Average mile times improve steadily through the teens as aerobic fitness develops, though they vary more than sprints because so much depends on training history. The numbers below are typical for developing school runners, not racing milers, so use them as a rough placement. Here is how the average moves with age and what separates average from good.
The mile rewards consistent aerobic mileage more than talent in most young runners. Average times fall through the teens mostly because training volume and consistency climb, not because kids get dramatically more gifted. Sprinting moves for the same reason at these ages, as the 100m times for a 13-year-old show.
These are typical times, not competitive ones. A good varsity mile is well under the age-18 average here, around 4:45 for boys and 5:25 for girls. The gap is base mileage and threshold work. Any figure quoted to the tenth for people who do not race is a guess, a problem picked apart in how fast the average person is over 100m.
Easy aerobic volume, then threshold runs, then race-pace speed. Runners stuck at average almost always need more easy mileage, not harder intervals.
Average shows the ballpark. Film a hard rep, the AI flags the form that breaks down as you fatigue, so the aerobic engine you build translates into a faster mile on the track.
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Typical boys' times by age, girls' times in the table below. Mile and 1600 times are close, with the mile a touch slower.
Typical developing-runner times. Competitive marks are faster.
| Age | Boys | Girls |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 7:30 | 8:00 |
| 12 | 7:00 | 7:30 |
| 14 | 6:15 | 7:00 |
| 16 | 5:40 | 6:40 |
| 18 | 5:20 | 6:25 |
Common questions athletes and coaches ask about this topic.
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