Marathon World Records Show Men's and Women's Progress
See each time and pace alongside the athlete, nationality and event in the men's and women's record progressions compiled from 1908 to 2025.
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| # | sex | date | year | time_str | seconds | minutes | pace_min_per_km | name | nationality | event |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | M | 1908-07-24 | 1,908.5 | 2:55:18.4 | 10,518.4 | 175.307 | 4.155 | Johnny Hayes | United States | London Olympics, England |
| 2 | M | 1909-05-08 | 1,909.3333333333333 | 2:42:31.0 | 9,751.0 | 162.517 | 3.852 | Henry Barrett | United Kingdom | Polytechnic Marathon, London, England |
| 3 | M | 1909-08-31 | 1,909.5833333333333 | 2:40:34.2 | 9,634.2 | 160.57 | 3.805 | Thure Johansson | Sweden | Stockholm, Sweden |
| 4 | M | 1913-05-12 | 1,913.3333333333333 | 2:38:16.2 | 9,496.2 | 158.27 | 3.751 | Harry Green | United Kingdom | Polytechnic Marathon |
| 5 | M | 1913-05-31 | 1,913.3333333333333 | 2:36:06.6 | 9,366.6 | 156.11 | 3.7 | Alexis Ahlgren | Sweden | Report in The Times claiming world record. |
| 6 | M | 1914-11-29 | 1,914.8333333333333 | 2:38:00.8 | 9,480.8 | 158.013 | 3.745 | Umberto Blasi | Italy | Legnano, Italy |
| 7 | M | 1920-08-22 | 1,920.5833333333333 | 2:32:35.8 | 9,155.8 | 152.597 | 3.616 | Hannes Kolehmainen | Finland | Antwerp Olympics, Belgium |
| 8 | M | 1925-10-12 | 1,925.75 | 2:29:01.8 | 8,941.8 | 149.03 | 3.532 | Albert Michelsen | United States | Port Chester Marathon, United States |
| 9 | M | 1929-07-05 | 1,929.5 | 2:30:57.6 | 9,057.6 | 150.96 | 3.578 | Harry Payne | United Kingdom | AAA Championships, London, England |
| 10 | M | 1935-03-21 | 1,935.1666666666667 | 2:26:14 | 8,774.0 | 146.233 | 3.466 | Sohn Kee-chung | Japanese Korea | Tokyo, Japan |
| 11 | M | 1935-03-31 | 1,935.1666666666667 | 2:27:49.0 | 8,869.0 | 147.817 | 3.503 | Fusashige Suzuki | Japan | Tokyo, Japan |
| 12 | M | 1935-11-03 | 1,935.8333333333333 | 2:26:42 | 8,802.0 | 146.7 | 3.477 | Sohn Kee-chung | Japanese Korea | Meiji Shrine Games, Tokyo, Japan |
| 13 | M | 1947-04-19 | 1,947.25 | 2:25:39 | 8,739.0 | 145.65 | 3.452 | Suh Yun-bok | Korea | Boston Marathon |
| 14 | M | 1952-06-14 | 1,952.4166666666667 | 2:20:42.2 | 8,442.2 | 140.703 | 3.335 | Jim Peters | United Kingdom | Polytechnic Marathon |
| 15 | M | 1956-08-12 | 1,956.5833333333333 | 2:18:04.8 | 8,284.8 | 138.08 | 3.272 | Paavo Kotila | Finland | Finnish Athletics Championships, Pieksämäki, Finland |
| 16 | M | 1958-08-24 | 1,958.5833333333333 | 2:15:17.0 | 8,117.0 | 135.283 | 3.206 | Sergei Popov | Soviet Union | European Athletics Championships, Stockholm, Sweden |
| 17 | M | 1960-09-10 | 1,960.6666666666667 | 2:15:16.2 | 8,116.2 | 135.27 | 3.206 | Abebe Bikila | Ethiopia | Rome Olympics, Italy |
| 18 | M | 1963-02-17 | 1,963.0833333333333 | 2:15:15.8 | 8,115.8 | 135.263 | 3.206 | Toru Terasawa | Japan | Beppu-Ōita Marathon |
| 19 | M | 1963-06-15 | 1,963.4166666666667 | 2:14:28 | 8,068.0 | 134.467 | 3.187 | Leonard Edelen | United States | Polytechnic Marathon |
| 20 | M | 1963-07-06 | 1,963.5 | 2:14:43 | 8,083.0 | 134.717 | 3.193 | Brian Kilby | United Kingdom | Port Talbot, Wales |
| 21 | M | 1964-06-13 | 1,964.4166666666667 | 2:13:55 | 8,035.0 | 133.917 | 3.174 | Basil Heatley | United Kingdom | Polytechnic Marathon |
| 22 | M | 1964-10-21 | 1,964.75 | 2:12:11.2 | 7,931.2 | 132.187 | 3.133 | Abebe Bikila | Ethiopia | Tokyo Olympics, Japan |
| 23 | M | 1965-06-12 | 1,965.4166666666667 | 2:12:00 | 7,920.0 | 132.0 | 3.128 | Morio Shigematsu | Japan | Polytechnic Marathon |
| 24 | M | 1967-12-03 | 1,967.9166666666667 | 2:09:36.4 | 7,776.4 | 129.607 | 3.072 | Derek Clayton | Australia | Fukuoka Marathon |
| 25 | M | 1970-07-23 | 1,970.5 | 2:09:28.8 | 7,768.8 | 129.48 | 3.069 | Ron Hill | United Kingdom | Edinburgh Commonwealth Games, Scotland |
| 26 | M | 1978-02-05 | 1,978.0833333333333 | 2:09:05.6 | 7,745.6 | 129.093 | 3.059 | Shigeru So | Japan | Beppu-Ōita Marathon |
| 27 | M | 1980-04-26 | 1,980.25 | 2:09:01 | 7,741.0 | 129.017 | 3.058 | Gerard Nijboer | Netherlands | Amsterdam Marathon |
| 28 | M | 1981-12-06 | 1,981.9166666666667 | 2:08:18 | 7,698.0 | 128.3 | 3.041 | Robert de Castella | Australia | Fukuoka Marathon |
| 29 | M | 1984-10-21 | 1,984.75 | 2:08:05 | 7,685.0 | 128.083 | 3.036 | Steve Jones | United Kingdom | Chicago Marathon |
| 30 | M | 1985-04-20 | 1,985.25 | 2:07:12 | 7,632.0 | 127.2 | 3.015 | Carlos Lopes | Portugal | Rotterdam Marathon |
| 31 | M | 1988-04-17 | 1,988.25 | 2:06:50 | 7,610.0 | 126.833 | 3.006 | Belayneh Dinsamo | Ethiopia | |
| 32 | M | 1998-09-20 | 1,998.6666666666667 | 2:06:05 | 7,565.0 | 126.083 | 2.988 | Ronaldo da Costa | Brazil | Berlin Marathon |
| 33 | M | 1999-10-24 | 1,999.75 | 2:05:42 | 7,542.0 | 125.7 | 2.979 | Khalid Khannouchi | Morocco | Chicago Marathon |
| 34 | M | 2002-04-14 | 2,002.25 | 2:05:38 | 7,538.0 | 125.633 | 2.977 | Khalid Khannouchi | United States | London Marathon |
| 35 | M | 2003-09-28 | 2,003.6666666666667 | 2:04:55 | 7,495.0 | 124.917 | 2.96 | Paul Tergat | Kenya | Berlin Marathon |
| 36 | M | 2007-09-30 | 2,007.6666666666667 | 2:04:26 | 7,466.0 | 124.433 | 2.949 | Haile Gebrselassie | Ethiopia | |
| 37 | M | 2011-09-25 | 2,011.6666666666667 | 2:03:38 | 7,418.0 | 123.633 | 2.93 | Patrick Makau | Kenya | IAAF, ARRS |
| 38 | W | 1918-09-29 | 1,918.6666666666667 | 5:40 | 20,400 | 340.0 | 8.058 | Marie-Louise Ledru | France | Tour de Paris Marathon |
| 39 | W | 1926-10-03 | 1,926.75 | 3:40:22 | 13,222.0 | 220.367 | 5.223 | Violet Piercy | United Kingdom | London |
| 40 | W | 1963-12-16 | 1,963.9166666666667 | 3:37:07 | 13,027.0 | 217.117 | 5.146 | Merry Lepper | United States | Culver City, United States |
| 41 | W | 1964-05-23 | 1,964.3333333333333 | 3:27:45 | 12,465.0 | 207.75 | 4.924 | Dale Greig | United Kingdom | Ryde |
| 42 | W | 1964-07-21 | 1,964.5 | 3:19:33 | 11,973.0 | 199.55 | 4.729 | Mildred Sampson | New Zealand | Auckland, New Zealand |
| 43 | W | 1967-05-06 | 1,967.3333333333333 | 3:14:23 | 11,663.0 | 194.383 | 4.607 | Maureen Wilton | Canada | Toronto, Canada |
| 44 | W | 1967-09-16 | 1,967.6666666666667 | 3:07:27.2 | 11,247.2 | 187.453 | 4.443 | Anni Pede-Erdkamp | West Germany | Waldniel, West Germany |
| 45 | W | 1970-02-28 | 1,970.0833333333333 | 3:02:53 | 10,973.0 | 182.883 | 4.334 | Caroline Walker | United States | Seaside, OR |
| 46 | W | 1974-10-27 | 1,974.75 | 2:46:24 | 9,984.0 | 166.4 | 3.944 | Chantal Langlacé | France | Neuf-Brisach, France |
| 47 | W | 1974-12-01 | 1,974.9166666666667 | 2:43:54.5 | 9,834.5 | 163.908 | 3.885 | Jacqueline Hansen | United States | Culver City, United States |
| 48 | W | 1975-04-21 | 1,975.25 | 2:42:24 | 9,744.0 | 162.4 | 3.849 | Liane Winter | West Germany | Boston Marathon |
| 49 | W | 1975-10-12 | 1,975.75 | 2:38:19 | 9,499.0 | 158.317 | 3.752 | Jacqueline Hansen | United States | Nike OTC Marathon, Eugene, United States |
| 50 | W | 1977-05-01 | 1,977.3333333333333 | 2:35:15.4 | 9,315.4 | 155.257 | 3.68 | Chantal Langlacé | France | Oiartzun, Spain |
| 51 | W | 1977-09-10 | 1,977.6666666666667 | 2:34:47.5 | 9,287.5 | 154.792 | 3.668 | Christa Vahlensieck | West Germany | Berlin Marathon |
| 52 | W | 1978-10-22 | 1,978.75 | 2:32:29.8 | 9,149.8 | 152.497 | 3.614 | Grete Waitz | Norway | New York City Marathon |
| 53 | W | 1980-02-03 | 1,980.0833333333333 | 2:31:23 | 9,083.0 | 151.383 | 3.588 | Joan Benoit | United States | Auckland, New Zealand |
| 54 | W | 1980-10-26 | 1,980.75 | 2:25:41.3 | 8,741.3 | 145.688 | 3.453 | Grete Waitz | Norway | New York City Marathon |
| 55 | W | 1980-11-16 | 1,980.8333333333333 | 2:30:27 | 9,027.0 | 150.45 | 3.566 | Joyce Smith | United Kingdom | Tokyo, Japan |
| 56 | W | 1981-10-25 | 1,981.75 | 2:25:28 | 8,728.0 | 145.467 | 3.447 | Allison Roe | New Zealand | New York City Marathon |
| 57 | W | 1982-01-16 | 1,982.0 | 2:29:01.6 | 8,941.6 | 149.027 | 3.532 | Charlotte Teske | West Germany | Miami, United States |
| 58 | W | 1982-09-12 | 1,982.6666666666667 | 2:26:12 | 8,772.0 | 146.2 | 3.465 | Joan Benoit | United States | Nike OTC Marathon, Eugene, United States |
| 59 | W | 1983-04-17 | 1,983.25 | 2:25:28.7 | 8,728.7 | 145.478 | 3.448 | Grete Waitz | Norway | London Marathon |
| 60 | W | 1983-04-18 | 1,983.25 | 2:22:43 | 8,563.0 | 142.717 | 3.382 | Joan Benoit | United States | Boston Marathon |
| 61 | W | 1984-05-13 | 1,984.3333333333333 | 2:24:26 | 8,666.0 | 144.433 | 3.423 | Ingrid Kristiansen | Norway | London Marathon |
| 62 | W | 1985-04-21 | 1,985.25 | 2:21:06 | 8,466.0 | 141.1 | 3.344 | Ingrid Kristiansen | Norway | London Marathon |
| 63 | W | 1998-04-19 | 1,998.25 | 2:20:47 | 8,447.0 | 140.783 | 3.336 | Tegla Loroupe | Kenya | Rotterdam Marathon |
| 64 | W | 2001-09-30 | 2,001.6666666666667 | 2:19:46 | 8,386.0 | 139.767 | 3.312 | Naoko Takahashi | Japan | |
| 65 | W | 2001-10-07 | 2,001.75 | 2:18:47 | 8,327.0 | 138.783 | 3.289 | Catherine Ndereba | Kenya | Chicago Marathon |
| 66 | W | 2002-10-13 | 2,002.75 | 2:17:18 | 8,238.0 | 137.3 | 3.254 | Paula Radcliffe | United Kingdom | Chicago Marathon |
| 67 | W | 2017-04-23 | 2,017.25 | 2:17:01 Wo | 8,221.0 | 137.017 | 3.247 | Mary Jepkosgei Keitany | Kenya | IAAF |
| 68 | W | 2023-09-24 | 2,023.6666666666667 | 2:11:53 Mx | 7,913.0 | 131.883 | 3.126 | Tigst Assefa | Ethiopia | Berlin Marathon |
| 69 | W | 2024-04-21 | 2,024.25 | 2:16:16 Wo | 8,176.0 | 136.267 | 3.229 | Peres Jepchirchir | Kenya | London Marathon |
| 70 | W | 2025-04-27 | 2,025.25 | 2:15:50 Wo | 8,150.0 | 135.833 | 3.219 | Tigst Assefa | Ethiopia | London Marathon |
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