Pacing guide
21.1km · 13.1 miles · The most popular race distance in the world.
Choose your goal time below to get a personalized pace plan and printable wristband.
Build a custom plan →Sub 1:30 Half Marathon
Sub 90 minutes means running 4:16/km for 21.1km — a time that puts you in the top 15% of half marathon finishers. Even small pacing errors compound hard at this intensity.
Sub 1:45 Half Marathon
Sub 1:45 is the most popular half marathon goal — at 4:58/km it's achievable for runners who've built a solid base but requires disciplined pacing. More than half of runners who target this time miss it due to starting too fast.
Sub 2 Hour Half Marathon
Sub 2 hours is the single most popular half marathon target in the world. At 5:41/km it's achievable for most recreational runners who've trained consistently — yet it remains one of the most frequently missed goals due to poor pacing in the first half.
Sub 2:15 Half Marathon
Sub 2:15 (6:23/km) is a great goal for newer runners or those returning to racing. At this pace you have enough time to be strategic — walk breaks are completely valid and can actually help you run faster overall.
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The planner supports any goal time — enter your exact target and get a fully personalized plan.
Enter a custom goal time →Half marathon pacing is deceptively tricky. At 21.1km the pace feels comfortable for the first 10km, which leads most runners to go out too fast and struggle in the final 5km. A good half marathon pace plan gives you specific split times for each checkpoint so you can race by clock rather than feel.
A good recreational half marathon pace is between 5:00/km (1:45 finish) and 7:00/km (2:27 finish). The most popular goal is sub-2 hours (5:41/km), achieved by roughly 50% of half marathon finishers who target it.
For most runners targeting 1:45 or slower, one gel at around 45 minutes is recommended. Under 1:30, a gel at 40–45 minutes becomes important. Under 1:15 you're unlikely to need fuel mid-race.
Pace calculators assume flat courses and equal conditions. Adjust your target by 10–20 seconds per km for significant hills, hot weather, or if you haven't raced this distance before.