A useful half marathon pace chart should do more than give one rounded pace number. It should show whether you are on schedule at checkpoints, work for both kilometres and miles, and explain what to do when your GPS watch and the course markers disagree.

This table uses the full half-marathon distance of 21.0975 km (13.109 miles). Cumulative splits are calculated from exact finish-time pace and rounded to the nearest second. If your target falls between rows, use the running pace and split calculator for an exact custom result.

Complete Half Marathon Pace Chart

Scroll horizontally on mobile. The 5K, 10K, 15K and 20K columns are cumulative elapsed times, not individual 5K lap times. The final 1.0975 km takes you from the 20K marker to the finish.

Calculation note: average pace equals target time divided by 21.0975 km or 13.109 miles. Because displayed pace is rounded to the nearest second, multiplying the displayed pace back across the entire race can differ from the target by a few seconds. The checkpoint columns use the unrounded pace.

Popular Half Marathon Goal Paces

The halfway target above assumes an even split. It is a clean reference, not a requirement to cross the timing mat to the second. A crowded start, a climb or an early aid station can move the first half slightly while the overall effort remains correct.

How to Use This Pace Chart on Race Day

1. Choose a goal supported by evidence. Start with a recent race, consistent training and a course-adjusted expectation—not the row you most want to see.
2. Write down three or four checkpoints. You rarely need all 21 kilometre splits. A 5K, 10K, 15K and 20K sequence is easier to remember and less likely to make you react to noise.
3. Open under control. The first kilometre often feels artificially easy. Let congestion settle, then move gradually toward target effort instead of sprinting to fix a small delay.
4. Compare cumulative elapsed time. At each official marker, check total time against the chart. If you are 15 seconds behind at 5K, you do not need to recover all 15 seconds in the next kilometre.
5. Reassess late, not at halfway. If effort and form remain controlled around 15–16 km, begin a gradual increase. Feeling good at 10 km is the expected result of sensible pacing, not proof that the goal was too cautious.

For the decision-making behind even and negative splits, read the full half marathon pacing strategy guide. The chart tells you the numbers; that guide explains how to distribute effort when weather, gradients and race dynamics make those numbers uneven.

Exact Pace Is Not the Same as Exact Effort

The chart assumes a flat course, neutral weather and no interruptions. Real races include climbs, descents, turns, headwinds, crowding, aid stations and temperature changes. On a rolling or windy course, the best execution may show visibly uneven kilometre splits while effort remains steady.

• Uphill: let pace slow enough to keep breathing and mechanics controlled. Chasing flat-road pace can cost more energy than the seconds it saves.
• Downhill: regain time gradually with relaxed turnover. Do not force a stride that causes braking or impact discomfort.
• Headwind: use a compatible group when possible and accept slower pace for the same effort.
• Heat and humidity: reduce the time goal when conditions are materially harder than those used to set it. Use the half marathon hydration guide to plan fluids around duration, sweat rate and aid-station access rather than forcing a generic quantity.

This distinction is why a pace chart belongs beside—not above—perceived effort, course knowledge and recent training evidence.

Why Your Watch May Show More Than 21.1 km

A certified course is measured along the shortest possible legal route. Most runners do not follow that exact line. Wide turns, overtaking, aid-station movement and imperfect tangents add distance. GPS can add more variation near tall buildings, trees, tunnels and sharp bends.

If your watch ultimately records 21.25 km, holding the mathematical 21.0975 km pace would produce a finish slightly slower than the row in the chart. That does not mean you should attack the first kilometres. Use these practical controls:

• Set your watch to show lap pace rather than unstable instant pace.
• Use official course markers to check cumulative elapsed time.
• Run safe tangents without cutting across other runners.
• Build a small margin progressively only if your target is genuinely a strict cutoff.
• Do not let one noisy GPS kilometre trigger a large surge.

How to Choose the Right Finish-Time Row

The best target is neither the prediction that flatters you most nor the personal best you ran years ago. It is the result supported by several current signals. Use the realistic goal-time framework before selecting a chart row.

Start with a recent race

A recent, properly paced 5K or 10K can provide a useful projection through the race time predictor. Treat the output as a starting point. Two runners with the same 10K result may have different half-marathon endurance, especially if their weekly volume and long-run history differ.

Check specific training evidence

Goal pace should appear in training as controlled work, not as an all-out test. A session such as 3 × 3 km at intended half-marathon effort with easy recovery can help calibrate the pace. It does not guarantee the result, and it should fit within an appropriate week. Use the training-paces guide to separate half-marathon pace from easy and threshold running.

Account for durability and conditions

Your long runs, consistency, fueling practice, injury status and expected weather all affect how much of a short-race prediction you can carry over 21.1 km. If the evidence conflicts, choose a central B goal plus a faster A goal and a conservative C goal before race morning.

From Pace Chart to a 12-Week Training Plan

Once a target is realistic, the pace number needs context. Most of the week should not be run at half-marathon pace. Easy mileage, long-run durability, threshold development, recovery and a taper each serve a different purpose. The chart is useful for goal-specific blocks and race execution; it is not a prescription for every run.

A typical four- or five-day week might include one quality session, one long run, easy running around them and occasional controlled goal-pace work. How much is appropriate depends on current volume and training history. If race day is approaching, use the two-week taper guide instead of adding a last-minute test.

Half Marathon Pace Chart FAQ

What pace is a 2-hour half marathon?

A 2:00:00 half marathon requires an average of approximately 5:41 per kilometre or 9:09 per mile. Exact 5K checkpoints are about 28:26, 56:53, 1:25:19 and 1:53:46.

What pace is a 1:45 half marathon?

A 1:45:00 finish requires approximately 4:59 per kilometre or 8:01 per mile. The even-split halfway time is 52:30.

What pace is a 1:30 half marathon?

A 1:30:00 finish requires approximately 4:16 per kilometre or 6:52 per mile. A small buffer is sensible for a strict sub-90 goal, but the opening kilometres should remain controlled.

Should I use kilometre pace or mile pace?

Use the unit shown on the official course markers whenever possible. If the race is marked in kilometres, kilometre laps make cumulative checks easier even if you normally train in miles.

Are treadmill and outdoor paces equivalent?

Not exactly. Belt calibration, airflow, temperature and terrain differ. Use outdoor race-specific sessions and recent races to validate an outdoor goal rather than transferring one treadmill number without context.

Can I use run/walk with this chart?

Yes. The listed pace is the average across both running and walking. Practise a repeatable pattern in training, include walk breaks in the total calculation and avoid starting at a running pace that makes the planned walks progressively longer.

Sources and Editorial Note

• World Athletics Competition and Technical Rules — official road-race distances and course standards.
• Pacing differences by performance level in marathon and half-marathon races.
• Pacing of women and men in half-marathon and marathon races.

Editorial disclosure: Vincent Meheut is an experienced amateur runner and long-course triathlete, not a certified running coach, registered dietitian or medical professional. Endurance Unpacked combines lived experience with cited research and official guidance. This article provides general education and cannot account for your health, injury history or individual response to training.