The 13.1 mile half marathon is growing in popularity. A tough but achievable next step for new runners looking for a new goal after completing a few 10kms. An ideal training race for those preparing for a full 26.2 mile marathon. And a significant challenge in its own right, which allows runners to test their limits when it comes to blending speed and endurance. But what constitutes a good half marathon time?
We take a look at the current half marathon world records, plus crunch the numbers to find out the average, good and exceptional half marathon times for amateurs. Read on to see how your half marathon PR stacks up!
How fast are elite runners? World record half marathon times
Before we dive into the amateur stats. Let’s first take a moment to appreciate the eye-ball popping pace the elites are able to maintain for 13.1 miles.
Elite women’s half marathon world record holder
The women’s world record for the fastest half marathon is 1hr 2 mins 52s. The blisteringly fast time was set by Letesenbet Gidey at the Valencia Half Marathon in Spain in October 2021. If the time wasn’t impressive enough, this was also Gidey’s half marathon debut! Not bad for a first hit out. Her 1:02:52 finish time is equivalent to running 4:48 mins/mile (2:58 mins/km) pace. For context, that would give you a sub-15 minute 5km time and a sub-30 minute 10km time.
Elite men’s half marathon world record holder
The men’s world record over the half marathon is held – once again – by Jacob Kiplimo. On 16 February 2025, the Ugandan athlete made history by becoming the first person to run a sub-57 minute half marathon – running an astonishing 56:42 at Barcelona half marathon. Yomif Kejelcha was the previous record holder, with his time of 57:30 at the Valencia Half Marathon in October 2024. Kejelcha’s time was 1s faster than Kiplimo’s previous record. But not fast enough to hold the title for long – Kiplimo’s latest time is an incredible 48s faster, making it the best single improvement to the men’s half marathon record in history.
Kiplimo’s half marathon time equates to a pace of 4:19 mins/mile (2:41 mins/km), which would see you run a 13:26 parkrun and a 26:53 10km if you were able to hold it!
The speed endurance challenge of the half marathon
Being able to run a fast half marathon time comes down to being able to achieve the ultimate balance of speed and endurance – which certainly isn’t easy. This was demonstrated when ultra-fast runner Jakob Ingrebrigtsen of Norway made his half marathon debut in Copenhagen in September 2024. The Norwegian great holds the Olympic gold medal for 5000m, and set a world record for 3000m. But the 13.1 mile distance saw Ingebrigtsen falter – he had to stop en route and eventually finished a way back in the elite field with a time of 1:03:13. One Reddit user described it as “like he went for a 10k PB and died afterward”. But as we’ll see when we look at the average amateur times in a moment, the 63 minute finish might have been a disappointment for Jakob – but for us mere mortals it would be an insane achievement!
What is a good half marathon time for amateur runners?
Wondering how your half marathon time PR stacks up? Or getting ready to take on your first 13.1 mile race and looking to set yourself a target? Using results from two of the most popular half marathons in the UK and the USA – the 2024 London Landmarks Half Marathon and the 2023 RBC Brooklyn – we’ve crunched the numbers to find the average, good and exceptional half marathon times for men and women.
Average, good and exceptional times for women
Average, good and exceptional times for men
It’s important to remember that ultimately, what constitutes a ‘good’ half marathon time is entirely down to the individual. Everyone’s running journey looks different, and while some will be racing at the pointy end of the field knocking on the door of the elite finish times. There are plenty more runners who are just striving to complete the distance within the cut off time. Being able to cover 13.1 miles on foot, however long it takes you, is an achievement not to be underestimated!
Going long? If you’re stepping up to the full 26.2 mile distance, check out our analysis of average, good and elite marathon times.
