2:20:00 half marathon: what it equals and how to train for it
Running a half marathon in 2:20:00 means holding 6:38 per kilometre (10:41 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 | 30:24 | 6:05 | 9:47 |
| 10K | 1:03:13 | 6:19 | 10:11 |
| 15K | 1:37:26 | 6:30 | 10:27 |
| 10 miles | 1:45:02 | 6:32 | 10:30 |
| Half marathon | 2:20:00 | 6:38 | 10:41 |
| Marathon | 4:47:17 | 6:49 | 10:57 |
Training paces for this fitness
| Run | Per km | Per mile | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easy | 7:16 to 8:19 | 11:42 to 13:23 | Most of your running: conversational, builds the base. |
| Marathon | 6:49 | 10:57 | Steady, controlled race-effort running. |
| Threshold | 6:21 | 10:13 | Comfortably hard: tempo runs and cruise intervals. |
| Interval | 5:51 | 9:25 | Hard repeats of 3 to 5 minutes with jog recoveries. |
| Repetition | 5:31 | 8:53 | 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 2:20:00 half marathon a good time?
It depends on your age, experience and goals. A 2:20:00 half marathon is an average pace of 6:38 per kilometre (10:41 per mile), which is equal in effort to Marathon in 4:47:17. Use it as a starting point for training, not a verdict.
What should my easy pace be if I run a 2:20:00 half marathon?
About 7:16 to 8:19 per kilometre (11:42 to 13:23 per mile). Easy runs should feel conversational; threshold work sits near 6:21 per kilometre.
Faster: 2:15:00 half marathon · Slower: 2:25:00 half marathon · All race times
These are estimates, not guarantees of a future result. Pace figures round to the second.