The10K run is along-distanceroad running competition over a distance of ten kilometres (6.2 miles). Also referred to as the10K road race,10 km, or simply10K, it is one of the most common types of road running event, alongside the shorter5K and longerhalf marathon andmarathon. It is usually distinguished from the10,000 metrestrack running event by stating the distance in kilometres, rather than metres.

As one of the shortest common road distances, many 10K races attract high levels of public participation. Among thelargest 10K races, thePeachtree Road Race inAtlanta, United States had over 55,000 participants in 2011, while theVancouver Sun Run andBolder 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]

Most popular 10K races are an annual fixture in a city or area and typically incorporate an element ofcharity running, where participants raise funds for a cause, based upon their completion of the course. Public members may participate in the races as a competition or simply for pleasure as afun run. Some races also allowwheelchair racers to enter. Traditional New Year's Day races are often held over 10K, including theSan Silvestre Vallecana in Spain.

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 promotingphysical fitness among thegeneral public.^[5] Medical organisations, fitness groups, drinks manufacturers andsportswear companies are typicalcommercial sponsors of 10K events.^[6][7]

The 10-kilometremetric distance has been used for road running events for a large portion of the modern era ofathletics – theBěchovice–Prague race is one of the longest-running events over the distance, having first been held in 1897.^[8][9] In Western countries usingimperial measurements, the 6-mile run (9.7 km) was once more prevalent, but many long-running events (such as theCincinnati Thanksgiving Day Race andSaltwell Road Race) have adapted their courses to match the metric distance.^[10]

At the professional level, many races offer significantprize 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 theWorld's Best 10K, Peachtree Road Race, Apryle Showers Run - Florida's Fastest 10K, andWorld 10K Bangalore.^[11][12]

The 10K road distance has never been featured on the event programmes of theAthletics at the Summer Olympics or theIAAF World Championships in Athletics. However, it briefly had its own individual championship for women in the form of theIAAF World Women's Road Race Championships, contested over ten kilometres in 1983 and 1984.^[13] 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 andappearance fees. These races are held in all parts of the world, but the highest calibre races are mainly concentrated in the United States, Canada, Europe andEast Asia.

The world records for the 10K road distance are 26:24 minutes for men (Rhonex Kipruto, 2020) and 29:43 minutes for women (Joyciline Jepkosgei, 2017).^[14][15] Performances over ten kilometres on the roads were not recognised asworld records by theInternational Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) until 2003. 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.^[16]

As with other forms of professionallong-distance running, East African athletes have been dominant in the 10K distance since the 1990s. As of January 2020, all ten of the fastest male 10K runners are East African (five of themKenyan), while nine of the top ten female runners are Kenyan.

• World records are inbold. Correct as of January 2025.^[17][18]

• Correct as of October 2025^[19][20]

Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 27:00:

• Berihu Aregawi also ran 26:33 (2023).
• Yomif Kejelcha also ran 26:37 (2024).
• Jacob Kiplimo also ran 26:48 (2024).
• Andreas Almgren also ran 26:53 (2025).
• Sebastian Sawe also ran 26:54 (2022).
• Nicholas Kimeli also ran 26:54 (2023), 26:56 (2025).
• Rodrigue Kwizera also ran 26:56 (2022).
• Birhanu Balew also ran 26:57 (2024).
• Tadese Worku also ran 26:59 (2022).
• Joshua Cheptegei also ran 26:49 (2022), 26:53 (2024).
• Kibiwott Kandie also ran 26:51 (2022), 26:53 (2023).

The following athletes had their performance (inside 27:00) annulled due to doping offences:

• Rhonex Kipruto also ran 26:43 (2021), 26:46 (2018), 26:58 (2022).

• Correct as of February 2022.^[40]
• + =en route to longer performance
• a = aided road course according to IAAF rule 260.28

Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 27:00:

• Jacob Kiplimo also ran 26:56+ (2022).

• Correct as of April 2025.^[43][44]
• Mx = mixed gender race
• Wo = women only race

Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 30:01:

• Yalemzerf Yehualaw also ran 29:19Mx (2023).
• Agnes Ngetich also ran 29:24Wo^[c] (2023), 29:26Wo (2023), 29:27Wo (2025).
• Fotyen Tesfay also ran 29:54Mx (2024).
• Sheila Chepkirui also ran 29:57Mx (2019).
• Emmaculate Acholi also run 30:01Wo (2023).

• Correct as of May 2021.^[59]
• + =en route to longer performance
• a = aided road course according to IAAF rule 260.28

Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 30:01:

• Letesenbet Gidey also ran 29:44+ (2019), 29:45+ (2021).
• Yalemzerf Yehualaw also ran 29:52+Mx (2022).

Wikimedia Commons has media related to10K runs.

• IAAF list of 10k records in XML

• 10K runs
• Road running distances
• Long-distance running disciplines

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