A 1k is 1 kilometer, which is about 0.62 miles in distance.

Basic distance

  • 1 kilometer = 1,000 meters.
  • In miles, 1 kilometer ≈ 0.621 miles, so a 1k race is just over half a mile.

How it feels when running

  • For most beginners, a 1k is a short run that can often be done in 5–8 minutes, depending on pace.
  • For experienced runners, 1k is commonly used as an interval distance in training because it is long enough to be challenging but short enough to repeat several times.

Quick conversions

  • 1k ≈ 0.62 miles.
  • 2k ≈ 1.24 miles, 5k ≈ 3.11 miles, 10k ≈ 6.21 miles.

TL;DR: A 1k is one kilometer, or about 0.62 miles—just over half a mile.