How to Run a Half-marathon in Under 2 Hours

I’ve seen it asked many times before, “What’s a good half-marathon time for your first marathon?” While this answer will vary a great deal depending on your previous running experience and overall fitness level; running a half marathon under 2 hours is a common goal.

And in fact, I think its a great goal for runners to set for a first half marathon (if you have some running experience).

I think it’s also important that we don’t just gloss over what a significant accomplishment it is to run 13.1 miles!  Many people will never run this many miles during a race.  And the amount of miles you put in during your half marathon training program could be quite significant, so you really should be happy if you are in this elite group of humans!

How Many Runners Finish a Half Marathon in Sub 2 Hours?

So, what percentage of half marathon finishers complete the race in under 2 hours? A while back I took a look at one of the largest half marathons in the US, just to get a point of reference for what times were normal for runners.

Here’s what I found: Out of the 5,535 Men running the 2012 Rock n Roll Arizona Half Marathon on Jan. 15th, 2013, approximately 2,050 finished under 2 hours.

This would equate to about 37% that finished under 2 hours and 63% that did not (over 2 hours).

For the same race, approximately 7,895 woman completed the half marathon. Of those finishers, 1,193 crossed the line in under 2 hours. This equates to about 15% of women finishing the half marathon under 2 hours and 85% finishing over 2 hours.

37% Men

15% Women

This is just one race of course, so let’s take a look at average half marathon times for runners across the US. 

Average Half Marathon Times in the US

The current world record in the half marathon is (as of November 2017): 58 minutes and 23 seconds.  This was set by Zersenay Tadese in 2010.

However, don’t fear the average runner is not anyone near as fast as that!  In fact, the average times are over double that.

The most recent State of the Sport report by RunningUSA states that the median half marathon time was 2:01:37 for men (average age 38.7 years) and 2:19:49 for women (average age 35.6 years).

Naturally these times can be impacted by the age, so I’ve split out the results based on a set of factors used by the World Masters Athletics Organization (WMA), and the USA Track and Field Masters Long Distance Running Committee to benchmark their athletes.

MaleFemale
AgeAvg. TimeAgeAvg. Time
201:58:59202:18:59
251:58:59252:17:56
301:58:59302:17:58
351:59:35352:19:18
38.72:01:3735.62:19:49
402:02:21402:22:42
452:07:16452:28:25
502:12:47502:36:52
552:18:49552:46:49
602:25:25602:58:08
652:32:40653:11:05
702:40:41703:26:05

Looking at these numbers, you can see that the 2 hour mark is pretty much the divider between the top and bottom 50% of male runners.

For women, running a half marathon in under 2 hours would put you in the top echelon of runners!  You will likely need to put in a lot of miles and training to be a part of this group.

So if the average half marathon finishing time for men is just over 2 hours, and about 2:20 for women, why did only 37% of men and 15% of women finish the 2012 Arizona Rock n Roll Marathon in under 2 hours?

Well a look at the course profile gives a big hint:

Rock N Roll Arizona Half Marathon Elevation Map

The hill right at the end will have slowed down a lot of runners who would already be feeling very tired at that point.  So, if the race participants had not added some hill training as part of their half marathon training schedule, they may have “hit the wall” at the end.  

Some half marathon courses will be a flatter course than others (or even downhill), and these will be far easier to post a personal best time, so keep that in mind. 

So, if you are wanting to set a goal for a sub 2 hour marathon, you should consider the race profile of the race, so that you can work in specific workouts in your training calendar.

Personally I recommend taking a look at some of the Half Marathons in Florida where almost every race is flat!

Please note, that even though the races analyzed were several years ago, from what I’ve seen, the trend for average half marathon times in the US remains roughly the same.  In fact, marathons and half marathons continue to grow in popularity, and so as more new runners enter the field the overall average finishing times will tend to get a bit slower.

On the other end of the spectrum, you have guys like Eliud Kipchoge that NEARLY ran a full marathon in 2 hours flat. (In 2017, he ran a full marathon in 2:00:24 on a closed race course with lots of elite pacers.  This was part of of Breaking 2 hours project sponsored by Nike).

My Personal Half Marathon Races

I have now run 3 half-marathons under 2 hours. But my first half marathon was about 2 hours and 10 minutes! Now my fastest time is 1:40:50 (see all my PRs Here), but I hope to beat that by at least a few minutes this weekend at the Famous Idaho Potato Half Marathon in Boise.

So, its VERY possible to get below 2 hours…even if your first attempt wasn’t under that mark! Personally, I ran a poor race and went out much too fast during my first half marathon, and ended up walking a couple of miles at the end.

If I had gone out at a much slower pace, I believe that I would have gotten under 2 hours. In fact, that is what I did my next half marathon…and I have since been able to drop well over 20 minutes off my time.

So, how did I do it? (and how can you?). I believe that tempo training and long runs are the key.

Update: I’ve continued to train and do my running workouts over the years.  As a result, I’ve now run a total of 10 marathons and several more half marathons.  My personal best for 13.1 miles came in the first half of a full marathon that I ran a few months ago.

I finished those first 13.1 miles in about 1 hour 32 minutes on my way to qualify for the Boston Marathon! (A life long goal of mine).

So, I’m here to tell you that if you half marathon goal time is 2 hours right now (which is a FANTASTIC goal), you may still have more speed ahead of you.  I’ve been surprised at how much faster I’ve been able to get over the years with consistent mileage and speed specific workouts.

As long as you put in a mix of workouts in such as tempo runs, intervals, long runs, hill training, heart rate training, and more…you really can improve your personal best time by a significant amount.

A Word About Nutrition

While I won’t spend a ton of time on it here, it goes without saying that proper nutrition is critical for a distance runner. It’s not just about race day, either.

It’s what you are putting in your body while you train. One important note is that you shouldn’t try new things on race day.

Don’t try any new foods, drinks, or supplements just because they are available for free at the race. You’re not sure how your body will react to it, and it isn’t worth the risk once you’ve reached the day you’ve been training for. So stick to what your body is used to.

For me, I used to run with a running belt stocked with Gatorade. However, I now simply bring my own GU (shown below) and stop as needed for water during the race.

GU Marathon Gel

If this is your first half marathon and you aren’t used to energy gels – I’d suggest buying a variety pack like this and figuring out what works best for you. These things can really help sustain you throughout the race. 

Although carb loading isn’t quite as critical for 13.1 miles as it is for 26.2 miles, you should still consider adding extra carbs the day before your race.  

A common reason that so many runners die at the end of races is due to simply running out of fuel.  A way to add more fuel (glycogen in particular) to your body is through eating lots of carbs the day before.  With the right amount of fuel on race day, you can propel yourself to that finishing line and get your finisher’s medal!

Training for a 2 Hour Half Marathon

Here is a typical training week that I recommend following (you can add higher mileage if you fell like you can handle it without injuring yourself). However, I believe the following schedule can help the average runner get to under a 2 hour marathon:

  • Monday – Easy Run: 6 miles (about 1 to 2 minutes  per mile slower than half marathon pace)
  • Tuesday – Intervals (speed workout): 5 x 1 mile repeats (at 5k to 10k pace). With a warmup and cool-down.
  • Wednesday – Easy Run: 6 miles
  • Thursday – Tempo Run: 5 or 6 miles (at very close to half marathon pace; with warmup and cool-down).
  • Friday – Rest or 3 or 4 miles Easy Run
  • Saturday – Long Run: 8 to 15 miles (Build up mileage slowly, and run slow at about 2 minutes per mile slower than half marathon pace).
  • Sunday – Rest

Total weekly miles – Average around 35 miles

While intervals can help with speed, and if you are truly trying to max out your running potential, I do think they are important. However, if your goal is to get under 2 hours, the Tempo and long runs are more important.

The tempo run essentially gets your body used to running at your half marathon pace. So, if you want 1:59:59 in the half marathon, then your average pace should be 9 minutes and 9.14 seconds. Just run it at 9 minutes and 9 seconds to be safe :).

So, your tempo run should be run at about 9 minute mile to 9 minute 9 second mile pace.

The long run is not meant to test your racing ability, its there to train your body  and mind to run long distances.  I am a firm believer that having mental toughness and grit is extremely important when you are trying to push yourself to the finish line in record time.

So speed is not a concern during the long run! In fact, if you are running it too fast, you could be hurting your training…so slow down.

I personally like to run at least a few long runs at the full 13.1 mile distance or longer during my training plan. I highly recommend the same for you if you truly want to finish the race under 2 hours.

By going further on your long runs (some training plans have you stop at 8 or 9 miles), you are much more likely to finish the race mentally and physically strong, rather than walking (like I did during my first half marathon).

Race Pace Strategy

I believe the primary 2 reasons for people not accomplishing their race goals is poor preparation and poor race strategy. Obviously you need to train well.

But even if you train well and don’t set an appropriate race pace, you could be setting yourself up for failure. I know, because I’ve made the mistake of going out too fast in several races!

So, trust me as someone who has made all the mistakes and fortunately learned; you need to set a realistic goal and stick to it. Many people simply go into a race without really knowing what their goal should be. But if you have planned properly (using your tempo runs as a gauge), and you know you are shooting for 2 hours, then you can set a good pace.

I would recommend going out your first few miles right at or 5 to 10 seconds slower than your goal pace (9 min. 9 second miles). This will help you mentally prepare to NOT go out too fast, which is a big mistake.

  • So miles 1 to 3 at about 9:15 pace.
  • Miles 4 to 7 at 9:09 pace
  • Miles 8 to 10 at 9:05 pace
  • Miles 11 to 13.1 9:00 pace (or whatever else you have left in the tank).

This will get you to your 2 hour half-marathon.

Overall, running a half marathon under 2 hours is very feasible even for the average runner. If you go into the race with the proper training and right strategy, you can find yourself posting a time that is far better than average!

Frequently Asked Questions for the Half Marathon Distance

Have more questions about achieving your goal of running a sub 2 hour half marathon time?  Well, here’s a few common questions and my answers.

What’s the best drink for energy during a half marathon?

As mentioned previously in this article, it’s important to be well fueled with energy both before and during your race.  Water is great for hydration.  However, I recommend drinking the Gatorade, Powerade, or other sports drink that is often provided at aid stations.

These energy drinks have higher carbohydrate/sugar content, which is exactly what your body will need as you run.  However, please be sure to practice intaking some of these drinks during your long runs prior to the race.  Not everyone is able to stomach these sugary drinks while running.

As an alternative, consider taking gels or chews as a way to keep your glycogen levels high.

I have three or 4 weeks to train for a half marathon. I want to run under the two hour mark. what is the best way to do it?

If you are coming up on a race that you signed up for and you only have 3 or 4 weeks, your ability to complete the half marathon in under 2 hours is strongly reliant on your current level of fitness and history.

I would recommend spending your first week doing all “easy” runs; probably 4 times that week.  Try to run 3 to 5 miles for each of those runs if you can.

In the second week, do another 4 runs.  Two of them should be “easy” runs, one of them a “tempo” run (with 20 minutes at around your race page), and one of them a “long” run of 8 to 10 miles.

The week before the marathon, you can do one more tempo run early in the week, but then you will need to taper your mileage later in the week.  Your long run on the Saturday or Sunday before your race should be really slow and probably not more than 6 or 7 miles (since you haven’t trained much).

The final week, just go out and try not to injure yourself or run too hard.  I would perhaps throw in a couple of strides (maybe 6 x 100 meter strides) on Monday or Tuesday.  Rest 1 or 2 days before the race…then go out and have a good time on race day!

Oh, and try to train longer than 3 or 4 weeks before your next one :).

Whats a average time for an amateur to run a marathon and a half marathon?

According to my analysis as shown above, the average half marathon time was 2:01:37 for men (average age 38.7 years) and 2:19:49 for women (average age 35.6 years).

This is for amateur runners.

Once you get to the professional level, men need a time of 1 hour and 5 minutes to get into the US Olympic trials and women need a time of 1 hour 15 minutes.

Is a 7 to 8 minute mile pace for a half marathon decent?

YES!  That’s a fantastic pace that most runners never achieve.  An 8 minute per mile pace over the course of a half marathon would be 1 hour 44 minutes and 53 seconds.

A 7 minute per mile pace would be 1 hour 31 minutes and 46 seconds.

Have something to add to this article? I would love to hear your comments below.

35 thoughts on “How to Run a Half-marathon in Under 2 Hours”

  1. Appreciate the tips. My previous half marathon was 2:00:00.4 (still kicking myself for the wasted 5 tenths of a second).

    I would add that nutrition is VERY important for running this distance. Eating too few calories has caused me more performance blows than injuries.

    • Great point, Adam! I agree that nutrition can really help or hinder ones performance. We will be tackling this subject in more depth in future posts.

  2. Wow. Finally a guy who can write a training article in everyday terms! You really sold me on this. I’m going to start today. I’ve got 12 weeks and I’m really going to hit it hard! Thanks!

    • Thanks Sally! Best of luck with your training…hope it goes well!

  3. hi i am doing 2 hour runs once a week with tempo runs. i am geting ready for half marathon, last one was 1.53 hope to go under 1.50.

    thanks

    denis

    • We’ll have to work on that for sure. I’d like to do it right, so it may take some time.

    • There is an app — 13.1 from Active.. It helped me to plan a lot.. It has nutrition details at times / REST Day plan etc..
      Have a look..

      Cheers,
      Raj

  4. hi Spencer,

    Do you carry your own hydration and gu? Or do you stop at mile stops for them? I was thinking if you stop at the support stations, it’ll slow you down.

    What’s your take? Thanks.

    • I do carry gu with me. I used to always bring a full hyrdration belt with gatorade,etc during races…but no longer. I just make sure to hydrate at eat water station and bring my gu’s with me. I think its better to slow down at the water station and get hydrated than racing through and not being properly hydrated.

  5. I am 60 year old. I started running from 2010 and except once where I finished Hm in 1.58hrs,all other marathons were finished time ranging from 2.05 hrs to 2.15hrs.
    I never use to stop and use to carry my fuel belt with me.
    I use to run the first half within 55 minutes but get tired in the 2nd half.
    I will be running Mumbai marathon on 19th Jan and will try to run slow during 1st half and try to accomplish sub 2 hour finish.

  6. Just got back from my first Half Marathon, and happy to say I was a good few minutes under the 2 hour mark. (1:56:????).
    I trained for a good 2 months in preperation for it. doing at 4 seperate 15 km prep runs. It is good to know that your body is going to be able to hande the distance. In the pater month, a few days of strict tempo runs, and get off the beer and control your diet as best you can. Two days prior, dropped as much fibre as I could from my diet, and got into a lot more easy carbs including rice, bread, and pasta dinners cooked at home of course. Didn’t take any water with me, but made sure I hydrated well on the run, even if I thought i didn’t need it.

    For a half marathon, I don’t know whether you really need any gels or gums on the run. If you are properly carbo loaded prior to the race. you should be all set to blast through the last 5 K’s at a faster pace than your first.

    Also, on another topic, if you really want to make the most of your run and energy, make sure you are running efficiently. When training, the more time you spend on the road, the higher risk you have of causing some damage. Make sure you are wearing the right fitting shoes, and making your run as energy efficient as possible. Recently I have adopted the flat foot, or mid foot running style and it has done wonders to my efficiency. Also, feeling a lot less pain in the shins, hams and lower back. Adopting mid foot striking takes some time, but when you have it under control, you will notice you are going faster than you could have previously imagined with very little effort.

    • Great tips Chris, but I would stress that gels are not to be underestimated.
      Another big factor which seems to be missing from the articles is sleep. I find a good nights sleep can be half the battle, or is it because I’m in my 50’s lol.
      Sub-2hrs is standard for me, through diet, exercise, gels and sleep and if I can do it, believe me anyone can!

  7. Seems to make sense to me, my first half marathon after a year of running was hilly and I did find it difficult but managed 2.03 and I was kicking myself because I didn’t make sub 2 hours but I think realistically after only 1 year of running you haven’t learnt enough about your gait, your own pace, what it’s like to race etc. I then did a full marathon that same year and trained to 4.30 which I would have done if it hadn’t been for injury all my friends who I trained with ran 4.15 which I think is great for a first full marathon. Anyway, we are now training for a half again and are going for sub 2 hours, we plan to do more than 13 miles in training so we can finish strong. At the moment I can manage 8.44 over 6 miles so although I don’t know if I can keep that pace over 13 miles I am sure I can do 9.09 but this time I will be tracking my time during the race so I know when to be faster and slower

  8. Hi, your article inspired me for my next race. I just finished my first half marathon after 3 months trainig. Running has always been difficult but as I was determined to keep my all time goal to run I managed to get the pace up. Finished at 2.32 minutes with the goal of 2.30. Next time 2hours and better training and nutrition!

  9. Thanks for the article! It´s good to know where I’m at and know that my next goal (running the Vancouver half this Sunday) is feasible. I did 1:50 in my first half, and I’m aiming at 1:40-1:45 this time. I’ve been training since January but the last two weeks I was too busy with other things and didn’t run much. So I started to freak out.

  10. Of all the training articles i have read. This is the most encouraging ang informative. Thanks to you that even if i am weeks behind my schedule, i feel i can do sub 2. Please post more informations. Thanks

  11. Done my first half marathon in 2hrs 14mins yesterday. Been struggling with the cold all week tho! Really good experience tho. Sore today

  12. Just ran Columbus in 1:57:43 and trained in very similar fashion to this article. I was using a Hal Higdon plan with slow runs, tempos, pace runs, and speed-work on the track. My race strategy was 6 miles at 9:10, mile 7 at 9:00, miles 8-13 at 8:50. My goal was actually under 1:58 which requires 9:00 even.

    I do recommend the negative splits. In a big race, you’ll need to be mindful to hold back even if you feel good, as the excitement and the other runners are kind of pulling you with them. I also recommend a GPS watch which tells you your average pace per mile rather than your current pace. So if you plan to run a mile at 9:10 and you see that you’re halfway through and you’re at 9:05, you can relax a bit for the rest of the mile. You can start thinking about abandoning the plan at the end of the race if you feel good. My last mile was 8:17 so I was using what I had left.

    Good luck!

  13. Hi. Just found this article as looking for half math plans…. am running my first half in march 2015..I started running in July 2014 and can now run 10 miles which am doing in 2 hours!! This has inspired me to aim for sub 2 finish…….my question is tho am new to running and not sure if I understand the concept of tempo runs?? Is it when u only focus on speed rather then distance? Or when you alternate your pace slow/fast????? Sorry if am being dunce? Can u explain???

  14. I am 48 and have been running for 2 1/2 yrs. My first four half-marathon times were 2:07, 2:14 ,2:08 (1 mo. later with better shoes) and 2:18 with a nagging injury I finally cured with a foam roller, which I highly recommend. I was only running 9-14 miles per week prior to each half I ran. I started doing light dumbell squats less than 2 months prior to yesterdays Half, which I did in 1:55:04. That was the only change in my training, My legs did not give out early like they did in all of the other races. At mile 12 I was burning out but I still felt well enough to improve by 13 minutes in the same half that I did 1 year before. Now I have personally seen that stronger legs allow you to run with less effort. All of my 5k and 10k times have increased as well. I am hoping to increase my leg training (hamstrings and glutes) to see if I can improve a lot more and add miles to my weekly routine. Running, of course requires knowledge of form, proper nutrition, hydration, proper training methods, etc. It is worthwhile to spend time reading as much as possible about running to improve your running and overall health,.

  15. Hi Spencer

    Thanks for this valuable information. I am 65 been running for a few years but never really bothered much with time. I completed 7 half marathons over a period of 10 years, 3 x 15km and about 6 x 10km. never sub 2 hours although my PB 3 weeks ago half @ 2h 1min 55 sec and I felt on top of the world. This I attribute to me joining the Run Walk for Life Club. Being part of this club brought some discipline and also additional exercises. I am doing a very popular half marathon S A D Safari tomorrow morning 1 May 2015 and will come home with my sub 2 hours. Will let you know.

  16. followed this training plan (somewhat) 2 months out. did my first half marathon in 1:48. I found the tempo runs and long runs helped the most. haven’t did a run since then. the next half marathon is 2 months away, on a much tougher course. will do the same plan! awesome, thanks for the tips!

  17. Thanks for the tips. However I found one thing confusing here, though here in India we calculate distance in kms.

    You’ve broken up the course in 1-3, 4-7, 8-10, 11-13. This might look a silly question, what about the miles in between 3-4, 7-8 and 10-11?

  18. I am a 52 years old female and I ran my first half marathon on October 2016 in 2:05. The course was hilly, especially toward the end. I hope to run a better time this year.

  19. Great running article, my first HM last was 3:32 without any proper training, but it make my day. But now after few attemps it go to 2:40. I really hope that i can improve my pace

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