 2011 while the Vancouver Sun Run and Bolder Boulder both had close to 50,000 runners.^[1][2][3] The popularity of 10K races lies in the fact that, for most adults, the 10K distance is long enough to represent a challenge but short enough to remain accessible for an untrained runner.^[4][5]

Most popular 10K races are an annual fixture in a city or area and typically incorporate an element of charity running, where participants raise funds for a cause based upon their completion of the course. Members of the public may take part in the races as a competition or simply for pleasure as a fun run. Some races also allow wheelchair racers to enter. Traditional New Year's Day races in Europe (Silvesterläuf) are often held over 10K.

The accessibility of the distance, and road running in general, has meant that local governments and health charities often form partnerships with races as a way of promoting physical fitness among the general public.^[6] Medical organizations, fitness groups, drinks manufacturers and sportswear companies are typical commercial sponsors of 10K events.^[7][8]

The 10-kilometre metric distance has been used for road running events for a large portion of the modern era of athletics – the Běchovice–Praha race is one of the longest-running events over the distance, having first been held in 1897.^[9][10] In Western countries using imperial measurements, the 6-mile run (9.7 km) was once more prevalent, but many long-running events (such as the Cincinnati Thanksgiving Day Race and Saltwell Road Race) have adapted their courses to match the metric distance.^[11]

Professional 10K running

At the professional level, there are many races which offer significant prize money to athletes who achieve a high finishing position in the race. At the highest level, annual prize money can total over US$100,000 at races such as the World's Best 10K, Peachtree Road Race, and World 10K Bangalore.^[12][13]

Mo Farah, Micah Kogo and Chris Thompson in the elite men's race at the London 10000 in 2010

The 10K road distance has never featured on the event programs of the Athletics at the Summer Olympics or the IAAF World Championships in Athletics. However, it did briefly have its own individual championship for women in the form of the IAAF World Women's Road Race Championships, which was contested over ten kilometers in 1983 and 1984.^[14] As a result, the highest level 10K road competitions occur at individual races run by race promoters, who attract elite international level runners through prize money and appearance fees. These types of races are held in all parts of the world, but the highest caliber races are mainly concentrated in the United States, Canada, Europe and East Asia.

The world records for the 10K road distance are 26:44 minutes for men (Leonard Patrick Komon, 2010) and 30:21 minutes for women (Paula Radcliffe, 2003).^[15][16] Performances over ten kilometers on the roads were not recognized as world records by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) until 2003 and instead the fastest times were referred to as "world bests". This changed in August 2003 when the IAAF Congress approved world record status for a number of specified road distances, including the 10 km.^[17]

As with other forms of professional long-distance running, East African athletes have been dominant in the 10K distance since the 1990s. As of April 2013, all ten of the fastest male 10K runners are East African (nine of them Kenyan), while seven of the top ten female runners are Kenyan.^[15][16]

Statistics

Area records

• World records are in bold. Correct as of February 2015.^[18][19]

Area	Men				Women
	Time	Athlete	Nation		Time	Athlete	Nation
Africa	26:44	Leonard Komon	Kenya		30:27	Isabella Ochichi	Kenya
Asia	27:57	Nicholas Kemboi	Qatar		30:52	Kayoko Fukushi	Japan
Europe	27:34	Nick Rose	United Kingdom		30:21	Paula Radcliffe	United Kingdom
North, Central America and Caribbean	27:23	Mark Nenow	United States		31:05	Angela Chalmers	Canada
Oceania	27:54	Craig Mottram	Australia		31:17	Benita Willis	Australia
South America	27:48	Marilson dos Santos	Brazil		32:06	Carmem de Oliveira	Brazil

Top 10 men

• Correct as of February 2015.^[15]

Rank	Time	Athlete	Nation	Date	Race
1	26:44	Leonard Patrick Komon	Kenya	26 September 2010	Singelloop Utrecht
2	27:01	Micah Kipkemboi Kogo	Kenya	29 March 2009	Parelloop Brunssum
3	27:02	Haile Gebrselassie	Ethiopia	11 December 2002	Doha, Qatar
4=	27:04	Joseph Kimani	Kenya	4 July 1996	Peachtree Road Race
4=	27:04	Josphat Kiprono Menjo	Kenya	18 April 2010	Cursa de Bombers
6	27:09	Peter Kamais Lotagor	Kenya	6 September 2009	Tilburg 10K
7=	27:11	Sammy Kipketer	Kenya	30 March 2002	Crescent City Classic
7=	27:11	Sammy Kirop Kitwara	Kenya	26 September 2010	Singelloop Utrecht
9=	27:19	Moses Ndiema Masai	Kenya	28 February 2010	World's Best 10K
9=	27:19	Geoffrey Kiprono Mutai	Kenya	26 June 2011	Boston 10K

Top 10 women

• Correct as of February 2015.^[16]

Rank	Time	Athlete	Nation	Date	Race
1	30:21	Paula Radcliffe	United Kingdom	23 February 2003	World's Best 10K
2	30:27	Isabella Ochichi	Kenya	26 March 2005	Crescent City Classic
3	30:29	Asmae Leghzaoui	Morocco	8 June 2002	New York Mini 10K
4	30:30	Tirunesh Dibaba	Ethiopia	1 September 2013	Tilburg 10K
5	30:32	Lornah Kiplagat	Kenya	4 July 2002	Peachtree Road Race
6	30:37	Joyce Chepkirui	Kenya	13 October 2013	Grand 10 Berlin
7	30:38	Tadelech Bekele	Ethiopia	13 October 2013	Grand 10 Berlin
8	30:39	Liz McColgan	United Kingdom	11 March 1989	Red Lobster Classic
9=	30:45	Lineth Chepkurui	Kenya	3 April 2010	Crescent City Classic
9=	30:45+	Mary Jepkosgei Keitany	Kenya	18 February 2011	Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon

• Note: Mary Jepkosgei Keitany's time of 30:45 minutes was recorded mid-route in her half marathon world record run of 1:05.50 hours.^[20]

References