What is the average 1.5 mile run time for young women?

• A. 12 minutes
• B. 14 minutes
• C. 11 minutes
• D. 16 minutes

Answer: (B)

Understanding what the numbers mean in the CSCS norms for the 1.5 mile run helps explain why 14 minutes is the best pick for young women. This test is used to gauge aerobic endurance and to estimate a person’s cardiovascular fitness, with results placed into age- and sex-specific categories. For young women, the middle of the distribution—the time around 14 minutes—represents the typical, average level of aerobic endurance you’d expect in this group. Times faster than that (around 11–12 minutes) reflect higher fitness and would fall above average, while a time around 16 minutes shows lower-end endurance and sits below average. So 14 minutes sits squarely in the average range for this demographic.