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

Jenny Lucas-Hill
Writer & Endurance Athlete
Updated on

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.

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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!

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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
4hrs 39 mins
good
3HRS 53 MINS
exceptional
3HRS 25 MINS
marathon times amateur runners
Elite world records are one thing, but what is a good marathon time for an amateur?

Average, good and exceptional marathon times for men

average
4hrs 17 mins
good
3HRS 24 MINS
exceptional
2HRS 56 MINS

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.

Boston Marathon 2026 Qualifying Times
Age Group Men Women Non-Binary
18-342hrs 55min 00sec3hrs 25min 00sec3hrs 25min 00sec
35-393hrs 00min 00sec3hrs 30min 00sec3hrs 30min 00sec
40-443hrs 05min 00sec3hrs 35min 00sec3hrs 35min 00sec
45-493hrs 15min 00sec3hrs 45min 00sec3hrs 45min 00sec
50-543hrs 20min 00sec3hrs 50min 00sec3hrs 50min 00sec
55-593hrs 30min 00sec4hrs 00min 00sec4hrs 00min 00sec
60-643hrs 50min 00sec4hrs 20min 00sec4hrs 20min 00sec
65-694hrs 05min 00sec4hrs 35min 00sec4hrs 35min 00sec
70-744hrs 20min 00sec4hrs 50min 00sec4hrs 50min 00sec
75-794hrs 35min 00sec5hrs 05min 00sec5hrs 05min 00sec
80 and over4hrs 50min 00sec5hrs 20min 00sec5hrs 20min 00sec

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.

London Marathon Good For Age times
Age Group Men Women 
18-39sub-2hrs 55 minssub-3hrs 40 mins
40-44sub-3hrssub-3hrs 45 mins
45-49sub-3hrs 5 minssub-3hrs 48 mins
50-54sub-3hrs 10 minssub-3hrs 55 mins
55-59sub-3hrs 15 minssub-4hrs
60-64sub-3hrs 37 minssub-4hrs 25mins
65-69sub-3hrs 55 minssub-4hrs 55 mins
70-74sub-4hrs 55 minssub-5hrs 55 mins
75-79sub-5hrs 10 minssub-6hrs 15 mins
80-84sub-5hrs 30 minssub-6hrs 40 mins
85-89sub-6hrs 10 minssub-7hrs 10 mins
90 and oversub-7hrs 20 minssub-7hrs 45 mins

Berlin Marathon

  • Men’s course record: 2:01:09 (Eliud Kipchoge, 2022)
  • Women’s course record: 2:15:37 (Tigst Assefa, 2022)

To get a spot on the start line at the Berlin Marathon, runners have to enter a lottery – registration for which is typically open for around 6 weeks between early October and late November for the following year’s event.

Berlin Marathon ‘fast runner’ qualifying times

While it’s no guarantee, fast runners can improve their chances of getting a slot if they meet the following qualifying times:

Men

  • 44 years of age and younger: < 2hrs 45 minutes
  • 59 years of age and younger: < 2hrs 55 minutes
  • 60 years of age and older: < 3hrs 25 minutes

Women

  • 44 years of age and younger: < 3hrs 10 minutes
  • 59 years of age and younger: < 3hrs 30 minutes
  • 60 years of age and older: < 4hrs 20 minutes

Chicago Marathon

  • Men’s course record: 2:00:35 (Kelvin Kiptum, 2023)
  • Women’s course record: 2:09:56 (Ruth Chepngetich, 2024)

Qualifying times for the Chicago Marathon

The Chicago Marathon offers a non-guaranteed ballot/draw entry system. But if you hit the qualification times below, you can guarantee your entry.

Chicago Marathon 2025 Qualifying Times
Age Group Men Women Non-Binary
18-342hrs 55min 00sec3hrs 25min 00sec3hrs 25min 00sec
35-393hrs 00min 00sec3hrs 30min 00sec3hrs 30min 00sec
40-443hrs 05min 00sec3hrs 35min 00sec3hrs 35min 00sec
45-493hrs 15min 00sec3hrs 45min 00sec3hrs 45min 00sec
50-543hrs 20min 00sec3hrs 50min 00sec3hrs 50min 00sec
55-593hrs 30min 00sec4hrs 00min 00sec4hrs 00min 00sec
60-643hrs 45 min 00sec4hrs 15 min 00sec4hrs 15 min 00sec
65-694hrs 00 min 00sec4hrs 30 min 00sec4hrs 30 min 00sec
70-744hrs 15 min 00sec4hrs 45 min 00sec4hrs 45 min 00sec
75-794hrs 30 min 00sec5hrs 00 min 00sec5hrs 00 min 00sec
80 and over4hrs 50min 00sec5hrs 20min 00sec5hrs 20min 00sec

New York City Marathon

  • Men’s course record: 2:04:58 (Tamirat Tola, 2023)
  • Women’s course record: 2:22:31 (Margaret Okayo, 2003)

New York City Marathon 2025 Qualifying Times

To secure a guaranteed entry for the New York City Marathon, you need to achieve the qualifying time for your age category at an in-person New York Road Runners (NYRR) marathon or half-marathon. You can also apply for a time qualification slot using a time posted at a non-NYRR event – however achieving the time does not guarantee a spot, and only full marathon events are eligible.

New York City Marathon 2025 – Men’s Qualifying Times
Age Group MarathonHalf Marathon
18-342hrs 53min 00sec1hrs 21min 00sec
35-392hrs 55min 00sec1hrs 23min 00sec
40-442hrs 58min 00sec1hrs 25min 00sec
45-493hrs 05min 00sec1hrs 28min 00sec
50-543hrs 14min 00sec1hrs 32min 00sec
55-593hrs 23min 00sec1hrs 36min 00sec
60-643hrs 34min 00sec1hrs 41min 00sec
65-693hrs 45min 00sec1hrs 46min 00sec
70-744hrs 10min 00sec1hrs 57min 00sec
75-794hrs 30min 00sec2hrs 07min 00sec
80 and over4hrs 55min 00sec2hrs 15min 00sec
New York City Marathon 2025 – Women’s and Non-Binary Qualifying Times
Age Group MarathonHalf Marathon
18-343hrs 13min 00sec1hrs 32min 00sec
35-393hrs 15min 00sec1hrs 34min 00sec
40-443hrs 26min 00sec1hrs 37min 00sec
45-493hrs 38min 00sec1hrs 42min 00sec
50-543hrs 51min 00sec1hrs 49min 00sec
55-594hrs 10min 00sec1hrs 49min 00sec
60-644hrs 27min 00sec2hrs 2min 00sec
65-694hrs 50min 00sec2hrs 12min 00sec
70-745hrs 30min 00sec2hrs 27min 00sec
75-796hrs 00min 00sec2hrs 40min 00sec
80 and over6hrs 35min 00sec2hrs 50min 00sec

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.

Jenny Lucas-Hill
Written by
Jenny Lucas-Hill
Jenny Lucas-Hill is Content Director at 247, working across RUN247 and TRI247. A former personal trainer and run coach, she has five full Iron-distance triathlon finishes to date.

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