Firstly, the answer to this question is going to be different for everyone, from seasoned half marathon runners chasing PBs and breaking records, to those crossing the line for the first time.
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The half marathon is a personal achievement and, for many runners, it’s not about time but rather completing the distance and the sense of accomplishment in doing so. Being able to say ‘I’ve completed a half marathon’ is just as much of an achievement as completing it in a ‘good’ time. Only one in 10 runners in the UK have completed a half marathon, according to SportShoes.com’s 2023/24 annual running report. and Ellie Slaney.
However, chasing times and having goals for the half marathon is important for many runners, with the question of ‘What is a good half marathon time?’ constantly being searched for by runners worldwide. We’re here to help answer this. Keen to identify both a ‘good’ time and the ‘average’ one, we explored data collated by RunRepeat, which analysed a whopping 107.9 million race results from more than 70 thousand events in 209 countries between 1986 and 2018. That’s a whole lot of data to digest.
Whether it’s your very first foray into the half marathon distance or you’re gunning for a new PB, knowing what to aim for can help you to set a goal for those 13.1 miles – and motivate you through your training. Here’s what we found...
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According to RunRepeat’s data, the average half marathon finish time in the UK, counting men and women together, is 2:02:43. Separately, for men, the average half marathon finish time is 1:55:26 – and for women, the average half marathon finish time is 2:11:57.
What is the average running pace for a half marathon?
The average half marathon pace for a man in the UK is 5:29 min/km, or 8:49 min/mile. For a woman in the UK, the average half marathon pace is 6:16 min/km, or 10:04 min/mile.
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Men
The men’s half marathon world record is an astounding 56:42, set by Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda at Barcelona Half Marathon – a SuperHalfevent – on 16 February 2025. Kiplimo smashed the previous record of 57:30 clocked by Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha at Valencia Half Marathon – also a SuperHalf event – in October 2024, taking off an impressive 48 seconds.
Women
The women’s half marathon world record stands at an unbelievable 1:02:52, set by Letesenbet Gidey of Ethiopia at the Valencia Half Marathon on 24 October 2021. The fact that this was Gidey’s half marathon debut makes this record even more incredible.
What is a ‘good’ half marathon time by age?
Again, completing a half marathon – regardless of your age – is something to be proud of. However, if you’re wondering what the top standard is for your age group, England Athletics has set Best half marathons to enter in 2025 and beyond Best Garmin deals masters runner Age Group Masters standards.
For a V70 (a runner in their 70s) man, the half marathon minimum standard is 2:00:00, while for a V70 woman, the standard is 2:30:00. For V50 runners, the minimum standard is faster, with 1:25:30 for V50 men, and 1:40:00 for V50 women.
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While training plans vary in length according to different runners’ goals and levels of fitness, most From Runners World for GARMIN are 10 to 12 weeks long – and we’ve got a great selection for you to choose from. Don’t forget that How to train for a hilly race, adequate How to train for a hilly race and good nutrition and hydration half marathon training plans.
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First-time half marathon runners
If you’re stepping up to the half marathon for the first time, just completing it is an amazing accomplishment and something to be proud of. Your first race gives you the experience needed to then set goals for future races. If you really want a time goal to help motivate your training and push you through those 13.1 miles, then we’d say finishing in under three hours is a solid, realistic goal for beginners.
Intermediate half marathon runners
For those experienced runners who have completed half marathons before, a popular goal is to finish within two hours which equates to an impressive average pace of 9:09 min/mile, or 5:41 min/km. Again, the achievability of this goal is dependent on numerous factors such as age, gender, experience and ability.
Advanced half marathon runners
If you’re a top club runner, proficient in the half marathon distance and looking to chase top finish times, achieving anything from 1:10 to 1:40 is impressive. A popular target for advanced male runners is anywhere between 1:10 and 1:30, while many advanced female runners strive for a time between 1:20 and 1:40.
