A half marathon is a

road running Road running is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road. This differs from track and field on a regular track and cross country running over natural terrain. These events are usually classified as long-distance ru ...

event of —half the distance of a

marathon The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of kilometres ( 26 mi 385 yd), usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There ...

. It is common for a half marathon event to be held concurrently with a marathon or a 5K race, using almost the same course with a late start, an early finish, or shortcuts. If finisher medals are awarded, the medal or ribbon may differ from those for the full marathon. The half marathon is also known as a 21K, 21.1K, or 13.1 miles, although these values are rounded and not formally correct. A

half marathon world record The world record in the half marathon has been officially recognized since 1 January 2004 by World Athletics, the international governing body for the sport of athletics. A total of five men's world records and six women's world records have bee ...

is officially recognised by

World Athletics World Athletics, formerly known as the International Amateur Athletic Federation and International Association of Athletics Federations and formerly abbreviated as the IAAF, is the international sports governing body, governing body for the sport ...

. The men's world record time, pending ratification, is 56:42, set by

Jacob Kiplimo Jacob Kiplimo (born 14 November 2000) is a Ugandan long-distance runner. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and the 2022 World Athletics Championships, Kiplimo won a bronze medal in the 10,000 m events. Kiplimo won gold medals in the 5000 m and 10,000 ...

Uganda Uganda, officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the ...

in February 2025 in

Barcelona, Spain Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a pop ...

. The women's world record, in a mixed-gender race, is 1:02:52, set by

Letesenbet Gidey Letesenbet Gidey ( Tigrinya: ለተሰንበት ግደይ, born 20 March 1998) is an Ethiopian long-distance runner. In the 10,000 metres, she is the 2020 Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist, 2019 World silver medallist, and 2022 World champion. H ...

of Ethiopia in October 2021 in

Valencia, Spain Valencia ( , ), formally València (), is the capital of the Province of Valencia, province and Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, the same name in Spain. It is located on the banks of the Turia (r ...

. In a female-only race, the women's world record is 1:05:16, set by

Peres Jepchirchir Peres Jepchirchir (born 27 September 1993) is a Kenyan professional long-distance runner who competes mainly in road running competitions. She won the gold medal in the women's marathon at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Jepchirchir was the champion a ...

of Kenya in October 2020. Participation in half marathons has grown steadily since 2003, partly because it is a challenging distance, but does not require the same level of training that a marathon does. In 2008, ''Running USA'' reported that the half marathon is the fastest-growing type of race.

History

The concept of the half-marathon emerged in the 1960s. The first half marathon was the

Route du Vin Half Marathon The ING Route du Vin Half Marathon () is an annual road running competition over the half marathon distance (21.1 km/13.1 mi) which takes place in late September in Remich, Luxembourg. It is organised by the Luxembourg Athletics Federatio ...

founded in 1961. Although the race was technically not the official current distance until it was standardized in 1995. The event grew in popularity leading to the eventual establishment of the

World Athletics Road Running Championships The World Athletics Road Running Championships is a biennial international road running competition organised by World Athletics. The competition was launched as the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in 1992 and held annually until 2010. It wa ...

in 1992, originally titled the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships.

All-time top 25

Men

*Correct .

Notes

Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 58:43: *

also ran 57:31 (2021), 57:37 (2020), 57:56 (2022) and 58:09 (2024). *

Kibiwott Kandie Kibiwott Kandie (born 20 June 1996) is a Kenyan long-distance runner. In December 2020, he won the Valencia Half Marathon finishing in a new world record time of 57:32, chopping off the previous world record by almost 30 seconds. Kandie won the ...

also ran 57:40 (2023), 58:10 (2022) and 58:38 (2020). *

Yomif Kejelcha Yomif Kejelcha Atomsa (born 1 August 1997) is an Ethiopian distance runner. He formerly held world records in the short track mile (3:47.01 from 2019 to 2025) and the half marathon (57:30 from 2024 to 2025). Yomif won the silver medal in the 1 ...

also ran 57:41 (2023) and 58:32 (2022). *

Sabastian Sawe Sabastian Kimaru Sawe (born 16 March 1996) is a Kenyan long-distance runner. He finished seventh in the senior men's race at the 2023 World Cross Country Championships. In September 2022, Sawe set a Kenyan national record in the one hour run at ...

also ran 58:05 (2024), 58:24 (2024), 58:29 (2023). * Abraham Kiptum ran 58:18, but it was expunged for doping. *

Isaia Kipkoech Lasoi Isaia is a Neapolitan tailoring luxury brand founded by Enrico Isaia in Casalnuovo di Napoli in 1920. The brand is recognized by its tiny red coral logo, which is a good-luck charm in Naples. The brand describes its clientele as "passionate, ...

also ran 58:21 (2024). *

Zersenay Tadese Zersenay Tadese Habtesilase ( Tigrinya: ዘርእሰናይ ታደሰ; born 8 February 1982) is an Eritrean former long-distance track and road running athlete. He held the men's half marathon world record from 2010 to 2018. His bronze medal i ...

also ran 58:30 (2011). *

Daniel Mateiko Daniel Mateiko (born 4 August 1998) is a Kenyan long-distance runner and member of the NN Running Team. He has raced mainly between 5000m and half marathon and holds a 58:26 half marathon personal best which makes him the 9th fastest of all time ...

also ran 58:26 (2021) and 58:40 (2022). *

Philemon Kiplimo Philemon may refer to: In the Bible * Epistle to Philemon, a book in the New Testament * Philemon (biblical figure), recipient of Saint Paul's Epistle to Philemon Arts and entertainment * ''Philémon'' (comics), a Franco-Belgian comic book ser ...

also ran 58:34 (2021). Performance annulled due to doping offences:

Women

*Correct .

Notes

Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 1:05:07: *

Yalemzerf Yehualaw Yalemzerf Yehualaw Densa (born 3 August 1999) is an Ethiopian long-distance runner. She won the 2022 London Marathon. Yehualaw is the current world record holder in the 10 kilometres road race, sits second on the world all-time list at the h ...

also ran 1:03:44 (2021, not legal), 1:04:22 (2022), 1:04:40 (2021), 1:04:46 (2020). *

Brigid Kosgei Brigid Jepchirchir Kosgei (born 20 February 1994) is a Kenyan long-distance runner who specialises in the marathon. She won the 2018 and 2019 Chicago Marathons, the 2019 and 2020 London Marathons and the 2021 Tokyo Marathon. Kosgei was the m ...

also ran 1:04:28 (2019). *

Joyciline Jepkosgei Joyciline Jepkosgei (born 8 December 1993) is a Kenyan female long-distance runner who competes over distances from 10,000 metres to the marathon. She is the former half marathon world record holder in contests with mixed-gender fields with he ...

also ran 1:04:29 (2024), 1:04:46 (2023), 1:04:51 (2017), 1:04:52 (2017). *

Hellen Obiri Hellen Onsando Obiri (born 13 December 1989) is a Kenyan middle- and long-distance runner. She is the only woman to have won world titles in indoor track, outdoor track and cross country. Obiri is a two-time Olympic 5,000 metres silver med ...

also ran 1:04:48 (2022), 1:04:51 (2021). *

Sheila Chepkirui Sheila Chepkirui Kiprotich (born 27 December 1990) is a Kenyan middle- and long-distance runner who competed at first in the 1500 metres and 5000 metres. She won the 2024 New York City Marathon and the bronze medal in the 10,000 metres at the 2 ...

also ran 1:04:53 (2021). * Ruth Chepngetich also ran 1:05:06 (2020).

Season's bests

This table lists the best half marathon performances per year since 1970, as recorded by the ARRS. The largest half marathon ever held was Broloppet (the Bridge race) between

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...

in Denmark and

Malmö Malmö is the List of urban areas in Sweden by population, third-largest city in Sweden, after Stockholm and Gothenburg, and the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, sixth-largest city in Nordic countries, the Nordic region. Located on ...

in Sweden with finishers, held in connection with the

Øresund Bridge The Øresund or Öresund Bridge is a combined List of road–rail bridges, railway and motorway cable-stayed bridge across the Øresund strait between Denmark and Sweden. It is the second longest bridge in Europe and combines both roadway and r ...

inauguration in 2000.

Notes

References

External links

IAAF list of half-marathon records in XML
{{Authority control Road running distances Long-distance running disciplines

History

All-time top 25

Men

Notes

Women

Notes

Season's bests

See also

Notes

References

Further reading

External links