Average half marathon time

The average half marathon time

The median half marathon finisher crosses the line in 2:14:59. For men the median is 2:05:00, for women 2:24:03. The median is the time half the field beats, and it is what people usually mean by the average finish time.

These figures come from RunRepeat’s analysis: 35 million race results collected over 20 years from more than 28,000 races. They count finishers only, and a race’s course, weather and time limit all move its own median, so the field at your race may be a little faster or slower.

What is a good half marathon time?

It depends on who you compare yourself with, so here is the field itself:

• Under 1h30 beats 97% of finishers: the top 3%.
• Under 1h45 beats 91% of finishers: the top 9%.
• Under 2h00 beats 74% of finishers: the top 26%.
• Under 2h15 beats 50% of finishers: the top 50%.
• Under 2h30 beats 30% of finishers: the top 70%.

To see how a half marathon block is built, with the paces for goals from 1h15 to 2h45, read the half marathon training plan.

Is 2h00 a good half marathon time?

Yes: 2h00 is faster than 74% of all half marathon finishers, 60% of men and 87% of women. It puts you in the top 26% of the field.

Half marathon finish times by percentile

The time you need to be in each slice of the field. Top 10% means nine finishers in ten are slower.

One correction: for men, the source lists 1:58:16 and 1:59:48 at the 40th and 50th percentiles, which squeezes the middle of the field into a minute and a half. The table spreads them evenly between its own 30th and 60th percentiles, as the app does.