Half marathon pace chart

The half marathon (21.0975 km / 13.11 miles) is the sweet spot between the 10K's intensity and the marathon's logistical demands. It rewards consistent training without requiring full-marathon volume. This chart maps each pace to a half-marathon finishing time.

Training and racing Half marathon

Half-marathon plans typically run 10 to 14 weeks with long runs building to 16 to 18 km (10 to 11 miles), tempo runs at goal pace, and one quality interval session a week. The race itself lives at the upper end of your aerobic ceiling. Too fast in the first 5K and you'll pay for it in the back half, where most amateurs lose 30 to 60 seconds compared to their goal.

Half marathon finishing times by pace

Pace (min/km) Pace (min/mi) Half marathon time
8:00 12:52 2:48:47
7:45 12:28 2:43:30
7:30 12:04 2:38:14
7:15 11:40 2:32:57
7:00 11:16 2:27:41
6:45 10:52 2:22:24
6:30 10:28 2:17:08
6:15 10:04 2:11:52
6:00 9:39 2:06:35
5:45 9:15 2:01:19
5:30 8:51 1:56:02
5:15 8:27 1:50:46
5:00 8:03 1:45:29
4:45 7:39 1:40:13
4:30 7:15 1:34:56
4:15 6:50 1:29:40
4:00 6:26 1:24:23
3:45 6:02 1:19:07
3:30 5:38 1:13:50
3:15 5:14 1:08:34
3:00 4:50 1:03:18

What is a good Half marathon time?

Runner Time What it means
Beginner 2:45:00 First-time half, run-walk strategy.
Recreational 2:00:00 Solid intermediate target.
Competitive amateur 1:30:00 Sub-1:30, a common serious-runner benchmark.
Elite men 57:30 World record (Yomif Kejelcha, 2024).

Frequently asked questions

What pace do I need to run a sub-2:00 half marathon?

Sub-2:00 half is exactly 5:41/km or 9:09/mile. Aim for 5:35 to 5:40/km in training tempo runs to give yourself a buffer on race day.

What pace do I need to run a sub-1:30 half marathon?

4:16/km (6:52/mile) gives you 1:30:00 flat. Realistically you want to be able to hold 4:10/km for an 8 km tempo, which suggests sub-1:30 is in range.

How much faster than marathon pace is half-marathon pace?

For most amateurs, half-marathon pace is 20 to 35 seconds per mile faster than marathon pace (12 to 22 seconds per km). Elite runners shrink that gap to under 15 seconds per mile.

How long does it take to train for a half marathon?

From a 5K-running base, 10 to 12 weeks. From scratch, plan 16 to 20 weeks to build mileage safely. Most half-marathon injuries come from ramping volume too quickly.

Other pace charts

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