Half Marathon
21.0975 km road race — the world's most popular endurance distance, with courses in every major city.
👥1 per team🌤outdoor
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