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What Is a Good Half Marathon Pace?
A "good" half marathon pace is the one you can hold steady for all 13.1 miles (21.1 km) without blowing up in the final few miles. For many recreational runners that means finishing somewhere between 1:45 and 2:30. A sub-2:00 half — about 9:09 per mile (5:41 per km) — is a popular and very achievable goal.
Half marathon pace by finish time
| Finish time | Pace / mile | Pace / km |
|---|---|---|
| 1:30 | 6:52 | 4:16 |
| 1:45 | 8:00 | 4:59 |
| 2:00 | 9:09 | 5:41 |
| 2:15 | 10:18 | 6:24 |
| 2:30 | 11:27 | 7:07 |
What counts as "good" for you
- First-timer: finishing strong is the win — aim to keep an even pace.
- Improver: beating your previous time, even by a minute, is real progress.
- Experienced: holding close to your threshold pace for the full distance.
Don't start too fast
The most common half-marathon mistake is going out too quickly while you feel fresh, then fading badly after mile 9. Pick a target pace, bank nothing, and run the first few miles slightly slower than goal pace.
Find your half marathon pace
Enter a recent race or training result in the race-time predictor to estimate a realistic half marathon time, then use the pace calculator to lock in the exact per-mile or per-km pace to practise on your long runs.