The 26.2-mile marathon distance is often seen as the pinnacle for running – but what constitutes a ‘good’ time?
Drawing in everyone from the world’s fastest elites to first-timers pushing themselves far beyond the boundaries of their comfort zone to raise money for their chosen charity, the marathon captures the imagination of hundreds of thousands of runners every single year. It also happens to be the distance you have to run at the end of an Ironman distance triathlon – after completing a 2.4 mile swim and a 112 mile bike ride. No big deal…
Whether you’re looking to take on a standalone marathon, getting ready to train for an Ironman distance triathlon or wondering what time you’d need to hit to have a chance of qualifying for the Marathon Majors such as Boston or New York, we have you covered with a deep dive into marathon finish times, from the fastest elites to the average amateurs. So you can see how your PB stacks up.
What are the fastest marathon times? How fast the elites run 26.2 miles
Chances are you’re here for the amateur stats so you can see how your time compares (or set yourself a target for your next race). But it’s always fun to depress ourselves a little first by looking at just how fast the elites are over the 26.2 mile marathon distance. Because for most of us, we’d struggle to hold these paces for a 5km – let alone a full marathon!
World record marathon times
The official world record for the fastest men’s marathon is held by the late Kelvin Kiptum. The Kenyan runner set a time of 2:00:35 at the 2023 Chicago Marathon. That’s equivalent to running a 14 minute 17s 5km (8 and a bit times in a row), holding a pace of 4:35 mins/mile (2:51 mins/km). Tragically, Kiptum was killed in a car accident along with his coach Gervais Hakizimana in February 2024. He’d been selected for the Paris 2024 Olympic team, and just a week prior to the crash his team had announced he intended to aim to become the first runner to achieve a sub-2hr marathon finish in open competition at Rotterdam in April 2024.
For women, Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya holds the marathon world record after setting an astonishing 2:09:56 to win the 2024 Chicago Marathon. She chopped more than four minutes off her personal best, and blitzed the previous record of 2:11:53 – set by Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia at the Berlin Marathon in 2023. The new Chepngetich time works out as a 15 minute 24s 5km time, running at a pace of 4:57 mins/mile (3:05 mins/km). Give that a go at your next parkrun and then imagine doing it for another 38km! Mind blowing stuff.
Olympic marathon records
While Assefa would have been a favourite to win Olympic gold in the women’s marathon event at Paris 2024, it was Sifan Hassan who took the win and set a new women’s Olympic marathon record in the process – running a 2:22:55. The Dutch runner’s Paris 2024 Olympic schedule raised plenty of eyebrows as she set out to compete in the 5000m, 10,000m and the marathon in one Games. However, she proved the doubters wrong, winning bronze medals in the short distance events before getting the gold in the marathon. Talk about versatile!
Paris 2024 was clearly a year for record-breaking performances, as the men’s Olympic marathon record was also set at the Games in France. Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia won the gold with a new record time of 2:06:26. The Paris course was said to be incredibly tough, with a significant number of hills and hot weather to contend with. So it’s not as if this year’s Olympians had it easy. That makes those record times all the more impressive.
Fastest ever marathon time
The fastest ever marathon time is held by Eliud Kipchoge. He ran a 1:59:40 as part of the Ineos 1:59 Challenge which took place in Vienna in October 2019. The time doesn’t count as an official world record, since it was an unsanctioned event and made use of rotating pace maker runners in a special time trial format. But breaking the 2hr barrier marked a significant moment in running history – challenging perceptions of what is thought to be possible.
Fastest marathon times in a triathlon
Given that an Ironman distance triathlon involves completing a 2.4-mile swim and a 112-mile bike ride before even taking the first step of the 26.2 mile marathon run, you’d of course expect the run times from the PRO triathletes to be a touch slower than their single-sport counterparts. But taking into account all the fatigue from the swim and bike, the fastest times we’ve seen from elite triathletes are still almost incomprehensibly quick to us mere mortals.
Taking a look at the stats compiled by Thorsten Radde of TriRating.com, Anne Haug has the fastest feet in triathlon as it stands. The German athlete set a record time of 2:38:52 at Challenge Roth in 2024. That was a race where she also set the record for the fastest overall full-distance triathlon finish time. For context, that equates to running at 6:03 mins/mile (3:45 mins/km) pace.
![Anne Haug wins Challenge Roth 2024 [Photo credit: Simon Fischer | Challenge Roth]](https://www.tri247.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Anne-Haug-wins-Challenge-Roth-2024.jpg)
Patrick Lange is fastest over the marathon distance in men’s triathlon with his 2:30:27 run split at Challenge Roth 2023. The German triathlete remains on a mission to break the 2hr 30 mins barrier. That was a feat he hoped to achieve at the 2024 edition of Challenge Roth, but unfortunately an injury he picked up after getting kicked during the swim saw his race over before he hit the run course. His current record time equates to running at 5:44 mins/mile pace (3:34 mins/km) and would see you blast through a 5km in 17 mins 50 seconds.
PRO men
- Patrick Lange – 02:38:31
- Arthur Horseau – 02:41:32
- Matt Hanson – 02:43:34
- Daniel Baekkegard – 02:45:01
- David McNamee – 02:45:24
- Menno Koolhaas – 02:45:54
- Bradley Weiss – 02:46:00
- Magnus Ditlev – 02:46:31
- Joe Skipper – 02:47:29
- Dylan Magnien – 02:47:59
PRO women
- Anne Haug – 02:51:44
- Laura Philipp – 02:55:06
- Chelsea Sodaro – 02:55:29
- Gurutze Frades Larralde – 02:59:45
- Katrina Matthews – 03:00:15
- Kylie Simpson – 03:00:41
- Sarah True – 03:00:49
- Katrine Graesboell Christensen – 03:02:11
- Lucy Charles-Barclay – 03:03:52
- Daniela Ryf – 03:05:46
STATS PROVIDED BY TRIRATING.COM
Fastest marathon times set at IRONMAN World Championship races
Unsurprisingly, it’s Lange and Haug who also top the charts when we look at the fastest marathon splits set at the IRONMAN World Championships. Anne Haug ran a 2:48:23 in Kona in 2023 – an impressive time against a tough course and tougher conditions thanks to the brutal Hawaii heat and humidity. She beat the previous record run time, which triathlon legend Mirinda Carfrae had held since 2014 (2:50:26). The super-fast run split still wasn’t enough to secure the victory for Haug though, as she ran out of real estate to chase down Lucy Charles-Barclay who led the race from gun to tape.

Lange ran an impressive 2:32:41 at the men’s IRONMAN World Championship in Nice in 2023. This was the first year the men’s and women’s championships were split between two different locations. It’s impressive to note that the triathlon GOAT Mark Allen still sits in the top 10 fastest IRONMAN World Championship runs of all time, with his 1989 run split of 2:40:04. Given how much the science behind the training – and the super shoes – have evolved since then, it shows just how fast he was in his heyday.
World Marathon Majors course records and qualifying times
The World Marathon Majors is an ultra-prestigious series of six of the biggest and most sought-after marathons on the planet – the Tokyo Marathon, the Boston Marathon, the London Marathon, the Berlin Marathon, the Chicago Marathon and the New York City Marathon. Complete all six, and you’ll be part of an exclusive club – earning yourself the Six Star Medal. But it’s not just as simple as sticking your name on the start sheet. Some of these races require a fast qualification time to be set at another event to qualify to even apply for a spot. Let’s take a look at the elite course records, and the qualification times (where applicable) for the Big Six.
Tokyo Marathon
- Men’s course record: 2:02:16 (Benson Kipruto, 2024)
- Women’s course record: 2:15:55 (Sutume Asefa Kebede, 2024)
Boston Marathon
- Men’s course record: 2:03:02 (Geoffrey Mutai, 2011)
- Women’s course record: 2:19:59 (Bezunesh Deba, 2014)
Qualifying times for the 2026 Boston Marathon by age category
The Boston Marathon does not have a ballot entry system, so a spot on the start line can only be secured by qualifying, getting a charity space or a special invitation (usually for press/bloggers). The qualification period has already passed for the 2025 event, so the below refers to the qualification times required for 2026.
Boston Marathon 2026 Qualifying Times | |||
Age Group | Men | Women | Non-Binary |
18-34 | 2hrs 55min 00sec | 3hrs 25min 00sec | 3hrs 25min 00sec |
35-39 | 3hrs 00min 00sec | 3hrs 30min 00sec | 3hrs 30min 00sec |
40-44 | 3hrs 05min 00sec | 3hrs 35min 00sec | 3hrs 35min 00sec |
45-49 | 3hrs 15min 00sec | 3hrs 45min 00sec | 3hrs 45min 00sec |
50-54 | 3hrs 20min 00sec | 3hrs 50min 00sec | 3hrs 50min 00sec |
55-59 | 3hrs 30min 00sec | 4hrs 00min 00sec | 4hrs 00min 00sec |
60-64 | 3hrs 50min 00sec | 4hrs 20min 00sec | 4hrs 20min 00sec |
65-69 | 4hrs 05min 00sec | 4hrs 35min 00sec | 4hrs 35min 00sec |
70-74 | 4hrs 20min 00sec | 4hrs 50min 00sec | 4hrs 50min 00sec |
75-79 | 4hrs 35min 00sec | 5hrs 05min 00sec | 5hrs 05min 00sec |
80 and over | 4hrs 50min 00sec | 5hrs 20min 00sec | 5hrs 20min 00sec |
London Marathon
- Men’s course record: 2:02:37 (Eliud Kipchoge, 2019)
- Women’s course record: 2:15:25 (Paula Radcliffe, 2003)
‘Good for age’ times for the London Marathon
Unlike Boston Marathon, London Marathon does have a ballot entry process. However runners can apply for a ‘good for age’ slot if they have run below a certain time at a previous event within the qualification period. Achieving the below times doesn’t guarantee you a slot, but it does improve your chances compared to entering via the general ballot.
London Marathon Good For Age times | ||
Age Group | Men | Women |
18-39 | sub-2hrs 55 mins | sub-3hrs 40 mins |
40-44 | sub-3hrs | sub-3hrs 45 mins |
45-49 | sub-3hrs 5 mins | sub-3hrs 48 mins |
50-54 | sub-3hrs 10 mins | sub-3hrs 55 mins |
55-59 | sub-3hrs 15 mins | sub-4hrs |
60-64 | sub-3hrs 37 mins | sub-4hrs 25mins |
65-69 | sub-3hrs 55 mins | sub-4hrs 55 mins |
70-74 | sub-4hrs 55 mins | sub-5hrs 55 mins |
75-79 | sub-5hrs 10 mins | sub-6hrs 15 mins |
80-84 | sub-5hrs 30 mins | sub-6hrs 40 mins |
85-89 | sub-6hrs 10 mins | sub-7hrs 10 mins |
90 and over | sub-7hrs 20 mins | sub-7hrs 45 mins |
Berlin Marathon
- Men’s course record: 2:01:09 (Eliud Kipchoge, 2022)
- Women’s course record: 2:15:37 (Tigst Assefa, 2022)
Chicago Marathon
- Men’s course record: 2:00:35 (Kelvin Kiptum, 2023)
- Women’s course record: 2:09:56 (Ruth Chepngetich, 2024)
Qualifying times for the Chicago Marathon
The Chicago Marathon offers a non-guaranteed ballot/draw entry system. But if you hit the qualification times below, you can guarantee your entry.
Chicago Marathon 2025 Qualifying Times | |||
Age Group | Men | Women | Non-Binary |
18-34 | 2hrs 55min 00sec | 3hrs 25min 00sec | 3hrs 25min 00sec |
35-39 | 3hrs 00min 00sec | 3hrs 30min 00sec | 3hrs 30min 00sec |
40-44 | 3hrs 05min 00sec | 3hrs 35min 00sec | 3hrs 35min 00sec |
45-49 | 3hrs 15min 00sec | 3hrs 45min 00sec | 3hrs 45min 00sec |
50-54 | 3hrs 20min 00sec | 3hrs 50min 00sec | 3hrs 50min 00sec |
55-59 | 3hrs 30min 00sec | 4hrs 00min 00sec | 4hrs 00min 00sec |
60-64 | 3hrs 45 min 00sec | 4hrs 15 min 00sec | 4hrs 15 min 00sec |
65-69 | 4hrs 00 min 00sec | 4hrs 30 min 00sec | 4hrs 30 min 00sec |
70-74 | 4hrs 15 min 00sec | 4hrs 45 min 00sec | 4hrs 45 min 00sec |
75-79 | 4hrs 30 min 00sec | 5hrs 00 min 00sec | 5hrs 00 min 00sec |
80 and over | 4hrs 50min 00sec | 5hrs 20min 00sec | 5hrs 20min 00sec |
New York City Marathon
- Men’s course record: 2:04:58 (Tamirat Tola, 2023)
- Women’s course record: 2:22:31 (Margaret Okayo, 2003)
New York City Marathon 2025 Qualifying Times
To secure a guaranteed entry for the New York City Marathon, you need to achieve the qualifying time for your age category at an in-person New York Road Runners (NYRR) marathon or half-marathon. You can also apply for a time qualification slot using a time posted at a non-NYRR event – however achieving the time does not guarantee a spot, and only full marathon events are eligible.
New York City Marathon 2025 – Men’s Qualifying Times | ||
Age Group | Marathon | Half Marathon |
18-34 | 2hrs 53min 00sec | 1hrs 21min 00sec |
35-39 | 2hrs 55min 00sec | 1hrs 23min 00sec |
40-44 | 2hrs 58min 00sec | 1hrs 25min 00sec |
45-49 | 3hrs 05min 00sec | 1hrs 28min 00sec |
50-54 | 3hrs 14min 00sec | 1hrs 32min 00sec |
55-59 | 3hrs 23min 00sec | 1hrs 36min 00sec |
60-64 | 3hrs 34min 00sec | 1hrs 41min 00sec |
65-69 | 3hrs 45min 00sec | 1hrs 46min 00sec |
70-74 | 4hrs 10min 00sec | 1hrs 57min 00sec |
75-79 | 4hrs 30min 00sec | 2hrs 07min 00sec |
80 and over | 4hrs 55min 00sec | 2hrs 15min 00sec |
New York City Marathon 2025 – Women’s and Non-Binary Qualifying Times | ||
Age Group | Marathon | Half Marathon |
18-34 | 3hrs 13min 00sec | 1hrs 32min 00sec |
35-39 | 3hrs 15min 00sec | 1hrs 34min 00sec |
40-44 | 3hrs 26min 00sec | 1hrs 37min 00sec |
45-49 | 3hrs 38min 00sec | 1hrs 42min 00sec |
50-54 | 3hrs 51min 00sec | 1hrs 49min 00sec |
55-59 | 4hrs 10min 00sec | 1hrs 49min 00sec |
60-64 | 4hrs 27min 00sec | 2hrs 2min 00sec |
65-69 | 4hrs 50min 00sec | 2hrs 12min 00sec |
70-74 | 5hrs 30min 00sec | 2hrs 27min 00sec |
75-79 | 6hrs 00min 00sec | 2hrs 40min 00sec |
80 and over | 6hrs 35min 00sec | 2hrs 50min 00sec |
What is a good marathon time for amateur runners?
First things first, it’s important to recognise that finishing a marathon – however long it takes you – is a huge achievement. It can be easy to be in a bit of a running echo chamber and start to lose sight of just how monumental it is to cover 26.2 miles on foot. Because while it might feel like everyone you know has run a fast marathon – there are still plenty more people in the world who haven’t (and will never) complete a marathon. Chances are you just hang out with a lot of runners! So be proud of yourself regardless of whether you’re up there with the exceptional times or bringing it in at the back of the field.

That being said, if you’re looking to get a benchmark of how you compare or looking to set a goal for your next race. Taking a look at the times for amateur runners can be useful. We’ve used 3 of the Marathon Majors – Tokyo, Chicago and London – to calculate the average (most common finish time), good (top 20-25%) and exceptional (top 5-10%) finish times.
Average, good and exceptional marathon times for women
Average, good and exceptional marathon times for men
What is a good marathon time in an Ironman distance triathlon?
If you’ve completed a standalone marathon, you can almost certainly expect your time to be a bit slower in an Ironman triathlon. After all, you’ll have the fatigue from the 2.4 mile swim and 112 mile cycle to contend with. And you’re also more likely to be running during the hottest part of the day, compared to the usual early morning start of a standalone running event.
Run splits in an Ironman-distance triathlon can vary quite a lot depending on the course profile and the raceday conditions. Races such as IRONMAN Wales – which features a tough sea swim, a lot of climbing on the bike and a hilly run course – are going to deliver slower average times compared to a race such as IRONMAN California with a downriver swim and flat course profile. So getting a general average across the board is tricky. However, to give some idea, we’ve used the results from IRONMAN Copenhagen 2024 as a case study. This race tends to attract first timers as well as super-fast age groupers so it’s a relatively balanced field. The swim isn’t anything out of the ordinary in terms of choppy waves or currents. The bike course is gently rolling. And the run course is relatively flat, with a few small hills along the way.
Average marathon times in a triathlon for women
Average marathon times in a triathlon for men
Like we discovered when we took our deep dive into average, good and exceptional half marathon times – it’s interesting to note that the times for a marathon at the end of an Ironman distance triathlon aren’t actually that much slower (in the case of the women, the average time is 1 minute faster) than those of a standalone running event. Given how much effort the participants have already put out to complete the swim and the bike, it’s a good example of just how fit and strong triathlon training makes you!
Wondering how you’d stack up over shorter distances? Take a look at our 5km, 10km and half marathon times articles. You can also get more information on the average, good and elite times for the various triathlon distances.