10K run


The 10K run is a long-distance road running competition over a distance of. 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 shorter 5K and longer half marathon and marathon. It is usually distinguished from the 10,000 metres track 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 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. 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.
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 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. Medical organisations, fitness groups, drinks manufacturers and sportswear companies are typical commercial sponsors of 10K events.
The 10-kilometre metric distance has been used for road running events for a large portion of the modern era of athletics – the Běchovice–Prague race is one of the longest-running events over the distance, having first been held in 1897. In Western countries using imperial measurements, the 6-mile run was once more prevalent, but many long-running events have adapted their courses to match the metric distance.

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, Apryle Showers Run - Florida's Fastest 10K and World 10K Bangalore.
, 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 programmes 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 kilometres in 1983 and 1984. 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 calibre races are mainly concentrated in the United States, Canada, Europe and East Asia.
The world records for the 10K road distance are 26:24 minutes for men and 29:43 minutes for women. Performances over ten kilometres on the roads were not recognised as world records by the International Association of Athletics Federations 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.
As with other forms of professional long-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, while nine of the top ten female runners are Kenyan.

Area records

Men

RankTimeAthleteNationDateRacePlaceRef
126:24Rhonex KiprutoKenya12 January 202010K Valencia IbercajaValencia
226:38Joshua CheptegeiUganda1 December 201910K Valencia Trinidad AlfonsoValencia
326:44Leonard Patrick KomonKenya26 September 2010Singelloop UtrechtUtrecht
427:01Micah Kipkemboi KogoKenya29 March 2009ParelloopBrunssum
527:02Haile GebrselassieEthiopia11 December 2002QSI 10K Road RaceDoha
527:02Geoffrey KoechKenya7 September 2019Prague Grand PrixPrague
727:04Josphat Kiprono MenjoKenya18 April 2010Cursa de BombersBarcelona
827:07Mathew KimeliKenya7 September 2019Prague Grand PrixPrague
927:09Peter Kamais LotagorKenya6 September 2009Tilburg 10KTilburg
1027:10Benard KimeliKenya9 September 2017Prague Grand PrixPrague
1127:11Sammy KipketerKenya30 March 2002Crescent City ClassicNew Orleans
1127:11Sammy Kirop KitwaraKenya26 September 2010Singelloop UtrechtUtrecht
1327:12Bravin KiptooKenya7 September 2019Prague Grand PrixPrague
1327:12Daniel Simiu EbenyoKenya29 December 2019Corrida de HouillesHouilles
1527:13Julien WandersSwitzerland12 January 202010K ValenciaValencia
1527:13Stephen KissaUganda17 March 201910K de LaredoLaredo, Cantabria
1727:19Moses Ndiema MasaiKenya28 February 2010World's Best 10KSan Juan
1727:19Geoffrey Kiprono MutaiKenya26 June 2011B.A.A. 10KBoston
1927:21Vincent KibetKenya14 October 2018Grand 10 BerlinBerlin
1927:21Shadrack KoechKenya7 September 2019Prague Grand PrixPrague
2127:22Martin Irungu MathathiKenya28 March 2010ParelloopBrunssum
2227:23Chala RegasaEthiopia13 January 201910K ValenciaValencia
2327:24Deriba Merga EjiguEthiopia23 May 2009Ottawa 10KOttawa
2327:24William SigeiKenya16 April 1994Crescent City ClassicNew Orleans
2327:24Zersenay TadeseEritrea20 May 2007Great Manchester RunManchester
2327:24Davis KiplangatKenya7 October 2018Singelloop UtrechtUtrecht

Other bests en route or on aided road course equal or superior to 27:24

TimeAthleteNationDateRacePlaceRef
26:41 Jacob KiplimoUganda31 December 2018San Silvestre VallecanaMadrid
26:54 Eliud KipchogeKenya31 December 2006San Silvestre VallecanaMadrid
26:54 Zersenay TadeseEritrea31 December 2006San Silvestre VallecanaMadrid
26:54 Abadi HadisEthiopia31 December 2018San Silvestre VallecanaMadrid
27:15James Mwangi WangariKenya18 September 2016Copenhagen Half MarathonCopenhagen

Women

RankTimeAthleteNationDateRacePlaceRef
129:43Joyciline JepkosgeiKenya9 September 2017Prague Grand PrixPrague
229:46Sheila ChepkiruiKenya12 January 202010K ValenciaValencia
329:50Rosemary WanjiruKenya12 January 202010K ValenciaValencia
429:51Norah JerutoKenya12 January 202010K ValenciaValencia
529:57Dorcas KimeliKenya7 September 2019Prague Grand PrixPrague
630:05Lonah Chemtai SalpeterIsrael1 September 2019Tilburg 10KTilburg
730:06Fancy ChemutaiKenya9 September 2017Prague Grand PrixPrague
830:15Tsehay GemechuEthiopia13 January 201910K ValenciaValencia
930:19Caroline Chepkoech KipkiruiKenya8 September 2018Prague Grand PrixPrague
1030:21Paula Radcliffe23 February 2003World's Best 10KSan Juan
1130:23Diana KipyokeiKenya8 September 2018Prague Grand PrixPrague
1230:24Violah JepchumbaBahrain10 September 2016Prague Grand PrixPrague
1330:26Gloriah KiteKenya13 January 201910K ValenciaValencia
1430:29Asmae LeghzaouiMorocco8 June 2002New York Mini 10KNew York City
1530:30Tirunesh DibabaEthiopia1 September 2013Tilburg 10KTilburg
1630:37Joyce ChepkiruiKenya13 October 2013Grand 10 BerlinBerlin
1730:38Liz McColganGreat Britain11 March 1989Red Lobster ClassicOrlando, Florida
1730:38Tadelech Bekele AlemuEthiopia13 October 2013Grand 10 BerlinBerlin
1730:38Senbere TeferiEthiopia3 September 2017Tilburg 10KTilburg
2030:41Lornah KiplagatNetherlands29 February 2004World's Best 10KSan Juan, Puerto Rico
2030:41Gladys ChesirKenya11 October 2015Grand 10 BerlinBerlin
2030:41Mary Jepkosgei KeitanyKenya5 August 2017Beach to Beacon 10KCape Elizabeth, Maine
2330:43Evaline ChirchirKenya13 January 201910K ValenciaValencia
2430:46Betsy SainaKenya7 September 2014Tilburg 10KTilburg
2530:47Vivian CheruiyotKenya26 February 2012World's Best 10KSan Juan, Puerto Rico

Other bests en route or on aided road course equal or superior to 30:47

TimeAthleteNationDateRacePlaceRef
29:12Letesenbet GideyEthiopia17 November 2019ZevenheuvelenloopNijmegen
29:54 Brigid KosgeiKenya31 December 2018San Silvestre VallecanaMadrid
29:59 Hellen ObiriKenya31 December 2018San Silvestre VallecanaMadrid
30:05Violah JepchumbaBahrain1 April 2017Prague Half MarathonPrague
30:14Joan ChelimoKenya7 April 2018Prague Half MarathonPrague
30:18Ababel YeshanehEthiopia21 February 2020Ras Al Khaimah Half MarathonEmirate of Ras Al Khaimah
30:27 Isabella OchichiKenya26 March 2005Crescent City ClassicNew Orleans
30:30Yalemzerf Yelahun DensaEthiopia21 February 2020Ras Al Khaimah Half MarathonEmirate of Ras Al Khaimah
30:32 Lornah KiplagatKenya4 July 2002Peachtree Road RaceAtlanta
30:34Worknesh DegefaEthiopia2 April 2016Prague Half MarathonPrague
30:34Evaline ChirchirKenya21 February 2020Ras Al Khaimah Half MarathonEmirate of Ras Al Khaimah
30:35Mary Jepkosgei KeitanyKenya8 February 2018Ras al-Khaimah Half MarathonRas al-Khaimah
30:37Sifan HassanNetherlands16 September 2018Copenhagen Half MarathonCopenhagen