How Long to Run a Marathon? Average Finish Times

Marathon Times by Experience Level

Level	Men's Marathon	Women's Marathon	Per-Mile Pace
Run-walker	5:30–7:00+	5:45–7:00+	12:30–16:00+
Beginner	4:20–5:30	4:45–5:45	9:53–12:30
Intermediate	3:30–4:20	3:50–4:45	8:00–9:53
Advanced	3:00–3:30	3:20–3:50	6:52–8:00
Elite	Under 2:30	Under 2:50	Under 5:43
World class	Under 2:10	Under 2:20	Under 4:58

A sub-4-hour marathon (9:09/mile) is the aspirational benchmark for serious recreational runners. A sub-3:30 (8:00/mile) is advanced. Boston qualification — the gold standard — requires 3:00 to 3:50 depending on age and gender.

The men's world record is 2:00:35 (Kelvin Kiptum, 2023). The women's is 2:09:56 (Ruth Chepngetich, 2024).

Where Your Marathon Time Ranks

Based on RunRepeat (2024):

Percentile	Men's Marathon	Women's Marathon	What It Means
Top 1%	Under 2:53	Under 3:17	Near-elite, BQ-qualifying
Top 5%	Under 3:15	Under 3:40	Serious competitive runner
Top 10%	Under 3:27	Under 3:55	Dedicated, well-trained
Top 25%	Under 3:52	Under 4:22	Committed recreational
Average (50th)	~4:13	~4:42	Typical finisher
Bottom 25%	Over 4:45	Over 5:18	Casual / run-walker

The sub-4:00 is faster than about 60–65% of men and 75–80% of women. It's the most commonly chased goal — and the most commonly missed.

Marathon Times at Common Paces

Pace (min/mile)	Marathon Time	Level	Key Milestone
6:00	2:37:19	Elite	—
6:52	3:00:00	Advanced	Sub-3 barrier
7:00	3:03:08	Advanced	—
7:30	3:16:03	Strong intermediate	BQ territory (younger men)
8:00	3:29:46	Intermediate	BQ territory (most women)
8:30	3:42:52	Intermediate	—
9:00	3:55:58	Recreational	Sub-4 attempt territory
9:09	4:00:00	Recreational	Sub-4 barrier
9:30	4:08:53	Recreational	—
10:00	4:22:11	Beginner	Near the average
11:00	4:48:24	Beginner	—
12:00	5:14:38	Jogger	—
13:00	5:40:51	Run-walker	—

Boston Qualifying Times (BAA)

Boston is the most prestigious non-championship marathon. Qualifying requires:

Age Group	Men's BQ	Women's BQ
18–34	3:00	3:30
35–39	3:05	3:35
40–44	3:10	3:40
45–49	3:20	3:50
50–54	3:25	3:55
55–59	3:35	4:05
60–64	3:50	4:20
65–69	4:05	4:35
70–74	4:20	4:50
75–79	4:35	5:05
80+	4:50	5:20

In recent years, meeting the BQ alone hasn't guaranteed entry. Most years require beating your BQ by 3–5 minutes due to excess demand.

How Marathon Times Change by Age

Age Group	Avg Men's Marathon	Avg Women's Marathon	Notes
20–29	4:05–4:25	4:30–4:55	Fast potential, often less experience
30–39	4:00–4:20	4:25–4:50	Experience meets fitness
40–49	4:05–4:25	4:35–5:00	Fastest average age group
50–59	4:20–4:50	4:50–5:20	Gradually slowing
60–69	4:45–5:30	5:15–6:00	Consistency is king
70+	5:30–6:30+	6:00–7:00+	Exceptional at any time

The 40–49 group posts the fastest averages (Marathon Handbook, 2024). Runners in their 20s often have speed but lack the endurance base veterans have built over years.

5 Real-World Examples

1. The First-Timer Targeting Sub-5

Lily, 34, trains 18 weeks on a beginner plan — four runs per week, long run building from 10 to 20 miles. Race day: she starts at 10:30/mile, slows to 11:30 in the second half. Finish: 4 hours 48 minutes.

At 140 lbs, she burns approximately 2,753 calories (140 × 0.75 × 26.2). Her 4:48 is near the female average. She describes the final 6 miles as "the hardest thing I've ever done."

2. The Sub-4 Attempt

Kevin, 38, has three marathons (PR: 4:12) and wants sub-4. He follows a 16-week plan peaking at 45 miles/week. Strategy: 8:55/mile through mile 20, then hold. Finish: 3:56:22 — sub-4 on attempt number four.

His 3:56 places him in the top 25% of men. The key was disciplined early pacing — resisting the urge to run 8:30 when feeling fresh at mile 5.

3. The Boston Qualifier

Natasha, 42, needs 3:40 to qualify for Boston (women 40–44). She peaks at 55 miles/week with tempo runs and marathon-pace long runs. Finish: 3:37:12 — BQ with 3 minutes to spare.

Her 8:16/mile places her in the top 10% of all female finishers. BQ requires not just speed but relentless consistency over 26.2 miles.

4. The Charity Runner

Marcus, 51, runs his first marathon for charity. He trains 20 weeks, peaking at 35 miles/week, using run-walk intervals from the start (run 4 min, walk 1 min). Finish: 5 hours 15 minutes.

The run-walk strategy prevents the dramatic fade many first-timers experience. At 210 lbs, he burns roughly 4,130 calories. He raises $8,500.

5. The 65-Year-Old Veteran

Helen, 65, has finished 23 marathons over 25 years. Her PR was 3:28 at age 42. Now she finishes in about 4:45 — a natural 37% slowdown over 23 years. She regularly wins the 65–69 age group and trains 30 miles/week.

What Is "Hitting the Wall"?

"The wall" — typically miles 18–22 — is the sudden depletion of glycogen stores, causing dramatic pace collapse, heavy legs, and mental fog.

Why it happens: Your body stores about 2,000 calories of glycogen. At marathon pace, you burn roughly 100 calories per mile. Without mid-race fueling, you run out around mile 18–20.

How to avoid it: Take 30–60 grams of carbs per hour after mile 6 — gels, chews, or sports drink. Don't go out too fast — even 15 seconds per mile too fast accelerates depletion.

The truth: Most well-trained, well-fueled runners who pace conservatively don't hit the wall. It's caused by bad pacing and bad nutrition, not some fixed physiological limit.

Calories Burned Running a Marathon

Body Weight	Calories Burned
120 lbs	~2,358 cal
150 lbs	~2,948 cal
170 lbs	~3,341 cal
190 lbs	~3,729 cal
210 lbs	~4,122 cal

A marathon burns roughly a full day's caloric intake. Mid-race nutrition replaces 500–800 calories, leaving a massive deficit.

Tips for Your First or Fastest Marathon

Train at least 16 weeks. Peak long run: 18–22 miles, placed 2–3 weeks before race day. You don't need to run 26.2 in training.

Pace the first half conservatively. Run miles 1–13 at 15–30 seconds slower than goal pace. The second half is where marathons are won or lost.

Practice race nutrition. 30–60g carbs/hour after mile 6. Practice on every long run so your stomach adapts.

Respect the taper. Cut mileage 40–60% in the final 2–3 weeks. You'll feel sluggish — that's normal and correct.

Have a Plan B. If conditions are bad (heat, wind), have a backup target 10–15 minutes slower. A smart finish beats a spectacular blowup.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good marathon time?

Simply finishing is an achievement. Sub-5:00 is solid for first-timers. Sub-4:00 (top ~35% men, ~20% women) is the aspirational benchmark. Sub-3:30 is advanced. Boston qualification (3:00–3:50 by age/gender) is the gold standard.

How does a half marathon predict marathon time?

Multiply your half by roughly 2.1. A 1:45 half: ~3:40–3:50. A 2:00 half: ~4:10–4:20. The half is the single best predictor of marathon potential.

What percentage of starters finish?

About 99% of marathon starters finish. The more relevant stat: fewer than 0.5% of the world's population has ever completed one.

How should I train?

16–20 weeks, 4–5 runs/week. Key sessions: one long run (building to 18–22 miles), one tempo, one speed session, 1–2 easy runs. Peak mileage: 35–55 miles/week depending on experience.

How Long to Run a Half Marathon — half the distance
How Long to Run a 10K — a shorter race
How Long to Walk 26 Miles — walking a marathon
How Long to Run a 50K — beyond the marathon
Running Time Calculator — calculate any distance

Sources Cited

RunRepeat (2024). Marathon statistics from 35 million results. runrepeat.com
Marathon Handbook (2024). US marathon times and age data. marathonhandbook.com
Boston Athletic Association (BAA). Qualifying times. baa.org
Compendium of Physical Activities — MET values. compendiumofphysicalactivities.com
World Athletics records — Marathon. worldathletics.org

How Long Does It Take to Run a Marathon?

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