How long it takes to run a half marathon depends on the experience and training you have, also on your fitness level, age, sex, weight, the terrain and other factors. On average, elite marathon runners will run a half marathon for a little more than an hour. Slow runners and those walking will likely complete it in more than 3 hours.
What is the average half-marathon time for men and women?
The half-marathon is 13.1 miles. There are some online calculators and charts which can help you predict your running time, based on previous recent times you have achieved, your age and sex. They will provide you with a variety of prediction times, so that you can get a rough idea of what to expect from your half-marathon.
Keep in mind that these predictions are simply estimates of what you might be able to achieve. Proper training for the half marathon is important for the results, but it is not the only factor which affects your performance. It is also important how you are feeling on the day of the half marathon, what the weather is and what the condition and type of terrain you are running on.
If you are an experienced half marathoner, it is more likely that you will be able to achieve the predicted results than if you are a newbie. It is always safe to add 10 to 15 minutes to your predicted time.
It is also a good idea to do some research of the upcoming half marathon if you want to predict where you might place. Look at previous top results and overall results and compare them to your prediction results. This way you can find out whether you will be in the top 10% or in the middle pack or the back.
Remember, that some half marathons have set 3 hour limits. If your predicted time is 3 hours or more, you may want to reconsider your decision to participate in this one.
As for the training time for a half marathon, the proper training time for people who have not run a half marathon before is at least three months, but of course, the training time is different for everybody and depends on the fitness level, experience and so on.
Some runners like to listen to music while running, to make the experience more enjoyable and always have a small mp3 player with them.
What is a good half-marathon time for men and women?
If you are wondering what a good time is considered for a half marathon, a professional male runner may be able to run the 13.1 miles in less than an hour and the professional female runner may be able to complete the distance in about an hour and 10 minutes. But this is far from the real life results. The average half marathon time for the US for last year was 2:04 for men and 2:22 for women.
The reason could be that most runners are not striving to necessarily win but just to finish the half marathon. Also, it is a good idea to run to reach or improve your personal record, especially if you are not a professional runner. Also, don’t forget to wear proper, comfortable shoes that are suitable for your feet. If you have high arches, these are proper shoes for high arched runners.
If you do not have too much experience with half marathons, you should probably set a goal for breaking the 2 hour limit for your run, which is considered a decent result and means you keep a pace of 9:09 per mile.
