What is a good marathon time? Average and elite marathon times and how to qualify for Marathon Majors

The 26.2-mile marathon distance is often seen as the pinnacle for running – but what constitutes a ‘good’ marathon time?

Drawing in everyone from the world’s fastest elites to first-timers pushing themselves far beyond the boundaries of their comfort zone to raise money for their chosen charity, the marathon captures the imagination of hundreds of thousands of runners every single year.

Whether you’re training for your first marathon, returning to the distance or wondering what time you’d need to achieve to qualify for the Abbot World Marathon Majors events, such as the Boston Marathon. We’ve taken a deep dive into marathon finish times, from the fastest elites to every day runners. So you can set your marathon finish time goal, or see how your current PR stacks up.

What are the fastest marathon times? How fast the elites run 26.2 miles

Chances are you’re here for the amateur stats so you can see how your time compares (or set yourself a target for your next race). But it’s always fun to depress ourselves a little first by looking at just how fast the elites are over the 26.2 mile marathon distance. Because for most of us, we’d struggle to hold these paces for a 5km – let alone a full marathon!

World record marathon times

The official world record for the fastest men’s marathon is held by the late Kelvin Kiptum. The Kenyan runner set a time of 2:00:35 at the 2023 Chicago Marathon. That’s equivalent to running a 14 minute 17s 5km (8 and a bit times in a row), holding a pace of 4:35 mins/mile (2:51 mins/km). Tragically, Kiptum was killed in a car accident along with his coach Gervais Hakizimana in February 2024. He’d been selected for the Paris 2024 Olympic team, and just a week prior to the crash his team had announced he intended to aim to become the first runner to achieve a sub-2hr marathon finish in open competition at Rotterdam in April 2024.

For women, Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya holds the marathon world record after setting an astonishing 2:09:56 to win the 2024 Chicago Marathon. She chopped more than four minutes off her personal best, and blitzed the previous record of 2:11:53 – set by Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia at the Berlin Marathon in 2023. The new Chepngetich time works out as a 15 minute 24s 5km time, running at a pace of 4:57 mins/mile (3:05 mins/km). Give that a go at your next parkrun and then imagine doing it for another 38km! Mind blowing stuff.

Olympic marathon records

While Assefa would have been a favourite to win Olympic gold in the women’s marathon event at Paris 2024, it was Sifan Hassan who took the win and set a new women’s Olympic marathon record in the process – running a 2:22:55. The Dutch runner’s Paris 2024 Olympic schedule raised plenty of eyebrows as she set out to compete in the 5000m, 10,000m and the marathon in one Games. However, she proved the doubters wrong, winning bronze medals in the short distance events before getting the gold in the marathon. Talk about versatile!

Paris 2024 was clearly a year for record-breaking performances, as the men’s Olympic marathon record was also set at the Games in France. Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia won the gold with a new record time of 2:06:26. The Paris course was said to be incredibly tough, with a significant number of hills and hot weather to contend with. So it’s not as if this year’s Olympians had it easy. That makes those record times all the more impressive. All eyes will be on LA2028 to see if those record Olympic marathon times can tumble.

Fastest ever marathon time – sub-2 hour marathon

The fastest ever marathon time is held by Eliud Kipchoge. He ran a 1:59:40 as part of the Ineos 1:59 Challenge which took place in Vienna in October 2019. The time doesn’t count as an official world record, since it was an unsanctioned event and made use of rotating pace maker runners in a special time trial format. But breaking the 2hr barrier marked a significant moment in running history – challenging perceptions of what is thought to be possible. And as the late Kiptum’s official record marathon time (2:00:35) shows, runners are getting closer than ever to the elusive sub-2hr marathon in open competition. With super shoes and advancements in sport science, it seems only a matter of time before someone sets a record eligible sub-2 hour marathon.

What is a good marathon time for amateur runners?

For many, just completing the 26.2 mile marathon distance is a goal in its own right. But for others, particularly those who have got a marathon or two under their belt, chipping away at their marathon finish time can become an addictive pursuit.

Whether you’ve completed a marathon and you’re wondering how your time compares. Or you’ve got a race coming up and you’re looking to set yourself a goal. We’ve used 3 of the Marathon Majors – Tokyo, Chicago and London – to calculate the average (most common finish time), good (top 20-25%) and exceptional (top 5-10%) marathon times for amateurs. So you can see how you stack up.

Average, good and exceptional marathon times for women

Average, good and exceptional marathon times for men

World Marathon Majors course records and qualifying marathon times

The World Marathon Majors is an ultra-prestigious series of six of the biggest and most sought-after marathons on the planet – the Tokyo Marathon, the Boston Marathon, the London Marathon, the Berlin Marathon, the Chicago Marathon and the New York City Marathon. Complete all six, and you’ll be part of an exclusive club – earning yourself the Six Star Medal. But it’s not just as simple as sticking your name on the start sheet. Some of these races require a fast qualification time to be set at another event to qualify to even apply for a spot. Let’s take a look at the elite course records, and the qualification times (where applicable) for the Big Six.

Tokyo Marathon

• Men’s course record: 2:02:16 (Benson Kipruto, 2024)
• Women’s course record: 2:15:55 (Sutume Asefa Kebede, 2024)

Entry to the Tokyo Marathon for most runners will be through a lottery draw. Those who are ONE TOKYO Premium Members are drawn first, followed by the general entry lottery. It may also be possible to gain entry via a charity spot, and through certain tour operators. Runners can also apply to the semi-elite (overseas) field if they meet the qualifying times. Currently this is under 3hrs 09 minutes for women, and under 2hrs 28 minutes for men. There are only 25 slots each available for men and women in the semi-elite (overseas) field, with the fastest runners taking priority.

Boston Marathon

• Men’s course record: 2:03:02 (Geoffrey Mutai, 2011)
• Women’s course record: 2:19:59 (Bezunesh Deba, 2014)

Qualifying times for the 2026 Boston Marathon by age category

The Boston Marathon does not have a ballot entry system, so a spot on the start line can only be secured by qualifying, getting a charity space or a special invitation (usually for press/bloggers). The qualification period has already passed for the 2025 event, so the below refers to the qualification times required for 2026.

London Marathon

• Men’s course record: 2:02:37 (Eliud Kipchoge, 2019)
• Women’s course record: 2:15:25 (Paula Radcliffe, 2003)

‘Good for age’ times for the London Marathon

Unlike Boston Marathon, London Marathon does have a ballot entry process. However runners can apply for a ‘good for age’ slot if they have run below a certain time at a previous event within the qualification period. Achieving the below times doesn’t guarantee you a slot, but it does improve your chances compared to entering via the general ballot.

Six stars becomes seven for 2025

Those who have already become part of the exclusive six stars club can now also chase a new goal as of 2025 – seven stars! In November 2024, Sydney Marathon was officially inducted as an Abbott World Marathon Major. At the time of writing, only 562 runners in the world hold all seven stars.