| Distance | Split | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|
| 5K | 0:28:26 | 0:28:26 |
| 10K | 0:28:26 | 0:56:53 |
| 15K | 0:28:26 | 1:25:19 |
| 20K | 0:28:26 | 1:53:45 |
| Half Marathon | 0:06:15 | 2:00:00 |
Ready to build your half marathon plan?
Pacerly builds a structured training plan around your goal time — with target paces for every run. Free to start.
Build your free half marathon training plan →Supports 5K, 10K, half marathon, and marathon distances.
Common half marathon goal times and paces
Click any row to populate the calculator above.
What pace is a 2 hour half marathon?
To finish in 2:00:00, run 9:09 per mile (5:41 per km).
Is a 2:30 half marathon good for a beginner?
Absolutely — 2:30:00 (11:27/mi) is a very achievable first half marathon goal. Most first-timers finish between 2:15:00 and 2:45:00.
What pace do I need for a half marathon PR?
Enter your current PR above and the calculator shows you exactly what pace you ran. Set a new goal time and see what you need to hit.
How do I pace a half marathon to avoid hitting the wall?
Run the first 5K slightly slower than goal pace, 10 to 15 seconds per mile slower. This lets your body settle in and conserves energy for miles 9 to 13. Use the split table above to check your 5K checkpoint times and stay honest about your pace during the race.
How do I predict my half marathon time from a recent race?
The most reliable method is Riegel's formula: predicted time = recent race time × (half marathon distance ÷ recent race distance) ^ 1.06. For example, a recent 50:00 10K predicts roughly a 1:50:00 half marathon. This works best with a race from the last 4–8 weeks at a similar distance (5K–15K) — a mile time or an old result from months ago will predict less accurately, since neither accounts for how your endurance holds up over 13.1 miles.
What pace should I train at versus race at?
Your half marathon goal pace (from the calculator above) is a race-day number, not a training default. Easy runs and most of your weekly mileage should sit 80–110 seconds per mile slower than goal pace, at a conversational effort. Tempo or threshold workouts run close to goal pace itself, usually within about 10 seconds per mile faster to 5 seconds slower, since half marathon race effort already sits near the threshold zone. Faster interval work, by contrast, runs 15–30 seconds per mile faster than goal pace.
What's the difference between even splits and negative splits?
The split table above shows your cumulative time at each 5K checkpoint if you run every mile at the same, even pace — the default, safest strategy for most half marathon runners. A negative split means running the second half faster than the first, which happens naturally if you start 10–15 seconds per mile slower than goal pace and settle into pace as you warm up. Compare your watch time at each checkpoint against the table during the race to see whether you're on pace, fading, or negative-splitting.
| Goal Time | Per Mile | Per KM |
|---|---|---|
| 1:30:00 | 6:52 | 4:16 |
| 1:45:00 | 8:01 | 4:59 |
| 2:00:00 | 9:09 | 5:41 |
| 2:15:00 | 10:18 | 6:24 |
| 2:30:00 | 11:27 | 7:07 |
| 3:00:00 | 13:44 | 8:32 |
What is half marathon pace?
Your half marathon pace is the average speed you need to hold across all 13.1 miles to hit your goal time. Unlike a 5K where you can push hard from the start, a half marathon rewards even pacing — starting 10–15 seconds per mile slower than goal pace and negative splitting the back half is the most reliable strategy for most runners.
How to use this calculator
Enter your goal finish time above. The calculator shows your required pace per mile and per kilometer, plus split times at every 5K checkpoint through the finish. Use the split table to set your GPS watch, brief your crew, or check your pacing during the race.
What comes after the calculator?
Knowing your goal pace is step one. Getting there requires a structured half marathon training plan that builds your aerobic base, includes weekly long runs, and has target paces for every workout. Pacerly builds that plan around your goal time — free to start.