Half marathon
A half marathon is a road running event of kilometres —half the distance of a marathon. 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 World Athletics. The men's world record time, pending ratification, is 56:42, set by Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda in February 2025 in Barcelona, Spain. The women's world record, in a mixed-gender race, is 1:02:52, set by Letesenbet Gidey of Ethiopia in October 2021 in Valencia, Spain. In a female-only race, the women's world record is 1:05:16, set by Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya in October 2020.
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.
History
The concept of the half-marathon emerged in the 1960s. The first half marathon was the Route du Vin Half Marathon founded in 1961. Although the race was technically not the official current distance until it was standardized in 1995. The event grew in popularity leading to the eventual establishment of the World Athletics Road Running Championships in 1992, originally titled the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships.All-time top 25
Men
- Correct as of 2025.
| Rank | Time | Athlete | Date | Place | Ref | ||||||||||||||||
| 1 | 56:42 |  Jacob Kiplimo|UGAWomen
|
Letesenbet Gidey|ETHAthAbbr|Mx
Derek Graham|GBRtts|1:05:25