One-Mile Run: Time Standards by Age & Sex
What is a good mile time for your age? These are the one-mile run norms from the Presidential Fitness Test's 1985 survey, by age and sex. Faster times score higher; ages 6–9 could run a shorter distance instead.
One-Mile Run norms by age
The one-mile run is timed; walking is allowed but discouraged. The score is the total time to cover one mile.
| Age | Boys 85th | Boys 50th | Girls 85th | Girls 50th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 10:15 | 12:36 | 11:20 | 13:12 |
| 7 | 9:22 | 11:40 | 10:36 | 12:56 |
| 8 | 8:48 | 11:05 | 10:02 | 12:30 |
| 9 | 8:31 | 10:30 | 9:30 | 11:52 |
| 10 | 7:57 | 9:48 | 9:19 | 11:22 |
| 11 | 7:32 | 9:20 | 9:02 | 11:17 |
| 12 | 7:11 | 8:40 | 8:23 | 11:05 |
| 13 | 6:50 | 8:06 | 8:13 | 10:23 |
| 14 | 6:26 | 7:44 | 7:59 | 10:06 |
| 15 | 6:20 | 7:30 | 8:08 | 9:58 |
| 16 | 6:08 | 7:10 | 8:23 | 10:31 |
| 17 | 6:06 | 7:04 | 8:15 | 10:22 |
Verified source: Presidential Physical Fitness Test standards — President's Council on Physical Fitness & Sports, 1985 National School Population Fitness Survey (85th percentile validated 1998; 50th validated 1994). Reproduced verbatim and checked cell-by-cell. Recovered from the President's Challenge archive and verified cell-by-cell against the authoritative GPO publication (p. 8). Partial Curl-Up norms: Canada Fitness Award Program; ¼/½-mile: AAU. Official source · Sources & methodology
Frequently asked questions
What is a good mile time for my age?
On the Presidential Fitness Test scale, the 85th percentile is a strong time. A 10-year-old boy needed about 7:57 for the 85th percentile, versus 9:48 at the median.
Did younger kids run a full mile?
Ages 6–7 could run a quarter-mile and ages 8–9 a half-mile as a distance option, in place of the full one-mile run.
Other events: Push-Up Test · Pull-Up Test · Curl-Up (Sit-Up) Test · Sit & Reach Test · Shuttle Run Test · Flexed-Arm Hang Test