What is a good half marathon time? Average, good and elite times for runners and triathletes

The half marathon is quite quickly becoming one of the most popular running distances, with events often selling out as people seek out a distance which is challenging without being quite as daunting as the full 26.2 miles. But what’s a good time to aim for over the half marathon distance?

Whether you’re looking to train for a standalone half marathon over the off season to help improve your running. Or getting ready for your next middle-distance triathlon. We take a look at the average, good and exceptional half marathon times for elites and amateurs in running events and triathlons so you can see how you stack up.

How fast are the elites over the half marathon distance?

Before we dive into the amateur stats. Let’s first take a moment to appreciate the eye-ball popping pace the elites are able to maintain for 13.1 miles. And get an idea of how fast professional triathletes are compared to the world’s best runners. Hold on to your running caps, these splits are pretty rapid!

World Record half marathon times

The women’s world record for the fastest half marathon is 1hr 2 mins 52s. The blisteringly fast time was set by Letesenbet Gidey at the Valencia Half Marathon in Spain in October 2021. If the time wasn’t impressive enough, this was also Gidey’s half marathon debut! Not bad for a first hit out. Her 1:02:52 finish time is equivalent to running 4:48 mins/mile (2:58 mins/km) pace. For context, that would give you a sub-15 minute 5km time and a sub-30 minute 10km time.

The men’s world record over the half marathon is held by Jacob Kiplimo, who ran 57 mins 31s at the Lisbon Half Marathon in Portugal in November 2021. That’s a pace of 4:23 mins/mile (2:43 mins/km) which would see you running 13:38 for a 5km and 27:16 for a 10km if you were able to hold it!

Norwegian great Jakob Ingebrigtsen made his half marathon debut in Copenhagen on Sunday (September 15) and he did not find it easy, having to stop en route before finally finishing his first attempt at the distance in a time of 1:03:13.

Fastest half marathon times in triathlon racing

Unlike the world of elite running, it’s very difficult to pin down an official ‘record time’ in triathlon because courses can vary so much between races. So while there are no official world records for the fastest half marathon times set by PRO triathletes. It’s still interesting to get a feel for just how quick the fastest runners in the sport can cover 21.1km straight after a 1.9km swim and a 90km bike.

We spoke to Thorsten Radde from TriRating.com – who shared some data on the top 10 fastest half marathon times recorded in a middle-distance triathlon from male and female PROs. Though like us he keenly highlighted that variations in courses make it difficult to maintain a list with 100% confidence that slightly short run courses haven’t come into play, the stats below are pulled from the races which are believed to feature accurate run distances.

Fastest half marathon times in a triathlon from female PROs

It’s perhaps unsurprising to see uber runner Anne Haug at the top of this list, with her half marathon time of 1:10:59 set at Challenge Gran Canaria in 2021. It’s interesting to note that Julie Derron, who ran her way to a silver medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic triathlon, comes in at #2 with a time of 1:12:37 at Challenge Kaiserwinkl-Walchsee – which took place only a month or so prior to Paris 2024. Julie had also set a fast half marathon time at 70.3 Switzerland a few weeks before Walchsee. Impressive! The rest of the list is dominated by Canada’s Tamara Jewett – well known for her ability to storm through the field once she exits T2. And super runner Emma Pallant-Browne.

Fastest half marathon times in a triathlon from male PROs

Spanish PRO Antonio Benito Lopez tops the list for the men, with a time of 1:05:03 at the Zarausko Triathlon in June 2024. He’s followed by Nicholas Free (AUS), who ran a 1:05:56 at Challenge Cagnes-sur-Mer 2023, and Casper Stornes with a 1:06:02 in the books from IRONMAN 70.3 Nice in 2021.

Notably, Jan Frodeno’s half marathon time from the 2018 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Port Elizabeth, South Africa still has him sitting at #7 in this top 10. A drama-filled battle on the run with Alistair Brownlee and Javier Gomez saw Frodeno stride to victory with a terrific run split of 1:06:33.

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What is a good half marathon time for amateur runners?

The half marathon is a distance which is only growing in popularity with amateur runners. And while a ‘good’ time is highly subjective depending on your experience level and your goals, it can be fun to look at what sort of time on average runners tend to complete the distance in, so you can see how you stack up – or give yourself a target to aim for.

Using real-life amateur race results, let’s take a look at the average, good and exceptional half marathon times for men and women.

Average, good and exceptional half marathon times for women

Taking a look at the results from two of the most popular half marathons in the UK and the USA, the 2024 London Landmarks Half Marathon and the 2023 RBC Brooklyn Half, here are the average, good and exceptional times for female half marathon runners.

Average, good and exceptional half marathon times for men

Using the same results (London Landmarks Half Marathon 2024 and RBC Brooklyn Half) these are the average, good and exceptional finish times for male half marathon runners.

What is a good half marathon time in a half Ironman / 70.3 / middle distance triathlon?

Running a half marathon on its own is already a big achievement. But adding a 1.9km swim and a 90km bike ride beforehand will make ticking off those miles even tougher. So it’s important to understand that you’re unlikely to match your standalone half marathon PB in a middle distance triathlon.

Like we’ve mentioned in our section on the half marathon times set by PRO triathletes during a half Ironman distance race, it’s difficult to give a truly accurate picture of the good/average times for age-groupers. A course with a particularly tough swim and a hilly bike, for example, might lead to slower run times even if the run course is flat. And likewise, a swim with a fast current and a flat bike course might lend itself to faster run times. But taking Oceanside 70.3 as a case study, here’s an idea of the average, good and exceptional times set for the half marathon distance by age-group triathletes during a triathlon race.

Average half marathon times in a triathlon for women

Average half marathon times in a triathlon for men

It’s interesting to note that using the results from Oceanside, the times for a half marathon in a triathlon are tracking similarly – in some cases quicker – to those in a standalone running event! Obviously we have to take this with a pinch of salt as we’re not crunching the numbers for every triathlon event. But it might suggest that a standalone half marathon draws in more people who are just getting started on their fitness journey, compared to a middle-distance triathlon where participants are likely to have more experience in training for an endurance sport and therefore post faster split times.

The above is just a snapshot, so don’t get disheartened if those times don’t feel achievable. Your best bet is to take a look at the past results of the specific event you plan to race if you do want to get a feel for how you might stack up against the rest of the field. And as a general guide for first timers taking on a middle distance triathlon. Breaking 6-6.5 hrs for the overall finish time in a middle-distance triathlon is a great goal. Depending on your swim and bike pace, that would mean completing the half marathon in 2-2.5hrs. But don’t forget that finishing – in whatever time it takes – is something to be celebrated!

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Wondering how you might stack up over a 10km run? Check out our deep dive into what’s a good 10km time – from the world records set by the elites, to the fastest 10km runners in triathlon and the average times from amateur runners and triathletes.