Be race-ready with our over 50s half-marathon pace chart
Running your best race is all about understanding what speed you should run for each mile.
Image credit: Shutterstock/Ground Picture
Running your best race is all about understanding what speed you should run for each mile.
Running at an even pace when you’re taking on a major race is almost like a light-bulb moment. Get it right and success awaits – but get it wrong and even the shortest race can seem like a very long way.
If completing the 13.1 miles (21km) that makes up the half marathon distance is your next road running challenge, I’m here to help you set the pace.
I’ve devised this half-marathon pace chart with the average over-50s runner in mind to help you set your goals and make sure your next race goes well.
| Minutes per kilometre | Minutes per mile | Key split: 5km | Key split: 10km | Half marathon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
3:06 |
5:00 |
15:30 |
31:00 |
1:05:33 |
|
3:13 |
5:10 |
16:05 |
32:10 |
1:07:44 |
|
3:38 |
5:20 |
16:34 |
33:08 |
1:09:55 |
|
3:25 |
5:30 |
17:05 |
34:11 |
1:12:06 |
|
3:31 |
5:40 |
17:36 |
35:13 |
1:14:17 |
|
3:37 |
5:50 |
18:07 |
36:15 |
1:16:28 |
|
3:44 |
6:00 |
18:38 |
37:17 |
1:18:39 |
|
3:50 |
6:10 |
19:10 |
38:19 |
1:20:50 |
|
3:56 |
6:20 |
19:41 |
39:21 |
1:23:02 |
|
4:02 |
6:30 |
20:12 |
40:23 |
1:25:13 |
|
4:09 |
6:40 |
20:43 |
41:25 |
1:27:24 |
|
4:15 |
6:50 |
21:14 |
42:28 |
1:29:35 |
|
4:21 |
7:00 |
21:45 |
43:30 |
1:31:46 |
|
4:27 |
7:10 |
22:16 |
44:32 |
1:33:57 |
|
4:33 |
7:20 |
22:47 |
45:34 |
1:36:08 |
|
4:40 |
7:30 |
23:18 |
46:36 |
1:38:19 |
|
4:46 |
7:40 |
23:49 |
47:38 |
1:40:30 |
|
4:52 |
7:50 |
24:20 |
48:40 |
1:42:41 |
|
4:58 |
8:00 |
24:51 |
49:43 |
1:44:53 |
|
5:05 |
8:10 |
25:22 |
50:45 |
1:47:04 |
|
5:11 |
8:20 |
25:53 |
51:47 |
1:49:15 |
|
5:17 |
8:30 |
26:24 |
52:49 |
1:51:26 |
|
5:23 |
8:40 |
26:56 |
53:51 |
1:53:37 |
|
5:29 |
8:50 |
27:27 |
54:53 |
1:55:48 |
|
5:36 |
9:00 |
27:58 |
55:55 |
1:57:59 |
|
5:42 |
9:10 |
28:29 |
56:58 |
2:00:10 |
|
5:48 |
9:20 |
29:00 |
58:00 |
2:02:21 |
|
5:54 |
9:30 |
29:31 |
59:02 |
2:04:32 |
|
6:00 |
9:40 |
30:02 |
1:00:04 |
2:06:43 |
|
6:07 |
9:50 |
30:33 |
1:01:06 |
2:08:55 |
|
6:13 |
10:00 |
31:04 |
1:02:08 |
2:11:06 |
|
6:19 |
10:10 |
31:35 |
1:03:10 |
2:13:17 |
|
6:25 |
10:20 |
32:06 |
1:04:12 |
2:15:28 |
|
6:32 |
10:30 |
32:37 |
1:05:15 |
2:17:39 |
|
6:38 |
10:40 |
33:08 |
1:06:17 |
2:19:50 |
|
6:44 |
10:50 |
33:39 |
1:07:19 |
2:22:01 |
|
6:50 |
11:00 |
34:11 |
1:08:21 |
2:24:12 |
|
6:56 |
11:10 |
34:42 |
1:09:23 |
2:26:23 |
|
7:03 |
11:20 |
35:13 |
1:10:25 |
2:28:34 |
|
7:09 |
11:30 |
35:44 |
1:11:27 |
2:30:45 |
|
7:15 |
11:40 |
36:15 |
1:12:30 |
2:32:57 |
|
7:21 |
11:50 |
36:46 |
1:13:32 |
2:35:08 |
|
7:27 |
12:00 |
37:17 |
1:14:34 |
2:37:19 |
|
7:34 |
12:10 |
37:48 |
1:15:36 |
2:39:30 |
|
7:40 |
12:20 |
38:19 |
1:16:38 |
2:41:41 |
|
7:46 |
12:30 |
38:50 |
1:17:40 |
2:43:52 |
|
7:52 |
12:40 |
39:21 |
1:18:42 |
2:46:03 |
|
7:59 |
12:50 |
39:52 |
1:19:45 |
2:48:14 |
|
8:05 |
13:00 |
40:23 |
1:20:47 |
2:50:25 |
|
8:11 |
13:10 |
40:55 |
1:21:50 |
2:52:30 |
|
8:17 |
13:20 |
41:25 |
1:22:51 |
2:54:47 |
|
8:23 |
13:30 |
41:55 |
1:23:50 |
2:57:00 |
|
8:30 |
13:40 |
42:28 |
1:24:55 |
2:59:10 |
|
8:36 |
13:50 |
43:00 |
1:26:00 |
3:01:45 |
|
8:42 |
14:00 |
43:30 |
1:26:59 |
3:03:32 |
|
8:48 |
14:10 |
44:00 |
1:28:00 |
3:05:31 |
|
8:54 |
14:20 |
44:32 |
1:29:04 |
3:07:54 |
|
9:01 |
14:30 |
45:05 |
1:30:10 |
3:10:05 |
|
9:07 |
14:40 |
45:34 |
1:31:08 |
3:12:16 |
|
9:13 |
14:50 |
46:05 |
1:32:10 |
3:14:37 |
|
9:19 |
15:00 |
46:36 |
1:33:12 |
3:16:38 |
Below are our top tips for getting the pace right during your half marathon:
Pacing only works if you have a realistic goal. Set a target based on times you have previously done and what key workouts, such as your longer runs, suggest you can achieve.
Learn to be consistent in your training. The first mile should be the same time as the last one, again especially on longer runs.
As a very rough guide, your long run pace should be around 90 seconds per mile slower than you’d expect to race at. So, create a pace goal based on that.
A GPS watch is always handy. Watches such as the Garmin Forerunner 55 (Garmin, £179.99) include Pacepro, which you can use to adjust your pace according to the terrain by downloading a course map beforehand. So, you can run slower when going uphill and quicker when you go downhill.
Negative splits (running the first half of the race slower than then second) are one way to achieve your pacing goals, although surprisingly there’s not much statistical evidence to confirm that strategy works.
Perhaps more importantly, try to run as easily as possible for the first few miles. They may ultimately be the quickest of the race, but you need to run them as the easiest.
Major half marathon events typically have pacers you can run with at your desired goal time. They’ll carry a banner indicating the final time, such as two hours, or a minute per mile pace time.
Running a half marathon is all about the right training. Here’s how to go about it.
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