We look at the history of the 13.1-mile distance.

The half marathon world record has been smashed repeatedly over the past decade as long-distance running continues to enter a new era of speed.

Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo currently holds the men’s half marathon world record after running an astonishing time of 56:42 in Barcelona on March 8, 2026, while Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey holds the women’s world record with 1:02:52, which has stood since October 24, 2001.

Major distance running events and half marathon world record attempts continue attracting growing interest among sports bettors, with many fans comparing operators through this UK betting sites list during major athletics events such as the London Marathon, Great North Run and World Athletics Championships.

But while the elite times continue getting faster, many casual runners are still asking the same questions before signing up for their first race: how many miles is a half marathon, how long is a half marathon in km and what actually counts as a good half marathon time?

How Many Miles Is A Half Marathon?

A half marathon is 13.1 miles long.

More specifically, the official half marathon distance is 13.1094 miles, although it is almost always shortened to 13.1 miles in races and training plans.

The event is exactly half the distance of a full marathon, which covers 26.2 miles.

How Long Is A Half Marathon In KM?

For runners using metric distances, a half marathon is 21.0975 kilometres long.

The distance is recognised officially by World Athletics and is used across major races globally, including events such as the Great North Run, Berlin Half Marathon and Lisbon Half Marathon.

How The Half Marathon World Record Has Progressed

The half marathon world record has fallen dramatically over the past 20 years.

Improved training methods, advanced shoe technology and faster race pacing have helped athletes repeatedly lower both the men’s and women’s records.

Kenya dominated the men’s half marathon world record scene for years through runners such as Samuel Wanjiru, Patrick Makau and Geoffrey Kamworor before Jacob Kiplimo produced his historic run.

On the women’s side, Letesenbet Gidey’s world record performance in Valencia completely reshaped expectations of what was possible over the distance.

The half marathon is now viewed as one of the most competitive events in road running, sitting perfectly between the explosive pace of shorter-distance racing and the endurance demands of the marathon.

Why The Half Marathon Has Become So Popular

Part of the appeal of the half marathon is its accessibility.

For many runners, 13.1 miles feels like a major achievement without requiring the same extreme preparation associated with full marathons.

Half marathons also attract elite athletes because they allow runners to combine speed and endurance in a way few other distances can match.

Events such as the Great North Run regularly attract tens of thousands of runners each year, while elite half marathon races continue producing some of the fastest times ever recorded in athletics.

As world record times continue to improve, the half marathon remains one of the fastest-growing events in global distance running.