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 ...

event of —half the distance of a

marathon The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of , 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 are also wheelchair div ...

. 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 is officially recognised by the

International Association of Athletics Federations World Athletics, formerly known as the International Amateur Athletic Federation (from 1912 to 2001) and International Association of Athletics Federations (from 2001 to 2019, both abbreviated as the IAAF) is the international governing body fo ...

. The official IAAF world record for men is 57:31, set by

Jacob Kiplimo Jacob Kiplimo (born 14 November 2000) is a Ugandan long-distance runner. He is 2020 Tokyo Olympic 10,000 metres bronze medallist and also won bronze in the event at the 2022 World Athletics Championships. Kiplimo earned gold medals in the 5000 m ...

Uganda }), is a landlocked country in East Africa. The country 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 south by Tanzania. The ...

in November 2021 in

Lisbon, Portugal Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administrative limits w ...

, and for women is 1:04:02, set by

Ruth Chepng'etich Ruth Chepng'etich, often spelt Ruth Chepngetich, (born 8 August 1994) is a Kenyan road racing athlete, who competes in the marathon and other long distance events. She was the 2019 Marathon World champion in hot and humid conditions. Chepng'et ...

of Kenya on April 4, 2021, in Istanbul, Turkey. 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.

All-time top 25

Men

*Correct .

Notes

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

also ran 57:37 (2020), 57:56 (2022). *

Rhonex Kipruto Rhonex Kipruto (born 12 October 1999) is a Kenyan long-distance runner. He is the 2018 10,000 metres world U20 champion and the 2019 10,000 metres world championships bronze medalist. His 10 km road race personal best of 26:24, set Januar ...

also ran 58:09 (2021). *

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 s ...

also ran 58:10 (2022), 58:38 (2020). * Abraham Kiptum ran 58:18, but it was expunged for doping. * Zersenay Tadese also ran 58:30 (2011). * Philemon Kiplimo also ran 58:34 (2021). *

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 ove ...

also ran 58:40 (2022).

Women

*Correct .

Notes

Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 1:05:32: *

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 hal ...

also ran 1:03:44 (2021, not legal), 1:04:22 (2022), 1:04:40 (2021), 1:04:46 (2020), 1:05:19 (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 is the curre ...

also ran 1:04:28 (2019), 1:05:28 (2019). *

Hellen Obiri Hellen Onsando Obiri (born 13 December 1989) is a Kenyan middle- and long-distance runner. She is a two-time Olympic 5000 metres silver medallist from the 2016 Rio and 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where she also placed fourth over the 10,000 metres. Sh ...

also ran 1:04:48 (2022), 1:04:51 (2021). * Joyciline Jepkosgei also ran 1:04:52 (2017). * Sheila Chepkirui also ran 1:04:53 (2021). *

Ruth Chepngetich Ruth Chepng'etich, often spelt Ruth Chepngetich, (born 8 August 1994) is a Kenyan road racing athlete, who competes in the marathon and other long distance events. She was the 2019 Marathon World champion in hot and humid conditions. Chepng'et ...

also ran 1:05:06 (2020), 1:05:30 (2019). * Tsehay Gemechu also ran 1:05:08 (2021). *

Joan Chelimo Joan Chelimo Melly (born 10 November 1990) is a Kenyan and Romanian female long-distance runner who competes in road running competitions. She is the 2018 Prague Half Marathon Champion and the winner of other prestigious road races such as Berli ...

also ran 1:05:09 (2021). * Florence Jebet Kiplagat also ran 1:05:12 (2014). *

Mary Jepkosgei Keitany Mary Jepkosgei Keitany (born 18 January 1982) is a Kenyan former professional long distance runner. She is the world record holder in a women-only marathon, having won the 2017 London Marathon in a time of 2:17:01. As of November 2022, she pla ...

also ran 1:05:13 (2017). *

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 ...

also ran 1:05:16 (2020). *

Ababel Yeshaneh Ababel Yeshaneh Birhane (born 22 July 1991) is an Ethiopian long-distance runner who competes in track, road and cross country events. She represented her country in the 10,000 metres at the 2013 World Championships in Athletics, coming ninth, ...

also ran 1:05:21 (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 ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan a ...

in Denmark and

Malmö Malmö (, ; da, Malmø ) is the largest city in the Swedish county (län) of Scania (Skåne). It is the third-largest city in Sweden, after Stockholm and Gothenburg, and the sixth-largest city in the Nordic region, with a municipal popul ...

in Sweden with finishers, held in connection with the

Øresund Bridge The Öresund or Øresund Bridge ( da, Øresundsbroen ; sv, Öresundsbron ; hybrid name: ) is a combined railway and motorway bridge across the Øresund strait between Denmark and Sweden. It is the longest in Europe with both roadway and rai ...

inauguration in 2000.

Notes

References

External links

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

All-time top 25

Men

Notes

Women

Notes

Season's bests

See also

Notes

References

Further reading

External links