Training plans and race-day pacing

What Pace Is a Sub 2 Hour Half Marathon?

A 2:00:00 half marathon is 9:09 per mile or 5:41 per km. Adjust the goal to see your splits.

Splits for a 2:00:00 Half marathon
SplitSplit timeElapsed
Mile 19:090:09:09
Mile 29:090:18:18
Mile 39:090:27:28
Mile 49:090:36:37
Mile 59:090:45:46
Mile 69:090:54:55
Mile 79:091:04:05
Mile 89:091:13:14
Mile 99:091:22:23
Mile 109:091:31:32
Mile 119:091:40:41
Mile 129:091:49:51
Mile 139:091:59:00
Finish1:002:00:00

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A sub 2 hour half marathon pace means an average faster than 9:09 per mile, or 5:41 per km. A time of exactly 2:00:00 is 9:09 per mile; 1:59:00 is 9:05 per mile (5:38 per km), which leaves about five seconds a mile of cushion.

The tool below is set to a 2:00:00 goal on the half marathon. Type 1:59:00 to see the splits with a margin, or choose a negative split to start a little slower. Below the tool you will find the training paces for the goal and the 5K and 10K times that match it.

Everything is calculated in your browser, so nothing you type is uploaded, and the tool is free with no account or sign-up.

Want this on your phone? Get the RunPacePlan app for Android; the iPhone version is coming soon.

Sub 2 hour half marathon pace example

How to use the pace tool for this goal

  1. Check that Race is set to Half marathon.
  2. Goal time is already 2:00:00. Type another time to see its pace and splits.
  3. Pick Pacing: Even, Negative split or Positive split. For the last two, set Difference between halves (%).
  4. Choose miles or km with the Units switch. Every pace and distance changes with it.
  5. Read the average pace and the split table: each row has the split time and the elapsed time.
  6. Use Print splits for a paper copy or Copy link to keep the exact result.

The split table has two columns that are easy to mix up. Split time is how long that one mile or km takes. Elapsed is the clock reading when you reach it, and it is the column to compare with your watch during the race. To compare goals, change only Goal time and watch the average pace and the Elapsed column update; nothing else needs resetting. Make a pace band for this time opens the pace band generator with the same race and goal. The tables scroll sideways inside their box on a small screen.

Everything runs in your browser and nothing you type is uploaded. Settings stay in the page address, so a copied link opens with the same goal. Prefer your phone? There is a RunPacePlan app for Android, with the iPhone version coming soon.

What are the mile splits for a sub-2 half marathon?

At an even 9:09 per mile you reach mile 3 at 0:27:28, mile 6 at 0:54:55, mile 10 at 1:31:32 and mile 13 at 1:59:00. The last 0.1 mile brings you to 2:00:00. In kilometres the checkpoints are 5 km at 0:28:26, 10 km at 0:56:53, 15 km at 1:25:19 and 20 km at 1:53:45. Compare your watch with these cumulative times, not with the previous row.

Is a sub-2 half marathon the same pace as a sub-4 marathon?

Yes. A 2:00:00 half and a 4:00:00 marathon are both 9:09 per mile or 5:41 per km, so a sub-4 marathon is the sub-2 half pace held for twice the distance. The second half is the hard part, which is why the sub 4 hour marathon pace page and this one need different training even though the number is the same.

What training paces go with a sub-2 half marathon?

For a 2:00:00 goal the easy pace is 10:52 to 12:17 per mile, the long run 10:24 to 11:49, threshold 8:46 (5:27 per km) and interval 7:54 per mile. For 1:59:00 each of these is a few seconds faster. Use the training pace calculator with your own race to see if your fitness points the same way.

Which 5K and 10K times match a 2:00 half marathon?

A 2:00:00 half marathon matches a 5K of about 26:04 and a 10K of 54:07; a 1:59:00 half matches 25:51 and 53:40. These are estimates of equal fitness from the Daniels and Gilbert equations. They are not race splits, so do not confuse them with the 28:26 you pass at 5 km during the half.

How many weeks and miles a week does a sub-2 plan need?

Half marathon plans on this site run from 8 to 20 weeks, with 3 to 6 runs a week and a 2-week taper. The 14-week intermediate plan with four runs a week peaks at 29.0 miles (47 km). See how many weeks to train for a half marathon for the length that fits your starting point.

Should I run even or negative splits for a sub-2 half?

Even splits are the simplest plan: 9:09 for every mile. With a negative split and a 2% gap, the first half of a 2:00:00 race takes 1:00:36 and the second half 0:59:24, which still adds up to 2:00:00. Because the half marathon is short, a fast start costs less than in a marathon, but the last three miles are still where a plan falls apart. Set Pacing to see both versions.

Who is a sub-2 half marathon for?

It suits a runner whose 10K is near 54:07 or whose 5K is near 26:04, the times that match a 2:00:00 half. It is a common goal after a first half marathon finished around 2:15, which is 10:18 per mile.

What mistakes cost people a sub-2?

Starting the first three miles faster than 9:09, and forgetting that the course is 13.1 miles: a GPS watch that reads long can show more than 13.1 miles at the finish, so aim for 1:59:00 (9:05 per mile) rather than exactly 2:00:00. The last 0.1 mile still has to be run.

How does a sub-2 compare with a 1:45 or 1:30 half?

A 1:45:00 half is 8:01 per mile and a 1:30:00 half is 6:52 per mile. The 1:45 pace is also the 3:30 marathon pace. A sub-2 half sits at the same 9:09 as a 4:00 marathon.

How this tool works and where the numbers come from

Pace is the finish time divided by the distance (21.0975 km, or 13.1094 miles). Training paces and matching race times use the Daniels and Gilbert (1979) oxygen-cost equations with RunPacePlan’s own zone definitions; the matching times are estimates of equal fitness, not predictions.

Sources

Reviewed · Published by RunPacePlan

Frequently asked questions

What pace is a sub-2 hour half marathon?

Faster than 9:09 per mile or 5:41 per km. If you want a margin, 1:59:00 is 9:05 per mile or 5:38 per km.

Is 2 hours 2 minutes a good half marathon time?

A 2:02:00 finish is 9:18 per mile, about nine seconds a mile slower than the sub-2 pace. Whether it is good depends on your training and your goal; this tool shows the pace, it does not rate a result.

How do I pace a sub-2 half marathon?

Start at an even 9:09 per mile or a little slower, and check your elapsed time at miles 3, 6 and 10 against the table. If you are off, correct by a few seconds per mile over several miles rather than with a sudden surge.

What weekly mileage does a sub-2 half marathon need?

There is no single number. In this site’s 14-week intermediate plan with four runs a week the peak week is 29.0 miles (47 km), and no week is more than 10% above the largest earlier week.

Can I print the splits?

Yes. Print splits prints the split table, and Copy link keeps the exact goal and pacing.

Is this medical or coaching advice?

No. The paces are calculated from a goal time. Build up gradually and ask a doctor first if you have a health condition.

Take this question with you

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