How Many Runners Does It Take To Beat An Olympian?

Ever wondered how many average runners it would take to beat an Olympian in a race? Well, we thought just that, so we pitted a group of average runners to compete against an Olympian in a 5K mega race.
How many runners running flat out at their top speed would be needed to cross the finish line before an Olympian?
↓↓Would you join in a race like this? What is your parkrun / 5k PB? Let us know in the comments below!↓↓
What’s in this video?
00:00 Average Runners v Olympian
0:42 The Challenge
2:06 The Race
10:10 The Results
MUSIC licensed by Artlist:
All Things Instrumental Version by Adv3n7ur35
The Path by Oliver Michael
Sugar Sweet Instrumental Version by Zach Sorgen
Deep Horizon by Raz Burg
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[@velogoo]

It always amazes me when watching properly fast runners like Andy, that they don't look like they are going anything like as fast as they actually are.

[@runningchannel]

We know what you mean. That pace didn't look like it took much effort at all!

[@christopherhamill525]

I run a similar 5k and I look stupid. Andy just has really good form, but other runners around his caliber in his prime also have ugly form as well

[@heeeeeyyyyyyyyy]

I was about to say that the camera angles make him look really slow like he is just jogging 9 minute miles. I know its not but it just so effortless and easy. I was lucky enough to be in an joint half marathon and marathon with some potential Kenyan Olympic athletes. I “ran” the half and at around 12.9 miles a Kenyan athlete over took me about to his second lap to finish the full marathon. Over took me like I was running backwards 😂

[@waterproof4403]

@@christopherhamill525 there are countless runners better than him. There are world class runners and there are elite elite runners. Also Remember not all Olympians win Gold medals. Some of them get lapped in a race lol

[@greatleapforwards]

yup...all about efficiency - really a great sight to see. My pb is a 18:40 and I am all over the place in the last mile

[@TheDrugOfTheNation]

I beat an Olympian in a half-marathon. But she was a) a woman b) fifteen years after her Olympics c) a sprinter d) the two-hour pace-setter.

[@Iloverugby396]

I would fancy myself as well 😂

[@Cds56]

Love the last caveat you added lmao

[@boncetv2165]

Sarah: 'Andy you will do this easy, we're all average runners' Andy: 'Is that Euan Thomas?' Sarah: 'You see nothing, Andy'

[@runningchannel]

haha! *Sarah waves Jedi mind trick* "These are not the former European, Commonwealth Games and World 400m champion you are looking for."

[@stuartthurstan]

Ran my best ever 5k this summer at just under 19 minutes. It felt like a full sprint the entire time. The thing that always impresses me about proper runners is their efficiency of movement. The guy who won my 5k ran it in about 16 minutes and looked as though he never even broke a sweat where as I looked like I'd been chased three times around the block by a pack of Dobermans. Props to all the runners involved, but as I well know from my interval sessions at the local track, running at a certain pace for 300m is one thing, maintaining it for 5k is a different proposition entirely. So, a big round of applause to Andy. Awesome.

[@runningchannel]

Thanks for comment Stuart. You're right too, when we see 16 minute runners at Parkrun, they just make it look so easy. When clearly, it is not!

[@julesmo323]

I had a fellow trainee in basic training who ran his 2 mile timed run in 9 and a 1/2 minutes. Mind you he only needed 12 minutes to get a maximum score. Unreal.

[@moaningpheromones]

My fastest times were high 16s, and I looked like I'd been chased by Dobermans - and I was so loud puffing I got accused of shouting at houses. Weird - people are so weird.

[@tomb2289]

Wow that many people and you still needed Euan Thomas, fair play, Andy's a beast! Great effort everyone!

[@runningchannel]

Andy's face when Euan appeared was a picture, I wish we had recorded it.

[@churlishly]

Isn't it Iwan?

[@thedolenorway]

Wow, the team might have won the race, but Andy is still the true winner of this in my eyes. It is a pretty good illustration of the amazing human potential to improve and adapt to training. An untrained individual would struggle to hang on to any one on that relay team, the relay team struggled to hang on to Andys 5K pace, and Andy would have struggled to hang on to Kipchoges marathon pace.

[@mistermoto4242]

Andy ran his park 5k pace not too far off of Kipchoges pace, and that is also on what appears to be a mix of pavement and grass

[@njsfer]

@@mistermoto4242 Andy's 5K's PB isn't that far off from Kipchoge's, but in this run his pace wasn't even close to Kipchoge's marathon's PB pace. He was almost 30secs slower per km.

[@sarahmc]

So it takes 11 average runners AND another Olympian to beat an Olympian! 😆 No stopping Andy with average runners alone 💪 (Wouldn't mind being able to run like some of those "average" runners myself!) Great challenge!

[@ilect1690]

There were definately a very wide gap between some of the runners, some average runners were going 2:40/km pace while others were going 4:00/km

[@Boost00130]

nice to see Kate again... I have been missing her in your recent videos

[@runningchannel]

It was great to see her too!

[@rubarb1275]

Great stuff again everyone, more of this content please. Also, Andy was robbed! You can't have a challenge to race an Olympian, by having another Olympian on your team! 😄

[@christinaclementson2685]

Holy moly, shows just how fast Andy is!! That was very impressive running 💪💪

[@runningchannel]

Andy is a speedy demon!

[@ianaugustus5648]

Great effort Andy. Your pace is so deceptive. It's only when we see normal people running alongside that we realise how much of a superhero you really are.

[@runningchannel]

Yeah, he's pretty quick around that course. When we were filming, we were a bit worried he'd win by a mile!

[@Kelly_Ben]

This was SO FUN!! To watch, anyway, it looked like torture for the participants! 😆 Congrats Andy, the fact you were SO CLOSE against such odds was a win in my book!

[@irisr4536]

Didn’t know whom to root for, but actually I think I wanted Andy to win because he had to do it all by himself. He come so close! Great effort by the team as well, fun to watch!

[@hairyairey]

This has answered something that I wondered about and that is why the parkrun world record is so much slower than the 5000m world record. It's obvious really "as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another". World records are achieved when the best in the world run against each other. Which makes Andy's world record for parkrun all the more impressive

[@oscarmunguia1104]

i dont think the parkrun wr being much slower than the official wr is a big surprise 😂😂😂 you just have to use common sense and 5 seconds of brain power to realize the competitive diversity in both fields 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@hairyairey]

@@oscarmunguia1104 indeed, parkrun prides itself on the average parkrun time going up!

[@sabunkambule3125]

I’m so happy I saw this on Instagram! It’s so much helped. I’m rather motivated. It feels easier and like I have support. Thank you😭😭😭😭I really love it here. 🇿🇦

[@iainarthur7713]

Great fun to watch, especially with a more than slight ringer in Iwan Thomas. IIRC Kipchoge's sub 2hr marathon pace would do the 5k in about 14:15, which given he has to do 8 in a row is insane

[@majorssh]

To be fair to Andy....it took 11 average runners and an Olympic sprinter to best the Olympian....lol. Fantastic effort though

[@runningchannel]

It was a great race!

[@t.c.9838]

Andy is a beast. Kudos to him.

[@janicegagnon2294]

What an amazing effort! Andy never gives up !

[@davidjuson5608]

Great run Andy! Still thought you were going to win when Iwen Thomas popped up. And some marvelous scenes around Southampton Common, the most photogenic parkrun venue on the planet. So, another big win for the Running Channel's camera team -- and the drone pilot.

[@sharonharrison876]

Loving the different challenges, great content can’t wait to see the next challenge

[@runningchannel]

Got another one coming up for you tomorrow Sharon, we think you'll like it.

[@jstantonbeck]

Wow. Andy is amazing. That looked like an incredible amount of fun.

[@johnprescott5997]

Thanks for all the motivation and inspiration from your channel! I completed my first marathon in Little Rock Sunday! Back to training for the next one in March!

[@runningchannel]

Well done John! How were you feeling on Monday morning?

[@johnprescott5997]

@@runningchannel Monday morning was not bad. A little more sore on Tuesday morning. All good now!

[@fatrunner]

Really enjoyed this video. Andy is a beast!!

[@anitamaes5031]

Ok. This was interesting to watch. Well done!

[@Balintrebeka]

This was so much fun! :) Andy, you rock!!

[@runningchannel]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@rorydevlin3617]

Fantastic going Andy

[@JBIRDRN8]

Andy you are a beast!!! Amazing job!

[@blueraiden6617]

I loved this. Andy you are the man.

[@jazzyrobot]

So nice to see Kate in this! Would love to have an update on how she is doing!

[@runningchannel]

Kate is doing well, hopefully she'll be back to feature more regularly in the new year.

[@jenniea2157]

Sarah - "you are out of shape Andy" - hilarious🤣Andy - you are superhuman! Kate is back - yay!

[@runningchannel]

Sarah isn't afraid to give a bit of stick. She's not at Manni levels, but she's not far off!

[@JustKeepFlowingYes]

You guys are the best, keep up the great content 😀

[@runningchannel]

Thank you! We'll do our best.

[@karenobrien3458]

Oh pretty sure Andy would of one if it hadn’t been for Euan! Great race and video! Andy is just brilliant 👏👏

[@jamie3dot11]

Well that’s a fantastic video just goes to show how fast a 16 minute 5K actually is

[@runningchannel]

I think I'd struggle that pace on my bike!

[@leannastephens7675]

This was a great video!!

[@flarrabie]

Southampton common! Well done Andy, Iwan and all the other runners. Great race!

[@sukhdipgarcha1873]

Brilliant loved the video thanx guys

[@runningchannel]

Glad you enjoyed it Sukhdip, thanks for watching!

[@gemmawaughman8720]

I was so confused at first! Then I realised this is my local parkrun. Of course the route is a little bit different now! It's crazy how fast he is.

[@hairyairey]

Wimbledon Common?

[@gemmawaughman8720]

@@hairyairey no Southampton common

[@hairyairey]

@@gemmawaughman8720 thanks the park is a very similar shape.

[@runningchannel]

Hopefully you'll have picked up a few tips from it Gemma. Let us know how you get on tomorrow.

[@nmmerri]

Hi Guys, this was an amazing watch, many thanks! As I am now 50 years old and, still trying to get quicker than I was in my twenties, I was wondering whether the next challenge might be something based on WMA scores?

[@runningchannel]

That's an interesting suggestion Neil, thanks. Might be something we look at in the new year.

[@urban2153]

Out of shape Andy crushes in shape me. That looked fun. Well done to all.

[@TheRunningAccountant]

Great idea, great video 👏🏼

[@runningchannel]

Glad you liked it!! It was a lot of fun to make!

[@krehme]

I would love to see all the splits for the team members and then compare them to the splits Andy was laying down. Very fun video!!

[@runningchannel]

Thanks for watching Kenneth

[@liamroche1473]

That was so good. Well done to everyone (especially Andy!)

[@runningchannel]

Glad you enjoyed it Liam!

[@triggerhappymacrogir]

Man, poor Andy! Always having to defend his title! 😂 Loved it! Keep being game, Andy!

[@runningchannel]

He's already talking about a rematch. This isn't over!

[@lauseba6990]

Well done Andy.

[@edwarddenham4675]

Great stuff guys

[@runningchannel]

Cheers for watching Edward!

[@klaraalexandersson]

Welcome back Kate! Missed you

[@runningchannel]

Thanks for the kind word Klara!

[@dan3885]

Yet another ace epic race to keep on the edge of my seat, willing Andy on, well done all but mostly Andy 🤣🤣

[@George_Bland]

Shows just how good this guy is! Don't know anything about running but I watched this video and I'm very impressed!

[@runningchannel]

Thanks George!

[@jassaljs]

Wow!! That was quite a blast 🍻

[@jungtao]

I’ve said it before and it still holds true. You guys are by far the most entertaining and informative channel on KZbin. Always absolutely fun watching u guys. Every thing u guys do is fun and innovative. Love it!!! Keep up the good work gang. You are the best!

[@michaelgoode9555]

Andy is an absolute beast.

[@runningchannel]

He did well on this one! Pressure was on too, Sarah had a few Ws over him recently.

[@duchessvampire]

Im really glad to have Garmin watch. They did good and running channel also. Im just noob runner but still want to do 5k. Its next spring thing to try 1k first. I have astma so i cant run at winter here finland :D, but doing rowing instead and gym

[@runningchannel]

Good luck getting to that 5K mark! We know how you feel. ❤️

[@gecko1322]

Honestly, the Sarah + Andy videos are so fun to watch. They're my favorite from the Running Channel.

[@Mark-cn2sp]

My parkrun dream would be doing a warm up with Andy and Kate. Then the parkrun with Anna and Sarah. Cool down with Manni. Then the most important part a piece of CAKE 🎂 or pint and a chat with best running channel presenter Rick after the parkrun.

[@andyclark8991]

Love the awesome cool video.

[@runningchannel]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@Marktburgess]

Awesome and good to see Kate as well.

[@martinberry9616]

That was an epic battle! Well done team and Andy! 👏👏

[@runningchannel]

It was too close, Andy is already on to Garmin about a re-match!

[@martinberry9616]

@@runningchannel what was his time? That would be good. Could be a best of 3 😁 Ewan made huge difference on his leg!

[@Ryaninja]

The Average runners would have definitely lost had they not had Euan in the mix. I feel bad for Andy, he deserved to win that really!

[@jurgenwolfgang5932]

Wow, what a nice idea. Never thought of such comparison. I always wanted to see a competition between pro-runner & amateur on track, running at their threshold level. If you can have such a race b/w 3k to 5k distance?? Rest of the mechanics you can design yourself, so that Pro runner can be tested to its max if competing with a novice??!!

[@runningchannel]

We had a lot of fun shooting it.

[@jurgenwolfgang5932]

@@runningchannel i can really feel that though!! i enjoyed so much just watching it without a blink hahaha, much more you guys enjoyed i bet ;-)

[@danielll5571]

Well done Garmin team. Andy that was impressive.

[@runningchannel]

Both teams put in a real shift!

[@mrfielder-stdenys8151]

Great stuff. Shame you didn't make more of why you were in Southampton and the local links with Garmin and Iwan Thomas. Did you debrief in the Cowherds after?

[@thestamsvideoproduction7427]

What a great idea. Average runners Vs Olympian 👏

[@yellowfolder]

This is the kind of content I love. I was feeling Andy's pain.

[@runningchannel]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!

[@christopherwilliams2]

Andy kudos to you man ! That was crazy and you almost won.

[@runningchannel]

Just 2 seconds off a win! He is still fuming!

[@michaelrheiner2415]

Thanks for some enjoyable evening entertainment!

[@runningchannel]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@Arid379]

that is pretty good race. awesome olympian runner!

[@AO-wg3pt]

Looks like a ton of fun!!

[@runningchannel]

It was one of our favourite shoots of the year.

[@petersmith4545]

The Running Channel seems to like challenges. Have you done one where an 'ordinary runner' tries to do an orienteering course? Perhaps they would just get lost, get bitten by a tick and end up with Lyme Disease, which wouldn't be much good, but perhaps there is something along those lines that would make fun viewing? The World Orienteering Championships are coming to Edinburgh in 2024 so that should put us 'on the map' (groan at the pun!). It could take the Running Channel 'in a new direction' (Aaargh !!) :)

[@jennykaboom]

Would be fun to see something like sprinters doing a half marathon and long distance runners a 100m or 200m. You could totally try and do a challenge like that!

[@donnakadventurer7566]

Wow! What a champion!

[@yiannis_christodoulou]

Wow, great video

[@runningchannel]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@christopherwilliams2]

I love the creativity of the running channel!! Next time sarah must do a leg 😅

[@ChrisMiels]

did not want to go for a run. saw this. went for a run. thanks.

[@runningchannel]

Job done for us then! 😃😃😃

[@kris1103]

I liked the 3rd to last lady screaming away as she chased Andy. Sticking Iwan Thomas in there was a bit of a cheat though!

[@runningchannel]

We need to try every trick in the book to catch Andy out! He's too fast!

[@stephenwest977]

@@runningchannel placing an Olympian 400 m runner in there is hardly a ‘trick’ 😵‍💫

[@BuddyColly]

Calm down it’s a bit of fun 😅

[@stephenwest977]

@@BuddyColly I am very calm thanks, not that how I feel is any of your business. Yes, it’s a bit of fun, but I do enjoy watching a genuine challenge and I was looking forward to seeing how amateur runners actually coped with the challenge. As soon as I saw Iwan Thomas in the line up it was obvious Andy was being set up to lose. He made a good fist of it actually but only because he is a superb runner still. I watch all the videos but this one was possibly one of my least favourite.

[@BuddyColly]

@@stephenwest977 Take a breath 😅

[@kathydriscoll8189]

Wow .... You are really fast Andy. Nice job everyone

[@runningchannel]

Thanks for watching Kathy!

[@llcooljizajiza4548]

Andy is a beast of a runner.

[@alvinliucubing]

At 3:15, how did you get the watch screen to be in the video?

[@garyholford3902]

Why does it always seem as if you could hold that sort of pace when you watch the video, but in reality you can't even get close? It just hurts too much 🤪

[@runningchannel]

We know EXACTLY what you mean Gary!

[@ludovicjost4911]

That was super fun!

[@runningchannel]

Glad you enjoyed it. These challenge videos are always great fun to make!

[@runningchannel]

Glad you enjoyed it. These challenge videos are always great fun to make!

[@SubtleForces]

Firstly: thanks for letting me know this was coming in an answer to a previous challenge. Secondly, it seems he was up against incredible odds and still got so close. Thirdly, is that 400m guy an amateur? I want to be an amateur like that! Lastly, in the spirit of my original questions (which is going towards the issue of sprint vs run): How good a team of people can beat him on a 1500m run? I was wondering for example if the GTNs Mark Threlfall, James Cunnama and Fraser Cartmell would have a chance if each run a 500 (of which non are specialists as I understand it). Lastly, for the ladies, I wonder how many average woman runners it takes, to challenge Kate :-)

[@FooFloyDon]

Iwan Thomas is the UK 400m record holder

[@runningchannel]

Hi Ralph, we did arrange the order of runners a bit so that it could be as evenly matched as possible. Getting Iwan Thomas in just made things a little bit more interesting! Good suggestions for a woman's race over 1500m, we'll see if Kate is up for it!

[@danielamestanek7899]

andy, just mindblowing!

[@runningchannel]

🤯🤯🤯🤯

[@79devo]

That’s the common in Southampton. The location of my many Bellemoor school cross country runs in the 1970s ! Memory lane for me ….

[@runningchannel]

Yes! We had a great time down there. One of our favourite Parkrun locations.

[@uffemadsen3689]

Hej Andy and the relay team. Wonderful and exiting competition. By the way: How fast did you run the 5 k?

[@runningchannel]

Final time was 16:30.

[@davebowerman9869]

Mans still a running beast!

[@abdulazeem2992]

Andy is a person i look up to...the best :)

[@runningchannel]

Thanks for the kind words Abdul.

[@KingLifeTale]

SUPER random question but how did you get the live HR and distance data from Andy's Garmin as an overlay for this video? Would be super useful to know

[@lorcster6694]

If you have a garmin watch the data will be available on your PC through the garmin site. Download it, and in the video editing software you can add the data to change each frame of the video

[@gretchenw2613]

Great to see Kate!

[@runningchannel]

It was good to see her again.

[@tnan123]

Nice to see Kate in a video!

[@runningchannel]

It was great to see her again!

[@stephenwest977]

Err some quite quick club runners and an Olympian JUST beat an Olympian. Well done Andy, if they had stuck with average runners you would have won that EASILY!

[@alisonbinns7158]

Really admire Andy. So gracious in defeat.

[@anyexpat]

Euan looked like a different species

[@aberjack92]

Wow that running form. He just glides

[@jofitness9373]

Very exciting to watch but let’s be honest, bringing on Thomas was cheating the challenge😂

[@slapmyfunkybass]

Pretty unfair making the last person a 400m runner. Well done Andy.

[@glennnicholls8510]

Wow. Andy is so fast. I cannot imagine running at that pace. Next time around, Andy's running club in a relay against Sarah.

[@runningchannel]

I've just asked Sarah, she just shook her head! I guess that's a no!

[@magicworld1682]

Intersting to sea this

[@ZwaTheSillyGoose]

What were the times?

[@ivylovesrunning]

Well done everyone!

[@runningchannel]

Thanks Ivy!

[@cremenivea6282]

Man ran 3:30 for 4 km! My best km is 4:25 😂

[@blackmamba1261]

Ok cool but what was the 5k ran in?