What Is a Good First Half Marathon Time? Couch to Half Marathon

A ‘good’ half marathon time will depend on several factors including age, fitness level, running experience, weather conditions, course route and other factors.

When it comes down to it, just completing the Half Marathon is a massive achievement on its own, let alone achieving it in a particular time. It is a personal achievement and each runner should have different goals when approaching their half marathon. For example, a runner doing their first couch to half marathon may have a different set of goals to someone who is running their 5th Half Marathon.

With that said, we know it is very beneficial and motivating to have a goal when training for a half marathon.

Is your goal is to run the fastest ever recorded half marathon? The fastest ever half marathons are 62:52 by Letensebet Gidey (Ethiopia; female runner) in 2021 (Valencia) and 57:31 by Jacob Kiplimo (Uganda; male runner) in 2021 (Lisbon) (current as of 11th July 2022). If you are wanting to be the speediest, faster than these times at an approved event would do just that. 

In 2021, Vania Nikolova wrote Compare Running Finish Times [Calculator] - 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, Marathon which is published on RunRepeat’s website. These times are based on 35 million results collected in the last 20 years from more than 28,000 races. 

According to their research, to be a female average runner (half marathon distance) you would need to cross the finish line in 2 hours 24 minutes 03 seconds. And to be an average male runner you would need to finish in 1 hour 59 minutes and 48 seconds. And if you want to be faster than the average runner (independent of age), you would need to run a half marathon in a faster time than 2 hours 14 minutes 59 seconds, that is holding a pace of 6:24 per km/ 10:18 per mile. 

What is a good time for your first half marathon? 

Many first-time half-marathoners’ goal is to reach the other end, rather than achieving a specific time. Your first half-marathon is always going to be a PB! And a very well deserved one!

Once you have done your first, you can then focus on improving it. This can be in the form of running more and walking less or running it all just at a quicker pace.

How long does it take to train for a Half Marathon? 

Training for a half marathon can take between 10 - 14 weeks. You may like to opt for the longer weeks training plan as it will give you more wiggle room if you need to miss a few sessions here and there. It will also give your body more time to adapt. 

Following a training plan is essential when preparing for a half marathon, as it is no easy task, your body and mind needs to prepare and adapt for the challenge ahead. This means consistently doing several different types of training runs, Strength and conditioning (S+C) sessions and stretching classes whilst ensuring enough recovery is included. 

Although it is possible to go from couch to half marathon, Lloyd Kempson on the Runner’s World Podcast recommends doing a few shorter distances before heading off on your first half marathon. For example, a few parkruns in your local area and a few 10k races before embarking on the big 13.1 miles. This way your body has more time to adapt to the longer distances and you are much more likely to enjoy the journey and race.

To start training for your first/ next half marathon, you have several options. You can find several running coaches near you, download a free online training plan, join your local running club, or join Coopah, your digital running coach. 

PERSONALISED HALF MARATHON TRAINING PLAN

Coopah can help you train for your next half marathon anytime from 10 - 14 weeks out from your race day! There is also the opportunity to chat to and even meet  fellow runners training for a half marathon at the same time and maybe even the same half marathon as you!

Our digital coach will create a training plan tailored to your target race and time. As you train, our plans adjust based on your progress, giving you the right sessions at the right time. S+C sessions and Yoga classes are incorporated as well as recovery days. On top of this, if you need to miss a few sessions, your training plan will be updated for you so you can stay on track.

DOWNLOAD THE COOPAH APP TODAY 

We are giving you a 7 day free trial for you to see whether you think this is the best option for you.

The Coopah app is supported on both Android and iOS devices.

You can download the Coopah app for Android devices from the Google Play Store. Users of iOS devices can find it in the App Store.