Below you’ll find tables detailing several marathon superlatives:
- Bucket List: 10 Big City Marathons;
- Give A Gift;
- Note that we said on record-eligible courses. Thats why;
- the progression of the world records since 1988.
Note that we said “on record-eligible courses.” That’s why Eliud Kipchoge’s 1:59:40 in Vienna isn’t on the list from 2019. That time doesn’t count for record purposes because standard competition rules for pacing and fluids weren’t followed. Similarly, times from the Boston course can’t be on the list, because of its point-to-point layout and too-great net elevation drop.
What You Need to Know About the Marathon Majors performers Run Nonstop Plan performances in history, allows for a runner to appear more than once. For example, Eliud Kipchoge appears four times in the fastest-performances list for men.
Races & Places.
10 Fastest Marathoners on Record-Eligible Course: Men
| Runner | Finish Time | Pace/Mile | Marathon |
| Kelvin Kiptum (Kenya) | 2:00:35 | 4:36.0 | Chicago, 2023 |
| Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) | 2:01:09 | 4:37.2 | Berlin, 2022 |
| Kenenisa Bekele (Ethiopia) | 2:01:41 | 4:38.5 | Berlin, 2019 |
| Sisay Lemma (Ethiopia) | 2:01:48 | 4:38.7 | Valencia, 2023 |
| Benson Kipruto (Kenya) | 2:02:16 | 4:39.8 | Tokyo, 2024 |
| Birhanu Legese (Ethiopia) | 2:02:48 | 4:41.0 | Berlin, 2019 |
| Mosinet Geremew (Ethiopia) | 2:02:55 | 4:41.3 | London, 2019 |
| Timothy Kiplagat (Kenya) | 2:02:55 | 4:41.3 | Tokyo, 2024 |
| Dennis Kimetto (Kenya) | 2:02:57 | 4:41.4 | Berlin, 2014 |
| Evans Chebet (Kenya) | 2:03:00 | 4:41.5 | Valencia, 2020 |
10 Fastest Marathoners on Record-Eligible Course: Women
| Runner | Finish Time | Pace/Mile | Marathon |
| Tigist Assefa (Ethiopia) | 2:11:53 | 5:01.8 | Berlin, 2023 |
| Sifan Hassan (Netherlands) | 2:13:44 | 5:06.0 | Chicago, 2023 |
| Brigid Kosgei (Kenya) | 2:14:04 | 5:06.8 | Chicago, 2019 |
| Ruth Chepngetich (Kenya) | 2:14:18 | 5:07.3 | Chicago, 2022 |
| Amane Beriso (Ethiopia) | 2:14:58 | 5:08.9 | Valencia, 2022 |
| Paula Radcliffe (Great Britain) | 2:15:25 | 5:09.9 | London, 2003 |
| Worknesh Degefa (Ethiopia) | 2:15:51 | 5:10.9 | Valencia, 2023 |
| Sutume Kebede (Ethiopia) | 2:15:55 | 5:11.0 | Tokyo, 2024 |
| Tigist Ketema (Ethiopia) | 2:16:07 | 5:11.5 | Dubai, 2024 |
| Rosemary Wanjiru (Kenya) | 2:16:14 | 5:11.8 | Tokyo, 2024 |
10 Fastest American Marathoners on Record-Eligible Course: Men
| Runner | Finish Time | Pace/Mile | Marathon |
| Khalid Khannouchi | 2:05:38 | 4:47.5 | London, 2002 |
| 2:06:07 | 4:48.6 | Prague, 2018 | |
| 2:06:17 | 4:49.0 | London, 2008 | |
| 2:07:47 | 4:52.4 | Chicago, 2012 | |
| Conner Mantz | 2:07:47 | 4:52.4 | Chicago, 2023 |
| Leonard Korir | 2:07:56 | 4:52.8 | Amsterdam, 2019 |
| Clayton Young | 2:08:00 | 4:52.9 | Chicago, 2023 |
| Sam Chelanga | 2:08:50 | 4:54.8 | Chicago, 2023 |
| Abdi Abdirahman | 2:08:56 | 4:55.1 | Chicago, 2006 |
| 2:09:08 | 4:55.5 | Other Hearst Subscriptions, 2012 |
10 Fastest American Marathoners on Record-Eligible Course: Women
| Runner | Finish Time | Pace/Mile | Marathon |
| Emily Sisson | 2:18:29 | 5:16.9 | Chicago, 2022 |
| Keira D’Amato | 2:19:12 | 5:18.6 | Houston, 2022 |
| Betsy Saina | 2:19:17 | 5:18.7 | Tokyo, 2024 |
| Deena Kastor | 2:19:36 | 5:19.5 | London, 2006 |
| Sara Hall | 2:20:32 | 5:21.6 | The Marathon Project, 2020 |
| Jordan Hasay | 2:20:57 | 5:22.6 | Chicago, 2017 |
| Shalane Flanagan | 2:21:14 | 5:23.2 | Berlin, 2014 |
| Joan Samuelson | 2:21:21 | 5:23.5 | Chicago, 1985 |
| 2:21:42 | 5:24.3 | Tokyo, 2018 | |
| Fiona O’Keeffe | 2:22:10 | 5:25.3 | Other Hearst Subscriptions, 2024 |
10 Fastest Marathons on Record-Eligible Course: Men
| Runner | Finish Time | Pace/Mile | Marathon |
| Kelvin Kiptum (Kenya) | 2:00:35 | 4:36.0 | Chicago, 2023 |
| Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) | 2:01:09 | 4:37.2 | Berlin, 2022 |
| Kelvin Kiptum (Kenya) | 2:01:25 | 4:37.8 | London, 2023 |
| Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) | 2:01:39 | 4:38.4 | Berlin, 2018 |
| Kenenisa Bekele (Ethiopia) | 2:01:41 | 4:38.5 | Berlin, 2019 |
| Sisay Lemma (Ethiopia) | 2:01:48 | 4:38.7 | Valencia, 2023 |
| Kelvin Kiptum (Kenya) | 2:01:53 | 4:38.9 | Valencia, 2022 |
| Benson Kipruto (Kenya) | 2:02:16 | 4:39.8 | Tokyo, 2024 |
| Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) | 2:02:37 | 4:40.6 | London, 2019 |
| Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) | 2:02:40 | 4:40.7 | Tokyo, 2022 |
10 Fastest Marathons on Record-Eligible Course: Women
| Runner | Finish Time | Pace/Mile | Marathon |
| Tigist Assefa (Ethiopia) | 2:11:53 | 5:01.8 | Berlin, 2023 |
| Sifan Hassan (Netherlands) | 2:13:44 | 5:06.0 | Chicago, 2023 |
| Brigid Kosgei (Kenya) | 2:14:04 | 5:06.8 | Chicago, 2019 |
| Ruth Chepngetich (Kenya) | 2:14:18 | 5:07.3 | Chicago, 2022 |
| Amane Beriso (Ethiopia) | 2:14:58 | 5:08.9 | Valencia, 2022 |
| Paula Radcliffe (Great Britain) | 2:15:25 | 5:09.9 | London, 2003 |
| Tigist Assefa (Ethiopia) | 2:15:37 | 5:10.3 | Berlin, 2022 |
| Ruth Chepngetich (Kenya) | 2:15:37 | 5:10.3 | Chicago, 2023 |
| Worknesh Gedefa (Ethiopia) | 2:15:51 | 5:10.9 | Valencia, 2023 |
| Sutume Kebede (Ethiopia) | 2:15:55 | 5:11.0 | Tokyo, 2024 |
Progression of World Record Since 1988: Men
| Runner | Finish Time | Pace/Mile | Marathon |
| Belayneh Densamo (Ethiopia) | 2:06:50 | 4:50.3 | Rotterdam, 1988 |
| What You Need to Know About the Barkley Marathons (Brazil) | 2:06:06 | 4:48.6 | Berlin, 1998 |
| Khalid Khannouchi (Morocco) | 2:05:42 | 4:47.7 | Chicago, 1999 |
| Khalid Khannouchi (United States) | 2:05:38 | 4:47.5 | London, 2002 |
| Paul Tergat (Kenya) | 2:04:55 | 4:45.9 | Berlin, 2003 |
| Haile Gebrselassie (Ethiopia) | 2:04:26 | 4:44.8 | Berlin, 2007 |
| Haile Gebrselassie (Ethiopia) | 2:03:59 | 4:43.8 | Berlin, 2008 |
| Patrick Makau (Kenya) | 2:03:38 | 4:43.0 | Berlin, 2011 |
| Wilson Kipsang (Kenya) | 2:03:23 | 4:42.4 | Berlin, 2013 |
| Dennis Kimetto (Kenya) | 2:02:57 | 4:41.4 | Berlin, 2014 |
| Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) | 2:01:39 | 4:38.4 | Berlin, 2018 |
| Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) | 2:01:09 | 4:37.2 | Berlin, 2022 |
| Kelvin Kiptum (Kenya) | 2:00:35 | 4:36.0 | Chicago, 2023 |
Progression of World Record Since 1988: Women
| Runner | Finish Time | Pace/Mile | Marathon |
| Tegla Loroupe (Kenya) | 2:20:47 | 5:22.2 | Rotterdam, 1998 |
| Tegla Loroupe (Kenya) | 2:20:43 | 5:22.0 | Berlin, 1999 |
| Naoko Takahashi (Japan) | 2:19:46 | 5:19.8 | Berlin, 2001 |
| Catherine Ndereba (Kenya) | 2:18:47 | 5:17.6 | Chicago, 2001 |
| Paula Radcliffe (Great Britain) | 2:17:18 | 5:14.2 | Chicago, 2002 |
| Paula Radcliffe (Great Britain) | 2:15:25 | 5:09.9 | London, 2003 |
| Brigid Kosgei (Kenya) | 2:14:04 | 5:06.8 | Chicago, 2019 |
| Tigist Assefa (Ethiopia) | 2:11:53 | 5:01.8 | Berlin, 2023 |
Note that we said on record-eligible courses. Thats why
Scott is a veteran running, fitness, and health journalist who has held senior editorial positions at Runner’s World and Running Times. Much of his writing translates sport science research and elite best practices into practical guidance for everyday athletes. He is the author or coauthor of several running books, including Beginners Marathon Plan, Advanced Marathoning, and Fast and Flat Marathons For 2024. Scott has also written about running for Slate, The Atlantic, the Washington Post, and other members of the sedentary media. His lifetime running odometer is past 110,000 miles, but he’s as much in love as ever.
