Half Marathon

21.0975 km road race — the world's most popular endurance distance, with courses in every major city.

👥1 per team🌤outdoor
Photo · Wikipedia

What is Half Marathon?

The half marathon (21.0975 km / 13.1 miles) is the world's most popular road running distance. Elite men run under 58 minutes; elite women under 63. It's the entry-point ultra for most amateur runners, with mass-participation events like the Great North Run, Copenhagen Half and the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships crowning the sport at every level.

Quick facts

Category

Athletics

Type

Individual

Players

1 per team

Where played

outdoor

Country of origin

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

Estimated origin

Mid-20th-century UK; Great North Run (world's largest) since 1981

Olympic

No

Popularity

global

Sources & provenance

Last verified 2026-08-24.verified