1:20:00 half marathon: what it equals and how to train for it
Running a half marathon in 1:20:00 means holding 3:48 per kilometre (6:06 per mile). Here is what that fitness is worth at other distances, and the paces to train at.
Equal race times
Predictions from an equal-effort model: the time you could run at each distance with the same fitness and the right training. Longer distances need specific endurance work.
| Distance | Time | Pace per km | Pace per mile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5K | 17:27 | 3:29 | 5:37 |
| 10K | 36:11 | 3:37 | 5:49 |
| 15K | 55:35 | 3:42 | 5:58 |
| 10 miles | 59:55 | 3:43 | 5:59 |
| Half marathon | 1:20:00 | 3:48 | 6:06 |
| Marathon | 2:47:11 | 3:58 | 6:23 |
Training paces for this fitness
| Run | Per km | Per mile | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easy | 4:19 to 4:59 | 6:57 to 8:01 | Most of your running: conversational, builds the base. |
| Marathon | 3:58 | 6:23 | Steady, controlled race-effort running. |
| Threshold | 3:45 | 6:02 | Comfortably hard: tempo runs and cruise intervals. |
| Interval | 3:27 | 5:33 | Hard repeats of 3 to 5 minutes with jog recoveries. |
| Repetition | 3:15 | 5:14 | Short, fast repeats with full recovery, for speed and form. |
How to use these numbers
- Run most of your weekly distance at the easy pace. If you can only speak in short sentences, slow down.
- Keep threshold and interval work to a small share of the week, and add it gradually.
- Hot, hilly or windy? Judge hard sessions by effort, not pace.
- Re-check your numbers after a new race or a hard time trial: fitness changes, and so should your paces.
Turn this into a plan
Runergy Lab builds a week-by-week plan from your own race time, with these paces, the long runs and the easy weeks, and re-plans when life gets in the way. See the half marathon plan or build your own.
Questions
Is a 1:20:00 half marathon a good time?
It depends on your age, experience and goals. A 1:20:00 half marathon is an average pace of 3:48 per kilometre (6:06 per mile), which is equal in effort to Marathon in 2:47:11. Use it as a starting point for training, not a verdict.
What should my easy pace be if I run a 1:20:00 half marathon?
About 4:19 to 4:59 per kilometre (6:57 to 8:01 per mile). Easy runs should feel conversational; threshold work sits near 3:45 per kilometre.
Slower: 1:25:00 half marathon ยท All race times
These are estimates, not guarantees of a future result. Pace figures round to the second.