A good mile means very different things to a recreational runner and a varsity miler, so the honest answer is again by level. For competitive track athletes, the mile and its cousin the 1600 reward aerobic base, threshold fitness, and a closing gear. Here is what a good mile looks like at each stage, and what tends to move it.
For a general fitness runner, breaking 8 minutes is a solid mile and breaking 7 is genuinely fit. For a developing high school distance runner, boys around 5:20 and girls around 6:05 are reasonable early marks that come down quickly with consistent mileage.
A good varsity mile is around 4:45 for boys and 5:25 for girls, with the low 4:30s and low 5:10s scoring at the state level. The gains here come from aerobic volume and threshold work far more than from hammering intervals.
College men run sub-4:10 and women sub-4:50 to be competitive, with elite around a 4:00 mile for men and 4:35 for women. The sub-4 mile remains the iconic barrier and is reached by only a small group worldwide.
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Typical boys' marks from developing through elite, with girls' marks in the table below. Mile and 1600 times are close, with the mile a touch slower.
Solid, competitive marks at each level.
| Level | Boys / Men | Girls / Women |
|---|---|---|
| Developing | 5:20 | 6:05 |
| HS JV | 5:00 | 5:40 |
| HS varsity (good) | 4:45 | 5:25 |
| College | 4:12 | 4:50 |
| Elite | 4:00 | 4:35 |
Common questions athletes and coaches ask about this topic.
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