A half-marathon is a challenging race that can take anywhere from a little over one hour to four hours to complete. Like many aspects of running, half marathon times vary greatly depending on factors including age, sex, experience, and the course. Show
Whether you're about to run your first half-marathon or you're hoping to beat your personal record (PR), setting a goal when training for the 13.1-mile run can help keep you motivated. Half-Marathon TimesElite male runners can complete a half-marathon in under an hour, while world-class female runners can finish in around 1 hour and 10 minutes. The world record for the half-marathon is 57:32 for men (Kibiwott Kandie, 2020) and 1:04:31 for women (Ababel Yeshaneh, 2020). But the vast majority of half-marathon runners don't run anywhere close to those times—they're records for a reason. According to RunRepeat's 2019 State of Running report, the average finish time for half-marathons in the U.S. is 2:02:00 for males and 2:16:00 for females. Half Marathon Times
Half-Marathon Times by Age and AbilityMarathon finishing times vary based on age and running ability. The following time averages have been compiled by Running Level.
It is important to note that there are a number of factors that influence a person's time such as fitness level, physical limitations, and health conditions. Even the weather can play a role in a person's time. In these charts, age is provided as a frame of reference and is based on averages. It is not meant to make a determination on a person's abilities. Setting Your GoalsFor most first-time half-marathoners, the goal is usually to finish, rather than achieve a specific finishing time. Your first half-marathon is an automatic PR. Once you have one half-marathon under your belt, you can focus on trying to beat your PR. Finishing a half-marathon in less than two hours is a common goal for experienced half-marathon runners. Running a 1:59:59 half-marathon means maintaining an average pace of 9:09 minutes per mile, which is considered a good half-marathon time among runners. Highly competitive runners aim for harder targets, like a 1 hour and 30-minute half-marathon (6:51 minutes per mile pace or faster). Still others make more specific time goals, such as being able to run 7:00 minutes per mile (for a half-marathon time of 1:31:44) or 8:00 minutes per mile (for a half-marathon time of 1:44:53). If you're curious about the finishing times for a half-marathon that you've run or plan to run, look at the race results, which should be listed on the race's website. There you will find the range of typical finish times, including the times by age group, times of those who finished the race in the middle or in the back of the pack, and top finish times. Factors Affecting Half-Marathon TimesThe time it takes to finish a half-marathon can vary greatly based on several factors. When it comes to speed, male runners have the upper hand over their female counterparts. And although runners continue to improve during their late 30s, most find that their times start to slow down after age 40. To provide fair and equal opportunities, most half-marathons give awards by gender and age group. One way to see how you compare to other runners, regardless of age and sex, is by using a system called age grading. An age-grading calculator allows you to compare your times to those of other runners, as well as to the standard for your age and sex. Weather and course terrain also are also huge variables. A half-marathoner will get a much faster time on a flat versus hilly course and in comfortable weather conditions versus uncomfortable or unfamiliar ones. It can be tough to race in the cold if you live and train in the heat, and vice versa. Predicting Your Half-Marathon TimeUse a chart or calculator to determine a ballpark half-marathon time based on your performance at a recent race of another distance. Keep in mind that your half-marathon time prediction is just an estimate of what you might achieve if you do the appropriate training. In most cases, only experienced half-marathoners will achieve their predicted time. If it's your first half-marathon, focus on completing the race, which is an incredible achievement in and of itself. Note that many half-marathons have a cut-off time, or a time by which all participants must have crossed the finished line. If you don't think you can finish before the time limit (usually three hours), look for a race that's friendlier to walkers and slower runners. How to Improve Your Half-Marathon TimeAside from choosing a flat race during a cool season, there are other ways to prepare that will help you improve your half-marathon time.
Half-Marathon Training SchedulesIf you're planning to train for and run a half-marathon, choose a training schedule based on your experience and fitness level:
A Word From VerywellThe half-marathon distance is an excellent endurance challenge for runners of all levels. It is a very popular distance and you will have many races to choose from. Find the one that will work best for your level and put in the training needed to finish strong. Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
By Christine Luff,
ACE-CPT Thanks for your feedback! Can an untrained person run a half marathon?Running a half marathon with no training and running experience. Some people do it- they decide to try a half marathon as their first race without any prior training. It is possible to do it but it might be kind of tough on your body and even mentally. If you like challenges- go for it!
How long does the average person take to run a half marathon?For males, the average half marathon finish time is 1:55:26. For females, the average half marathon finish time is 2:11:57.
What percentage of people can run a half marathon?While a record number of runners are completing 26.2- and 13.1-mile races, marathoners and half-marathoner still make up less than 1 percent of the American population.
Is running a half marathon a big deal?Signing up for your first half marathon is a big deal. 13.1 miles of grit, sweat and mental toughness. While it may be challenging at times the training and race itself is worth the glory of crossing that finish line.
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