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What Is the Average Marathon Time?
The average marathon (26.2 miles / 42.2 km) finish is around 4 hours 20 minutes. Broadly, men average near 4:15 and women near 4:45, though big-city races with many first-timers tend to skew a little slower.
Rough marathon benchmarks
| Level | Typical marathon time |
|---|---|
| First-timer | 4:30–5:30 |
| Recreational | 3:45–4:30 |
| Experienced | 3:10–3:45 |
| Competitive | under 3:10 |
What's a "good" marathon time?
A sub-4-hour marathon (about 9:09 per mile / 5:41 per km) is a classic goal that marks a strong recreational runner. For a first marathon, though, simply finishing is the real achievement.
Predict your marathon
The most reliable way to set a goal is from a recent shorter race. Enter it in the race-time predictor, confirm your goal pace, and plan fuelling with the marathon calorie estimate.