Half Marathon Pace Chart: Times, Splits & How to Pace
A complete half marathon pace chart with finish times, mile-by-mile splits, and a strategy for pacing your race, including the sub-2-hour goal.
The half marathon, 13.1 miles or 21.1 kilometres, is one of the most rewarding distances in running. It is long enough to demand real training and respect, yet accessible enough that thousands of first-timers complete one every year. One of the biggest factors separating a strong, enjoyable race from a painful one is pacing. Go out too fast and you will pay for it in the final miles; pace yourself well and you can finish feeling strong. This guide provides a complete half marathon pace chart, explains how to read your splits, and shows you how to choose and hold a realistic target pace.
To work out the exact pace you need for a goal time, or to predict your finish time from a recent run, you can use our running pace calculator alongside the charts below.
Understanding running pace
Pace is the time it takes to cover one unit of distance, usually expressed as minutes per mile or minutes per kilometre. It is the inverse of speed: a faster runner has a lower pace number. Your finish time is simply your pace multiplied by the distance, so a 9:00 per mile pace over 13.1 miles produces a finish of about 1 hour 58 minutes. Mastering pace means learning to feel and control your effort so you cover the distance as evenly as possible.
Even pacing, running each mile at roughly the same speed, is generally the most efficient way to race. Many experienced runners aim for a slight "negative split," running the second half marginally faster than the first, which guards against the common mistake of starting too quickly on fresh, adrenaline-fuelled legs.
Half marathon pace chart by finish time
The table below links common half marathon finish times to the steady pace per mile and per kilometre required to achieve them. Find your goal time and you will see exactly how fast you need to run.
| Finish time | Pace per mile | Pace per km |
|---|---|---|
| 1:30:00 | 6:52 | 4:16 |
| 1:40:00 | 7:38 | 4:44 |
| 1:45:00 | 8:01 | 4:59 |
| 1:50:00 | 8:24 | 5:13 |
| 2:00:00 | 9:09 | 5:41 |
| 2:10:00 | 9:55 | 6:10 |
| 2:15:00 | 10:18 | 6:24 |
| 2:30:00 | 11:27 | 7:07 |
| 2:45:00 | 12:36 | 7:50 |
| 3:00:00 | 13:44 | 8:32 |
The sub-2-hour half marathon, requiring roughly a 9:09 per-mile pace, is one of the most popular milestones runners chase. If your goal time is not listed, the half marathon pace calculator will work out the precise pace for any target.
Half marathon splits: your mile-by-mile plan
A split is your cumulative elapsed time at a given point in the race. Knowing your target splits turns an abstract goal into a concrete plan you can check against your watch at each mile marker. The chart below shows the splits for a sub-2-hour half marathon at an even 9:09 per-mile pace.
| Mile | Target split (cumulative) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 9:09 |
| 3 | 27:27 |
| 5 | 45:45 |
| 6.55 (halfway) | 59:55 |
| 8 | 1:13:12 |
| 10 | 1:31:30 |
| 12 | 1:49:48 |
| 13.1 (finish) | 1:59:54 |
Carrying or memorising a few key splits, such as your target time at miles 5, 10, and the halfway point, lets you make small adjustments mid-race before a pace problem becomes unrecoverable.
How to choose a realistic goal pace
Setting an honest target is the single most important pacing decision you make. Base it on evidence, not hope. Two reliable approaches are:
- Recent race results. If you have run a recent 5K or 10K, you can predict your half marathon time using race-equivalency formulas. Online predictors and our pace calculator can convert a 10K time into a realistic half marathon target.
- Training paces. Your "tempo" or threshold pace from training, the comfortably hard effort you can hold for about an hour, is close to half marathon race pace for many runners. If you can sustain a pace for several miles in training, it is a candidate for race day.
Whatever method you use, factor in the course and conditions. Hills, heat, humidity, wind, and altitude all slow you down, so a goal that works on a flat, cool day may be unrealistic on a hot, hilly course.
Pacing strategy on race day
A good plan only helps if you execute it. These principles separate well-paced races from blow-ups:
- Start conservatively. The first two miles should feel almost too easy. Adrenaline and a packed start line make it dangerously easy to go out 20-30 seconds per mile too fast.
- Settle into rhythm. By mile three you should lock into your goal pace and let it feel automatic, checking your watch only periodically rather than obsessing over every second.
- Use the middle miles wisely. Miles four through ten are where you bank a steady, even effort. Resist the urge to speed up just because you feel good.
- Push the final 5K. If you have paced correctly, the last three miles are where you spend whatever you have left, ideally finishing with a negative split.
- Fuel and hydrate. Take on water and, for many runners, some carbohydrate during the race to avoid fading late.
Pace and the full marathon
The half marathon is also a valuable predictor for the full 26.2-mile marathon. A common rule of thumb is that your marathon time will be roughly double your half marathon time plus 10 to 20 minutes, reflecting the extra fatigue of the longer distance. Marathon pace itself is typically slower than half marathon pace, often by 20 to 40 seconds per mile, because the distance demands a more conservative effort. If you are using a half marathon as a stepping stone, the same marathon pace calculator can help you translate your half marathon fitness into a sensible full marathon target.
Common pacing mistakes to avoid
Most disappointing half marathons come down to a handful of avoidable errors. The biggest is starting too fast, which feels effortless early but leads to a dramatic slowdown after mile eight or nine. Another is ignoring the course profile and running uphill sections at the same pace as the flats, which drains your reserves; on hills, hold even effort rather than even pace. Chasing other runners, skipping fuel and water, and setting a goal based on a single great training run rather than consistent evidence all undermine an otherwise solid plan. Discipline in the early miles is what makes the late miles possible.
A note on training and health
A good pace chart cannot replace consistent training. Building up your weekly mileage gradually, including a weekly long run, and giving your body time to adapt are what ultimately make a target pace achievable and safe. If you are new to running, returning from injury, or have any underlying health conditions, it is wise to consult a doctor before beginning a half marathon training programme, and to listen to your body throughout. With sensible preparation and a disciplined pacing plan, the half marathon is a hugely satisfying distance to conquer.
When you are ready to lock in your numbers, head to our pace and splits calculator to generate a personalised plan for your goal time.
How heart rate zones shape your pace
Pace tells you how fast you are moving; heart rate tells you how hard your body is working to move that fast. The two are linked, and understanding the relationship is what separates runners who hit their goal time from those who blow up at mile 9. Most coaches divide effort into five zones, anchored to your maximum heart rate or, more accurately, your lactate threshold.
For a half marathon, the sweet spot is usually the top of Zone 3 into the lower part of Zone 4, often called "tempo" or "threshold" effort. This is the pace you can sustain for roughly an hour to ninety minutes. Going out in Zone 4-5 feels easy in the first two miles but borrows energy you cannot repay. The table below maps typical zones to effort and how they relate to half marathon pacing.
| Zone | % of max HR | Perceived effort | Role in half marathon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | 50-60% | Very easy, conversational | Warm-up and recovery jogs |
| Zone 2 | 60-70% | Easy, can chat freely | Long slow training runs |
| Zone 3 | 70-80% | Moderate, short sentences | Goal pace for many runners |
| Zone 4 | 80-90% | Hard, few words | Threshold, faster racers |
| Zone 5 | 90-100% | Maximal, no talking | Final sprint only |
If your watch shows you drifting into Zone 5 before the halfway mark, that is a clear early warning to ease off. Pair this with a pace calculator to set realistic per-mile targets before race day.
Adjusting pace for hills and terrain
A pace chart assumes flat, even ground. The real world rarely cooperates. Every incline costs you time, and the instinct to "make it back" on the descent rarely works out evenly. A useful rule of thumb is that running uphill at a steady effort slows you by roughly 12-15 seconds per mile for each 1% of gradient, while the downhill only returns about half of that time.
The smart strategy is to run by effort on hills rather than chasing your flat-ground pace number. Hold your breathing and perceived exertion steady as you climb, accept the slower split, and then let gravity gently increase your turnover on the way down without hammering your quads. Pounding downhill feels free but causes eccentric muscle damage that you will feel in the closing miles.
- Trail and gravel: add 15-30 seconds per mile versus road for uneven footing.
- Camber and corners: tight courses with many turns add small amounts of distance and time; run the tangents.
- Altitude: above roughly 1,500 metres, expect to slow as oxygen availability drops.
How weather affects your finish time
Temperature is one of the most underestimated variables in racing. The human body runs most efficiently in cool conditions, around 10-12 degrees Celsius (50-54 Fahrenheit). Beyond that, performance degrades predictably. As a guide, every 5 degrees Celsius above the ideal can add 1-3% to your finish time, more for less heat-adapted runners.
| Conditions | Typical pace impact | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Cool 8-12C / 46-54F | Optimal, no penalty | Race your goal pace |
| Mild 13-18C / 55-64F | +1-2% | Start slightly conservative |
| Warm 19-24C / 66-75F | +2-5% | Add 10-20 sec/mile, hydrate early |
| Hot 25C+ / 77F+ | +5-10% or more | Switch to effort-based, prioritise finishing |
| Headwind 15+ mph | +2-4% | Tuck behind others, share the work |
Humidity compounds heat because it stops sweat from evaporating, so a humid 22 degrees can feel harder than a dry 26. On a hot day, the runners who set a personal best are the ones who quietly reset their target in the first mile, not the ones who cling to a number that the weather has made impossible.
Fuelling and hydration across 13.1 miles
Pacing and fuelling are inseparable. You can pace perfectly and still fade if you run out of available glycogen. The half marathon sits at an interesting distance: well-trained runners can often complete it on stored carbohydrate alone, but most people benefit from taking on 30-60 grams of carbohydrate during the race, especially if they will be out for more than about 90 minutes.
A practical plan is to take a gel or equivalent at roughly 45 minutes and again at 80-90 minutes, washed down with water. Practise this in training, because race day is the worst possible time to discover that a particular gel upsets your stomach. For hydration, drink to thirst rather than forcing fluids, which can lead to a dangerous over-drinking condition called hyponatraemia. In cooler UK conditions you may need very little; in a warm US summer race you will need more, plus electrolytes.
- Carbohydrate loading: increase carbohydrate intake in the two days before the race to top up glycogen stores.
- Caffeine: a moderate dose around 30-45 minutes before the start can improve perceived effort for many runners.
- Pre-race meal: eat a familiar, carbohydrate-rich breakfast 2-3 hours before to allow digestion.
Tapering so your pace holds up
You cannot bank fitness in the final two weeks, but you can absolutely lose your race by training too hard right before it. The taper is the deliberate reduction in training volume that lets accumulated fatigue clear while sharpness remains. Done well, it can be worth several percent on your finish time, which on a two-hour half is a couple of minutes for free.
A typical approach cuts weekly mileage by around 20-30% two weeks out and 40-50% in the final week, while keeping some short, faster efforts so your legs do not forget how to run at pace. Many runners feel sluggish or anxious during the taper, sometimes called "taper tantrums," and mistake the heavy-legged feeling for lost fitness. It is not. Trust the process, sleep well, and arrive at the start line fresh.
Using a pace band and race-day execution
A pace band is a simple strip worn on the wrist that lists your target cumulative time at each mile or kilometre marker. It removes mental maths when you are tired and oxygen-deprived, and it keeps you honest about whether you are ahead or behind schedule. You can build one from your goal finish time, ideally aiming for an even or slightly negative split where the second half is run as fast as or faster than the first.
On the day, the first two miles should feel almost too easy. Adrenaline and a rested body make goal pace feel comfortable, which tempts runners to speed up. Resist. The energy you save early is repaid with interest in the closing 5 kilometres, where most time is won or lost. Check your band at each marker, make small corrections rather than dramatic surges, and save anything left in the tank for the final mile. A disciplined, evenly paced runner will routinely pass dozens of people who went out too fast, and that is the most satisfying way to finish.
Predicting your half marathon time from shorter races
If you have never run a half before, you do not have to guess your goal pace blindly. Race results at shorter distances are reliable predictors, because the physiological demands scale in a fairly consistent way. Sports scientists have built equations that take a recent race time and estimate an equivalent time at a longer distance, assuming you train appropriately for the new distance. A common rule of thumb is that your half marathon time will be roughly your 10K time multiplied by about 2.2, give or take, for a runner with adequate endurance.
The widely used Riegel formula refines this by raising the distance ratio to a fatigue exponent, capturing the truth that you cannot hold your 5K pace for four times the distance. The table below gives rough equivalent half marathon targets from common shorter-race times. Treat them as a ceiling on ambition rather than a promise; they assume you have built the specific endurance the half demands, which a fast 5K alone does not guarantee.
| 5K time | 10K time | Predicted half marathon |
|---|---|---|
| 20:00 | 41:40 | ~1:32 |
| 22:30 | 46:50 | ~1:44 |
| 25:00 | 52:00 | ~1:55 |
| 28:00 | 58:10 | ~2:09 |
| 30:00 | 1:02:20 | ~2:18 |
The gap between prediction and reality usually comes down to one thing: long-run endurance. Two runners with identical 10K times can finish a half minutes apart if one has done the weekly long runs and the other has not.
Building the long run that supports your goal pace
The single most important training session for the half marathon is the weekly long run. It teaches your body to burn fat efficiently, builds the structural durability to absorb the impact of 13.1 miles, and trains your mind to stay focused when tired. Most plans build the long run gradually to somewhere between 10 and 14 miles before tapering, increasing distance by no more than about 10% per week to manage injury risk.
Not every long run should be slow. As race day approaches, sprinkle in segments at goal pace, for example a 12-mile run with the middle 4 miles at your target half pace. This "fast finish" or "pace within the long run" approach rehearses exactly what race day asks of you: running at goal pace on tired legs. The slower easy miles still matter, because most of your weekly mileage should sit in the comfortable, conversational zone that builds aerobic fitness without accumulating excessive fatigue.
- Base easy runs: the bulk of weekly mileage, run by feel at a conversational pace.
- Tempo runs: sustained efforts at threshold to lift the pace you can hold.
- Intervals: shorter, faster repeats that raise your ceiling and running economy.
- Long run: the weekly cornerstone that builds endurance and confidence.
Negative split versus even split: two ways to race smart
Once you have a goal pace, the next decision is how to distribute your effort across the 13.1 miles. Two strategies dominate the conversation among experienced runners: the even split and the negative split. An even split means running every mile at almost exactly the same pace from gun to tape. A negative split means deliberately running the second half slightly faster than the first, holding back early so you have reserves to push when others are fading.
The even split is the simplest to execute and works beautifully on flat, predictable courses. You lock onto your target pace, settle into a rhythm and let the miles tick by. The danger is starting in a crowded field where adrenaline pushes you faster than planned, banking time you will pay back with interest in the closing miles. The negative split protects against that by building in a controlled slow start, typically five to ten seconds per mile easier for the first three or four miles.
| Strategy | First half | Second half | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Even split | Goal pace | Goal pace | Flat courses, experienced pacers |
| Negative split | Slightly slower | Slightly faster | Beginners, hot days, hilly starts |
| Positive split (avoid) | Too fast | Slowing badly | Almost no one on purpose |
For most runners chasing a personal best, the negative split is the safer bet. It keeps you calm and patient through the early miles when it is easy to feel invincible, and it rewards you with a strong, confident finish rather than a desperate survival shuffle. Practise it in training so the discipline of holding back feels natural on race day.
Reading your watch without wrecking your rhythm
Modern GPS watches give you a flood of data, but staring at your wrist every few seconds is a reliable way to ruin your race. The instantaneous pace reading on most watches is noisy: it jumps around as the GPS signal drifts, especially among tall buildings, under tree cover or in tunnels. Chasing that twitchy number leads to constant micro-adjustments that waste energy and break your rhythm.
The smarter approach is to trust your average lap pace rather than instant pace. Set your watch to auto-lap every mile or kilometre and glance only at the lap average when it beeps. That single, settled figure tells you whether the last segment was on target without the second-to-second noise. Between beeps, run by feel, letting your breathing and leg turnover guide you while the watch quietly records the truth.
- Display lap pace, not instant pace, as your primary field to avoid chasing GPS noise.
- Trust your effort on hills and in tunnels where GPS becomes unreliable.
- Check once per mile, not constantly, so you stay relaxed and economical.
- Know your course is often long: weaving between runners adds distance, so your watch may read 13.3 miles even on an accurate course.
That last point trips up countless first-timers. Official courses are measured along the shortest legal line, but you almost never run that exact line. Cutting tangents on bends and avoiding congestion keeps the extra distance small, but expect your watch to show slightly more than 13.1 miles, which means your watch pace will look marginally faster than your official finish-time pace.
What to do in the days right before the race
All the pacing strategy in the world can be undone by poor preparation in the final seventy-two hours. The week of the race is not the time to gain fitness; it is the time to arrive fresh, rested and free of nasty surprises. The golden rule is to change nothing. New shoes, new gels, an exotic pre-race meal or an unfamiliar warm-up routine are all gambles you do not need to take when months of training are on the line.
Use the final days to lock in the controllable details. Map your journey to the start, lay out your kit the night before, pin your number, and rehearse exactly which gels you will carry and when you will take them. Plan your goal pace into a simple band you can read at a glance, and remind yourself of the negative-split discipline so you do not bolt off the line. If you want to sanity-check your target splits one more time, run them through a pace calculator and write the key mile times on a wristband.
Sleep matters across the whole week, not just the night before. Race-eve nerves often steal a few hours of rest, so banking good sleep two and three nights out provides a buffer. Hydrate steadily rather than gulping litres at the last minute, eat familiar carbohydrate-rich meals, and resist the urge to do anything heroic. Arrive at the start line slightly under-trained and well-rested rather than perfectly fit and exhausted, and your goal pace will feel far more achievable when the gun finally goes.
Frequently asked questions
What pace do I need for a sub-2-hour half marathon?
To finish a half marathon in under two hours you need to average about 9:09 per mile, or roughly 5:41 per kilometre. Running even splits at that pace produces a finish just under 2:00, so aim to be at the halfway point in about 59 to 60 minutes.
How do I calculate my half marathon pace?
Divide your goal finish time by the distance. For a 13.1-mile half marathon, divide your target time in minutes by 13.1 to get your pace per mile, or by 21.1 for pace per kilometre. A pace calculator does this instantly and can also produce your mile-by-mile splits.
What is a good half marathon time?
It depends on age, experience, and fitness, but as a rough guide many recreational runners finish between 2:00 and 2:30. Faster club runners often target 1:30 to 1:50, while a first-timer simply completing the distance is a genuine achievement regardless of time.
Should I run even splits or a negative split?
Even splits, running each mile at roughly the same pace, are the most reliable strategy. Many experienced runners aim for a slight negative split, running the second half a little faster, because it guards against the common error of starting too fast and fading late.
How much slower is marathon pace than half marathon pace?
Marathon pace is typically 20 to 40 seconds per mile slower than half marathon pace, because the longer distance requires a more conservative effort. A common estimate is that your marathon time will be about double your half marathon time plus 10 to 20 minutes.
How do I avoid starting too fast?
Start in the right pen at the start line, hold back deliberately for the first two miles so the effort feels almost too easy, and check your watch early to confirm you are on pace rather than ahead of it. Trusting your plan over race-day adrenaline is the key to a strong finish.