It’s official: running This Pacing Tip Will Have You Running Your Fastest 5K.
Nowhere is this more apparent than at the Tinder SoleMates Run Club, a collaboration with running app Runna designed to bring singles together for an on-the-move dating experience. If running and dating seem like unlikely bedfellows, it’s worth bearing in mind that the term “running” currently ranks as one of the top Tinder profile tagged interests. Similarly, mention of “parkrun” in users’ bios has increased by 90 percent in the period between March 2023 and March 2025.
The latest research by Tinder provides further context for the run-date phenomenon. It found that 29 percent of Gen Z singles “feel more confident on activity-based dates,” with 45 percent of young singles saying that “traditional dates feel more like a job interview.” Thirty-nine percent of singles admit they’ve pretended to be sporty to impress a date, however, so it might be worth checking their race history before swapping numbers.
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What’s the perfect running pace for a date?
In an attempt to find the magic pace for a run date, Tinder asked Andrew Jones, professor of applied physiology at the University of Exeter, to look into the data. Tinder defines this perfect pace as “the sweet spot that helps runners look cool, feel confident, and keep the flirty vibes flowing.” And that number is … 12:06 mile pace.
Professor Jones explains that 12:06 pace keeps the heart rate elevated enough to release feel-good endorphins, without pushing the body into stress mode or causing excessive sweating—rarely a great look on a first date.
The research, which surveyed 2,000 U.K. singles aged 18-35, also found that authenticity is a key factor when forming connections both online in real life. More than 70 percent of people said they wanted to “show up as their unfiltered selves right from the start.” Connected to this, 38 percent said they preferred an activity date to grabbing a drink.
However, not everyone’s on board with the run-date. In fact, more than half of millennials say they’re hesitant to go on a fitness date in case they fail to make a good impression.
Speaking about the data, Professor Jones said: “Tinder’s data shows that more young singles are prioritizing their wellbeing than ever before, and with the running season in full swing, it’s the perfect time to rethink what a first date can look like. Running lifts your mood, builds confidence, and when you get the pace just right, it creates the perfect conditions for genuine connection.”
How “date pace” was established
Professor Jones and co.’s idea was to find a pace ideal for people going on a 5K run date—one that allows them to have a conversation without getting too out of breath.
To this end, the researchers looked at average parkrun finish times. They assumed “the kind of people who would sign up for a singles dating 5K would be fairly similar to parkrun participants in terms of age and fitness levels”—something that may or may not be true, of course.
Based on parkrun stats, most people finish a 5K in 32 to 36 minutes. For men aged 20-30, the average time is 29 minutes; for women of the same age demographic, it’s 36 minutes. The researchers assumed (probably fairly) that most people would want their “date pace” to be a little more relaxed than their parkrun time. And since a date, by definition, includes at least two people, then the pace should match that of the slower runner.
This all meant that the average parkrun time of around 11:00 per mile was relaxed down to 12:06 pace.
So, at best, “date pace” is just an estimate. Faster and slower paces can still, presumably, lead to sparks flying. But if you’re holding forth while your dates gasps alongside you, don’t assume it’s a response to your breathtaking banter. You might just need to slow down.
Rick Pearson is the senior editor at Runner’s World UK. He’s been with the brand since 2017 and loves testing PB-friendly shoes for on and off road. Rick is a sub-three marathoner and occasionally likes to remind people of this on the Runner’s World podcast, which he co-hosts. He once raced a steam train over 14 miles (he won, narrowly) and a horse over a marathon (he lost, comfortably).
