1. **State the problem:** Find the average time it took the runner to complete five races with times 23, 25, 22, 24, and 26 minutes. 2. **Formula for average:** The average (mean) of a set of numbers is given by $$\text{Average} = \frac{\text{Sum of all values}}{\text{Number of values}}$$ 3. **Calculate the sum of the times:** $$23 + 25 + 22 + 24 + 26 = 120$$ 4. **Count the number of races:** There are 5 races. 5. **Calculate the average time:** $$\text{Average} = \frac{120}{5}$$ 6. **Simplify the fraction:** $$\frac{\cancel{120}}{\cancel{5}} = 24$$ 7. **Interpretation:** The average time it took the runner to complete the races is 24 minutes. **Final answer:** $$\boxed{24 \text{ minutes}}$$