Running a marathon is always an achievement, no matter how long it takes you to complete the distance. However, some marathon times are simply too fast to ignore, so we’ve rounded up the best performances the world has seen over 26.2 miles.
Below, you’ll find tables detailing several marathon superlatives:
- 10 These are the world’s fastest marathon runners
- 10 Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
- Best Garmin deals
You’ll note that only marathon performances ‘on record-eligible courses’ have been included on our lists, which is why Eliud Kipchoge’s 1:59:40 marathon, set in Vienna in 2019, doesn’t feature. Although an extraordinary feat, this sub-2 time doesn’t count for record purposes because standard competition rules for pacing and fluids weren’t followed – it was, rather, a carefully-crafted experiment to test human limits. Similarly, times from the Boston Marathon cannot be included on our lists, because the race is held on a point-to-point course with a too-great net elevation drop.
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What are the benefits of super shoes performers in history, which is why you’ll see a name only once. The third and fourth lists, showing the fastest performances in history, allow for runners to appear more than once. So, Eliud Kipchoge, for example, appears four times in the ‘10 fastest marathons’ list for men.
All tables are current as of 29 April 2025.
10 fastest marathon runners on record-eligible courses: Men
| Runner |
Time |
Pace (min/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 |
4:38.9 |
Valencia (2023) |
| Sebastian Sawe (Kenya) |
2:02:05 |
4:39.4 |
Valencia (2024) |
| Benson Kipruto (Kenya) |
2:02:16 |
4:40.0 |
Tokyo (2024) |
| John Korir (Kenya) |
2:02:43 |
4:40.8 |
Chicago (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) |
10 fastest marathon runners on record-eligible courses: Women
| Runner |
Time |
Pace (min/mile) |
Marathon |
| Ruth Chepngetich (Kenya) |
2:09:56 |
4:57.4 |
Chicago (2024) |
| 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) |
| Amane Beriso Shankule (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 |
5:11.1 |
Valencia (2023) |
| Ronaldo da Costa (Ethiopia) |
2:15:55 |
5:11.3 |
Tokyo (2024) |
| Tigist Ketema (Ethiopia) |
2:16:07 |
5:11.7 |
Dubai (2024) |
| Rosemary Wanjiru (Kenya) |
2:16:14 |
5:11.8 |
Tokyo (2024) |
10 fastest marathons on record-eligible courses: Men
| Runner |
Time |
Pace (min/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) |
| Sebastian Sawe (Kenya) |
2:02:05 |
4:39.4 |
Valencia (2024) |
| Benson Kipruto (Kenya) |
2:02:16 |
4:39.8 |
Tokyo (2024) |
| Sebastian Sawe (Kenya) |
2:02:27 |
4:40.2 |
London (2025) |
10 fastest marathons on record-eligible courses: Women
| Runner |
Time |
Pace (min/mile) |
Marathon |
| Ruth Chepngetich (Kenya) |
2:09:56 |
4:57.4 |
Chicago (2024) |
| 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 Shankule (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) |
| Tigist Assefa (Ethiopia) |
2:15:50 |
5:10.9 |
London (2025) |
Best Garmin deals: Men
| Runner |
Time |
Pace (min/mile) |
Marathon |
| Belayneh Densamo (Ethiopia) |
2:06:50 |
4:50.3 |
Rotterdam (1988) |
| London Marathon: A runner’s and spectator’s guide (Brazil) |
2:06:06 |
4:48.6 |
Berlin (1998) |
| Khalid Khannouchi (Morocco) |
2:05:42 |
4:47.7 |
Chicago (1999) |
| Khalid Khannouchi (USA) |
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) |
Best Garmin deals: Women
| Runner |
Time |
Pace (min/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) |
| Ruth Chepngetich (Kenya) |
2:09:56 |
4:57.4 |
Chicago (2024) |
