Which Animals Could You Beat in a Race?
Tuesday, November 10, 2026175 words3 minutes1033 reads
Which animals could you outrun? A BBC Future article explores why the answer depends on more than top speed. A giraffe can reach nearly 60 kilometres per hour, compared with Usain Bolt's peak of about 44. Yet sprinting and running a long distance are different challenges.
Humans can release heat as sweat evaporates from the skin. This helps us keep moving. Cheetahs, although much faster, usually maintain their highest speed for only seconds. That does not make humans the best distance runners: some dogs and endurance-trained horses can outperform people.
Comparisons also need care. Someone running five kilometres in 30 minutes averages 10 kilometres per hour, close to reported maximum speeds for some rats and hamsters. But a sustained average and a brief maximum cannot predict a real race. Acceleration matters too, especially over short distances.
In Wales, horses usually beat humans over a difficult course of roughly 35 kilometres, although people have occasionally won. Hills, ground conditions, weather and individual ability all affect results. There is no universal list of animals everyone could beat.
