Race Shape › Calculators › Running pace calculator › Sub-2 hour half marathon pace
Goal paceSub-2 hour half marathon pace
To run a sub-2 hour half marathon you need to average 5:41 per kilometre — 9:09 per mile, 10.5 km/h — and reach halfway in 1:00:00. Sub-2 is the most popular half-marathon goal of all. It needs about 5:41/km — not fast, but for 21 km it has to be even.
Even-pace splits
| Distance | Clock |
|---|---|
| 5 km | 28:26 |
| 10 km | 56:52 |
| 15 km | 1:25:19 |
| 20 km | 1:53:45 |
| 21.1 km | 1:59:59 |
The fitness behind a sub-2 hour half marathon
A sub-2 hour half marathon is a VDOT of about 36.5. The same fitness, trained for each distance, runs:
| 5 km | 26:04 (5:13/km) |
|---|---|
| 10 km | 54:07 (5:25/km) |
| Marathon | 4:07:45 (5:52/km) |
So a 10 km in about 54:07 is the clearest sign you are ready. If your recent 10 km is well slower than that, the goal is still on — it needs a block, not a hopeful race day.
Training paces for it
| Easy | 6:35–7:31/km at the coast · 7:08/km or slower in Johannesburg |
|---|---|
| Threshold | 5:35/km · 6:03/km in Johannesburg |
| Intervals | 5:03/km · 5:28/km in Johannesburg |
At altitude
The same fitness is slower high up. Raced at about 1 680 m, a sub-2 hour half marathon effort comes out near 2:09:26; to break 2:00:00 up there you need fitness worth about 1:51:15 at the coast. Gauteng runners chasing this time are best off choosing a coastal race.
The sub-2 hour half marathon training plan lays out the weeks; a plan built from your own recent time says plainly whether the goal is on.
Build my sub-2 hour half marathon plan — free to buildSee your whole block before you pay.
Common questions
What pace is a sub-2 hour half marathon?
5:41 per kilometre, or 9:09 per mile.
What 10 km time shows I can run a sub-2 hour half marathon?
About 54:07 — the same fitness, trained for that distance.
How fast should easy runs be when training for a sub-2 hour half marathon?
No faster than 6:35/km at sea level, or 7:08/km in Johannesburg. Slower is fine.
Can I run a sub-2 hour half marathon in Johannesburg?
It is harder: at around 1 680 m the same effort is about 8% slower, so you need fitness worth about 1:51:15 at the coast.
How long does it take to train for a sub-2 hour half marathon?
It depends on the gap. Improving about 0.4% a week is a reasonable rate for a trained runner, so a 5% gap is roughly 12–13 weeks. The plan page works it out.