Marathon world best progression
Encyclopedia
This list is a chronological progression of record times for the marathon. World record
s in the marathon
are now ratified by the International Association of Athletics Federations
, the international governing body
for the sport of athletics. Awaiting ratification, the IAAF world record for men is 2:03:38, set by Patrick Makau of Kenya
on September 25, 2011 at the Berlin Marathon
. The IAAF world record for women is currently 2:15:25, set by Paula Radcliffe
of the United Kingdom on April 13, 2003 at the London Marathon
.
As noted below, a marathon performance must meet certain criteria to be eligible for ratification as a world record. The IAAF Congress at 2011 World Championships in Athletics
passed a motion changing the record eligibility criteria effective January, 2012, so that women's world records must be set in all-women competitions. The result of this change is that Radcliffe's 2:17:42 performance at the 2005 London Marathon will supplant the current women's mark as the "world record"; the earlier performance will be referred to as a "world best". Similarly, in recognizing Kenyan Geoffrey Mutai
's mark of 2:03:02 at the 2011 Boston Marathon
as "the fastest Marathon ever run", the IAAF has noted: "Due to the elevation drop and point-to-point measurements of the Boston course, performances [on that course] are not eligible for World record consideration."
and meet other criteria that rule-out "artificially fast times" produced on courses aided by downhill slope or tailwind. The criteria include:
Road racing events like the marathon were specifically excepted from IAAF rule 260 18(d) that rejected from consideration those track and field performances set in mixed competition.
The Association of Road Racing Statisticians
, an independent organization that compiles data from road running
events, also maintains an alternate marathon world best progression but with standards they consider to be more stringent.
Performances claiming world best or world record status on "point-to-point" courses such as the Boston Marathon have historically been rejected by USA Track & Field. Performances on these courses could be aided by slope and/or tailwinds.
, Greek
runners Kharilaos Vasilakos
(3:18:00) and Ioannis Lavrentis
(3:11:27) won the first two modern marathons. On April 10, 1896, Spiridon Louis
of Greece won the first Olympic marathon in Athens, Greece in a time of 2:58:50; however, the distance for the event was reported to be only 40,000 meters. Three months later, British
runner Len Hurst won the inaugural Paris to Conflans Marathon
(also around 40 km) in a time of 2:31:30. In 1900, Hurst would better his time on the same course with a 2:26:28 performance. Later, Shizo Kanakuri
of Japan
was reported to have set a world record of 2:32:45 in a November 1911 domestic qualification race for the 1912 Summer Olympics
, but this performance was also run over a distance of approximately 40 km. The first marathon over the now official distance was won by American Johnny Hayes
at the 1908 Summer Olympics.
It is possible that Stamata Revithi
, who ran the 1896 Olympic course a day after Louis, is the first woman to run the modern marathon. The IAAF credits Violet Piercy
's 1926 performance as the first woman to race what is now the standard marathon distance; however, other sources report that the 1918 performance of Marie-Louise Ledru
in the Tour de Paris set the initial mark for women. Other "unofficial" performances have also been reported to be world bests or world records over time. Although her performance is not recognized by the IAAF, Adrienne Beames
from Australia
is frequently credited as the first woman to break the 3-hour barrier in the marathon.
In the 1953 Boston Marathon
, the top three male finishers were thought to have broken the standing world record, but Keizo Yamada
's mark of 2:18:51 is now considered to have been set on a short course. The Boston Athletic Association
does not report Yamada's performance as a world best. On October 25, 1981, American Alberto Salazar
and New Zealander Allison Roe
set apparent world bests at the New York City Marathon
(2:08:13 and 2:25:29); however, these marks were invalidated when the course was later found to have been nearly 150 meters short. Although the IAAF's progression notes three performances set on the same course in 1978, 1979, and 1980 by Norwegian Grete Waitz
, the Association of Road Racing Statisticians
considers the New York City course suspect for those performances, too.
On April 18, 2011, Geoffrey Mutai
of Kenya
ran the fastest marathon ever in a time of 2:03:02, albeit on the Boston course, which does not meet the criteria for record attempts.
Eight world records have been set at the Polytechnic Marathon
(1909, 1913, 1952–54, 1963–65). World records have been broken at all five World Marathon Majors
on numerous occasions; seven times at the Berlin Marathon
, three times at the Boston Marathon
, and four times each at the Chicago
, London
, and New York City Marathon
s.
} || September 30, 2001 || Berlin Marathon
|| IAAF, ARRS ||
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:18:47 || Catherine Ndereba
|| || October 7, 2001 || Chicago Marathon
|| IAAF, ARRS ||
|- style="background:skyBlue;"
| 2:17:18|| Paula Radcliffe
|| || October 13, 2002 || Chicago Marathon
|| IAAF, ARRS || First "World's Best" recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations
. The ARRS notes Radcliffe's extended time as 2:17:17.7
|- style="background:skyBlue;"
| 2:15:25 || Paula Radcliffe
|| || April 13, 2003 || London Marathon
|| IAAF, ARRS || First world record for the women's marathon ratified by the International Association of Athletics Federations
. The ARRS notes Radcliffe's extended time as 2:15:24.6
|}
World record
A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...
s in the marathon
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
are now ratified by the International Association of Athletics Federations
International Association of Athletics Federations
The International Association of Athletics Federations is the international governing body for the sport of athletics. It was founded in 1912 at its first congress in Stockholm, Sweden by representatives from 17 national athletics federations as the International Amateur Athletics Federation...
, the international governing body
Sport governing body
A sport governing body is a sports organization that has a regulatory or sanctioning function. Sport governing bodies come in various forms, and have a variety of regulatory functions. Examples of this can include disciplinary action for rule infractions and deciding on rule changes in the sport...
for the sport of athletics. Awaiting ratification, the IAAF world record for men is 2:03:38, set by Patrick Makau of Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
on September 25, 2011 at the Berlin Marathon
Berlin Marathon
The Berlin Marathon is a major running and sporting event held annually in Berlin, Germany. The official marathon distance of 42.195 kilometers is set up as a city-wide road race where professional athletes and amateur runners jointly participate...
. The IAAF world record for women is currently 2:15:25, set by Paula Radcliffe
Paula Radcliffe
Paula Jane Radcliffe, MBE is an English long-distance runner. She is the current women's world record holder in the marathon with her time of 2:15:25 hours...
of the United Kingdom on April 13, 2003 at the London Marathon
London Marathon
The London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world, and one of the five top world marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors competition, which has a $1 million prize purse. It has been held each spring in London since 1981. The race is currently sponsored by Virgin Money,...
.
As noted below, a marathon performance must meet certain criteria to be eligible for ratification as a world record. The IAAF Congress at 2011 World Championships in Athletics
2011 World Championships in Athletics
The 13th IAAF World Championships in Athletics was an international athletics competition that was held in Daegu, South Korea. It started on 27 August 2011 and finished on 4 September 2011....
passed a motion changing the record eligibility criteria effective January, 2012, so that women's world records must be set in all-women competitions. The result of this change is that Radcliffe's 2:17:42 performance at the 2005 London Marathon will supplant the current women's mark as the "world record"; the earlier performance will be referred to as a "world best". Similarly, in recognizing Kenyan Geoffrey Mutai
Geoffrey Mutai
Geoffrey Kiprono Mutai is a Kenyan long distance runner who specialises in road running competitions...
's mark of 2:03:02 at the 2011 Boston Marathon
2011 Boston Marathon
The 2011 Boston Marathon took place on Monday, April 18, 2011. Geoffrey Mutai of Kenya won the men's race in a time of 2:03:02. In recognizing Mutai's mark as the "fastest Marathon ever run", the International Association of Athletics Federations noted that the performance was not eligible for...
as "the fastest Marathon ever run", the IAAF has noted: "Due to the elevation drop and point-to-point measurements of the Boston course, performances [on that course] are not eligible for World record consideration."
Criteria for record eligibility
In order for a performance to be ratified as a world record by the IAAF, the marathon course on which the performance occurred must be 42.195 kilometers and measured in a defined manner using the calibrated bicycle methodJones Counter
The Jones Counter is a device fitted to the front wheel of a bicycle which counts the revolutions of the wheel. It was invented in 1971 by Alan Jones in order to measure the length of road running race courses. It has gears that drive a mechanical digital counter. Depending on the gear ratio used,...
and meet other criteria that rule-out "artificially fast times" produced on courses aided by downhill slope or tailwind. The criteria include:
- "The start and finish points of a course, measured along a theoretical straight line between them, shall not be further apart than 50% of the race distance."
- "The decrease in elevation between the start and finish shall not exceed an average of one in a thousand, i.e. 1m per km.
Road racing events like the marathon were specifically excepted from IAAF rule 260 18(d) that rejected from consideration those track and field performances set in mixed competition.
The Association of Road Racing Statisticians
Association of Road Racing Statisticians
The Association of Road Racing Statisticians is an independent, non-profit organization that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics regarding road running races. The primary purpose of the ARRS is to maintain a valid list of world road records for standard race distances and to establish...
, an independent organization that compiles data from road running
Road running
Road running is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road . These events would be classified as long distance according to athletics terminology, with distances typically ranging from 5 kilometers to 42.2 kilometers in the marathon. They may involve large numbers of runners...
events, also maintains an alternate marathon world best progression but with standards they consider to be more stringent.
Performances claiming world best or world record status on "point-to-point" courses such as the Boston Marathon have historically been rejected by USA Track & Field. Performances on these courses could be aided by slope and/or tailwinds.
History
Marathon races were first held in 1896, but the distance was not standardized by the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) until 1921. The actual distance for pre-1921 races frequently varied slightly from the present figure of 42.195 km (26 miles 385 yards). In qualifying races for the 1896 Summer Olympics1896 Summer Olympics
The 1896 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the I Olympiad, was a multi-sport event celebrated in Athens, Greece, from April 6 to April 15, 1896. It was the first international Olympic Games held in the Modern era...
, Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
runners Kharilaos Vasilakos
Kharilaos Vasilakos
Charilaos Vasilakos was a Greek athlete, and the first man to win a marathon race. He also won a silver medal at the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens.He was born in Tripoli.On March 10, 1896, Greece held the first modern Panhellenic Games...
(3:18:00) and Ioannis Lavrentis
Ioannis Lavrentis
Ioannis Lavrentis was a Greek athlete who was likely the second runner to win a marathon. On March 12, 1896, Lavrentis was first in a field of 38 runners attempting to qualify for the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece ....
(3:11:27) won the first two modern marathons. On April 10, 1896, Spiridon Louis
Spiridon Louis
Spyridon Louis was a Greek water-carrier who won the first modern-day Olympic marathon at the 1896 Summer Olympics, thereby becoming a national hero....
of Greece won the first Olympic marathon in Athens, Greece in a time of 2:58:50; however, the distance for the event was reported to be only 40,000 meters. Three months later, British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
runner Len Hurst won the inaugural Paris to Conflans Marathon
Paris Marathon
The Paris International Marathon is an annual marathon which takes place from the Champs-Élysées heading towards the Place de la Concorde and continuing through the city to finish at Foch Avenue....
(also around 40 km) in a time of 2:31:30. In 1900, Hurst would better his time on the same course with a 2:26:28 performance. Later, Shizo Kanakuri
Shizo Kanakuri
was a Japanese marathon runner and one of the early leaders of track and field athletics in Japan. He has been celebrated as "Father of marathon" in Japan....
of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
was reported to have set a world record of 2:32:45 in a November 1911 domestic qualification race for the 1912 Summer Olympics
1912 Summer Olympics
The 1912 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the V Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Stockholm, Sweden, between 5 May and 27 July 1912. Twenty-eight nations and 2,407 competitors, including 48 women, competed in 102 events in 14 sports...
, but this performance was also run over a distance of approximately 40 km. The first marathon over the now official distance was won by American Johnny Hayes
Johnny Hayes
John "Johnny" Joseph Hayes was an American athlete, a member of the Irish American Athletic Club, and winner of the marathon race at the 1908 Summer Olympics...
at the 1908 Summer Olympics.
It is possible that Stamata Revithi
Stamata Revithi
Stamata Revithi was a Greek woman who ran the 40-kilometre marathon during the 1896 Summer Olympics. The Games excluded women from competition, but Revithi insisted that she be allowed to run...
, who ran the 1896 Olympic course a day after Louis, is the first woman to run the modern marathon. The IAAF credits Violet Piercy
Violet Piercy
Violet Piercy was an English long-distance runner who is recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations as having set the first women's world best in the marathon on October 3, 1926 with a time of 3:40:22....
's 1926 performance as the first woman to race what is now the standard marathon distance; however, other sources report that the 1918 performance of Marie-Louise Ledru
Marie-Louise Ledru
Marie-Louise Ledru was a French athlete who has been credited as the first woman to race the now-defined marathon distance of 42.195 km. On September 29, 1918, Ledru reportedly completed the Tour de Paris Marathon in a time of 5 hours and 40 minutes and finished in 38th place.The International...
in the Tour de Paris set the initial mark for women. Other "unofficial" performances have also been reported to be world bests or world records over time. Although her performance is not recognized by the IAAF, Adrienne Beames
Adrienne Beames
Adrienne Beames is an Australian long-distance runner frequently credited as the first woman to break the 3-hour barrier in the marathon...
from Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
is frequently credited as the first woman to break the 3-hour barrier in the marathon.
In the 1953 Boston Marathon
Boston Marathon
The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by the U.S. city of Boston, Massachusetts, on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897 and inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest...
, the top three male finishers were thought to have broken the standing world record, but Keizo Yamada
Keizo Yamada
is a retired long-distance runner from Japan, who won the 1956 edition of the Fukuoka Marathon, clocking 2:25:15 on December 9, 1956. He represented his native country at the 1952 Summer Olympics, finishing in 26th place and won the 1953 Boston Marathon. He retired on July 18,...
's mark of 2:18:51 is now considered to have been set on a short course. The Boston Athletic Association
Boston Athletic Association
The Boston Athletic Association is a non-profit, organized sports association for the city of Boston, Massachusetts. It hosts such events as the world-renowned Boston Marathon....
does not report Yamada's performance as a world best. On October 25, 1981, American Alberto Salazar
Alberto Salazar
Alberto Salazar is an American marathon runner of the 1980s. Born in Cuba, Salazar emigrated to the United States with his family. They ultimately moved to Wayland, Massachusetts, where Salazar competed in track and field in high school...
and New Zealander Allison Roe
Allison Roe
Allison Pamela Roe, MBE is a former long-distance athlete from New Zealand. In 1981 she won both the Boston and New York Marathons in course record times...
set apparent world bests at the New York City Marathon
New York City Marathon
The New York City Marathon is a major annual marathon that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is one of the largest marathons in the world, with 45,103 finishers in 2010...
(2:08:13 and 2:25:29); however, these marks were invalidated when the course was later found to have been nearly 150 meters short. Although the IAAF's progression notes three performances set on the same course in 1978, 1979, and 1980 by Norwegian Grete Waitz
Grete Waitz
Grete Waitz was a Norwegian marathon runner and former world record holder. Waitz won nine New York City Marathons between 1978 and 1988, more than any other runner in history...
, the Association of Road Racing Statisticians
Association of Road Racing Statisticians
The Association of Road Racing Statisticians is an independent, non-profit organization that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics regarding road running races. The primary purpose of the ARRS is to maintain a valid list of world road records for standard race distances and to establish...
considers the New York City course suspect for those performances, too.
On April 18, 2011, Geoffrey Mutai
Geoffrey Mutai
Geoffrey Kiprono Mutai is a Kenyan long distance runner who specialises in road running competitions...
of Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
ran the fastest marathon ever in a time of 2:03:02, albeit on the Boston course, which does not meet the criteria for record attempts.
Eight world records have been set at the Polytechnic Marathon
Polytechnic Marathon
The Polytechnic Marathon, often called the Poly, was a marathon held annually between 1909 and 1996, over various courses in or near London. It was the first marathon to be run regularly over the distance of 26 miles, 385 yards which is now the global standard...
(1909, 1913, 1952–54, 1963–65). World records have been broken at all five World Marathon Majors
World Marathon Majors
The World Marathon Majors is a championship-style competition for marathon runners that started in 2006. It comprises five annual races for the cities of Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, and New York City. Two other races are also included in the series: the IAAF World Championships Marathon and...
on numerous occasions; seven times at the Berlin Marathon
Berlin Marathon
The Berlin Marathon is a major running and sporting event held annually in Berlin, Germany. The official marathon distance of 42.195 kilometers is set up as a city-wide road race where professional athletes and amateur runners jointly participate...
, three times at the Boston Marathon
Boston Marathon
The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by the U.S. city of Boston, Massachusetts, on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897 and inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest...
, and four times each at the Chicago
Chicago Marathon
The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is a major marathon held yearly in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Alongside the Boston, New York, London and Berlin Marathons, it is one of the five World Marathon Majors. Thus, it is also an IAAF Gold Label race...
, London
London Marathon
The London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world, and one of the five top world marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors competition, which has a $1 million prize purse. It has been held each spring in London since 1981. The race is currently sponsored by Virgin Money,...
, and New York City Marathon
New York City Marathon
The New York City Marathon is a major annual marathon that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is one of the largest marathons in the world, with 45,103 finishers in 2010...
s.
Marathon world record progression
Key:Men
| Time | Name | Nationality | Date | Event/Place | Source | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2:55:18.4 | Johnny Hayes Johnny Hayes John "Johnny" Joseph Hayes was an American athlete, a member of the Irish American Athletic Club, and winner of the marathon race at the 1908 Summer Olympics... |
July 24, 1908 | London | IAAF | Time was officially recorded as 2:55:18 2/5. Italian Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... Dorando Pietri Dorando Pietri Dorando Pietri, often wrongly spelt Petri was an Italian athlete famous for his dramatic finish and eventual disqualification in the marathon at the 1908 Summer Olympics held in London.-Early years:Pietri was born in Mandrio, a frazione of Correggio, but spent his youth in Carpi... finished in 2:54:46.4, but was disqualified for receiving assistance from race officials near the finish. Note. |
|
| 2:52:45.4 | Robert Fowler Robert Fowler (athlete) Robert J. "Bob" Fowler was an American long-distance runner who is recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations as having set a world's best in the marathon on January 1, 1909 with a time of 2:52:45.4 at the Empire City Marathon in Yonkers, New York.Fowler competed for the... |
January 1, 1909 | Yonkers Yonkers, New York Yonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976... , United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
IAAF | Note. | |
| 2:46:52.8 | James Clark James Clark (athlete) James A. Clark was an American long-distance runner who is recognized as having set a world's best in the marathon on February 12, 1909 with a time of 2:46:52 at the Brooklyn Marathon. According to the New York Times, Clark also set an American record in a 20 mile race on November 14, 1909... |
February 12, 1909 | New York City New York City New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and... , United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
IAAF | Note. | |
| 2:46:04.6 | Albert Raines Albert Raines Albert "Al" Raines was an American long-distance runner who is recognized as having set a world's best in the marathon on May 8, 1909 with a time of 2:46:04 3-5 at the Bronx Marathon... |
May 8, 1909 | New York City New York City New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and... , United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
IAAF | Note. | |
| 2:42:31.0 | Henry Barrett Henry Barrett Henry Frederick "Harry" Barrett was a British long-distance runner who on May 8, 1909 set a world's best in only his second marathon with a time of 2:42:31 at the Polytechnic Marathon... |
May 26, 1909 | Polytechnic Marathon Polytechnic Marathon The Polytechnic Marathon, often called the Poly, was a marathon held annually between 1909 and 1996, over various courses in or near London. It was the first marathon to be run regularly over the distance of 26 miles, 385 yards which is now the global standard... |
IAAF | Note. | |
| 2:40:34.2 | Thure Johansson Thure Johansson (athlete) Thure Johansson was a Swedish long-distance runner who is credited by the International Association of Athletics Federations for setting a world's best of 2:40:34 in the marathon on August 31, 1909... |
August 31, 1909 | Stockholm Stockholm Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area... , Sweden Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund.... |
IAAF | Note. | |
| 2:38:16.2 | Harry Green Harry Green Henry Harold "Harry" Green was a British long-distance runner. He gained recognition by winning the London Poly in 1911 and setting a world's best in the marathon on 12 May 1913 with a time of 2:38:16.2 in London... |
May 12, 1913 | Polytechnic Marathon Polytechnic Marathon The Polytechnic Marathon, often called the Poly, was a marathon held annually between 1909 and 1996, over various courses in or near London. It was the first marathon to be run regularly over the distance of 26 miles, 385 yards which is now the global standard... |
IAAF | Note. | |
| 2:36:06.6 | Alexis Ahlgren Alexis Ahlgren Alexis Malkolm Ahlgren was a Swedish long-distance runner who on May 31, 1913 set a world best of 2:36:06 at the Polytechnic Marathon. He competed in the men's marathon at the 1912 Summer Olympics but did not finish.... |
May 31, 1913 | Polytechnic Marathon Polytechnic Marathon The Polytechnic Marathon, often called the Poly, was a marathon held annually between 1909 and 1996, over various courses in or near London. It was the first marathon to be run regularly over the distance of 26 miles, 385 yards which is now the global standard... |
IAAF | Report in The Times The Times The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International... claiming world record. Note. |
|
| 2:38:00.8 | Umberto Blasi Umberto Blasi Umberto Blasi was an Italian long-distance runner who was a three-time national champion in the marathon and competed in the men's marathon at the 1908 Summer Olympics.... |
 Italy |
November 29, 1914 | Legnano Legnano Legnano is an Italian town and comune with 59.147 inhabitants in the province of Milan, about from Milan.It's crossed by the river Olona, and it's the 13th town for inhabitants in Lombardy.... , Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... |
ARRS | |
| 2:32:35.8 | Hannes Kolehmainen Hannes Kolehmainen Juho Pietari "Hannes" Kolehmainen was a Finnish long-distance runner. He is considered to be the first of a generation of great Finnish long distance runners, often named the "Flying Finns". Kolehmainen competed for a number of years in the United States, wearing the Winged Fist of the Irish... |
August 22, 1920 | Antwerp, Belgium | IAAF, ARRS | The course distance was officially reported to be 42,750 meters/26.56 miles, however, the Association of Road Racing Statisticians estimated the course to be 40 km. | |
| 2:29:01.8 | Albert Michelsen Albert Michelsen Albert Richard "Whitey" Michelsen was an American long-distance runner who is recognized as having set a world's best in the marathon on October 12, 1925 with a time of 2:29:01 at the inaugural Port Chester Marathon in Port Chester, New York... |
 United States |
October 12, 1925 | Port Chester, United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
IAAF | Note. |
| 2:30:57.6 | Harry Payne Harry Payne (athlete) Harry William Payne was a British long-distance runner who competed in the marathon at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam and was a two-time national champion.... |
July 5, 1929 | London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... |
ARRS | ||
| 2:26:14 | Son Kitei Sohn Kee-chung Sohn Kee-Chung became the first medal-winning Korean Olympian, when he won the gold medal in the marathon at the 1936 Berlin Olympics as a member of the Japanese delegation.... |
 Empire of Japan |
March 21, 1935 | Tokyo Tokyo , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family... , Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
ARRS | |
| 2:27:49.0 | Fusashige Suzuki Fusashige Suzuki was a Japanese long-distance runner who is credited by the International Association of Athletics Federations for setting a world's best in the marathon on March 31, 1935.... |
Empire of Japan |
March 31, 1935 | Tokyo Tokyo , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family... , Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
IAAF | According to the Association of Road Racing Statisticians, Suzuki's 2:27:49 performance occurred in Tokyo on March 21, 1935 during a race in which he finished second to Sohn Kee-chung Sohn Kee-chung Sohn Kee-Chung became the first medal-winning Korean Olympian, when he won the gold medal in the marathon at the 1936 Berlin Olympics as a member of the Japanese delegation.... (sometimes referred to as Kee-Jung Sohn or Son Kitei) who ran a 2:26:14. |
| 2:26:44.0 | Yasuo Ikenaka Yasuo Ikenaka was a Japanese long-distance runner who is credited by the International Association of Athletics Federations for setting a world's best in the marathon on April 3, 1935. According to the IAAF, Ikenaka's time of 2:26:44 was over a minute faster than the previous record set by Fusashige Suzuki three... |
Empire of Japan |
April 3, 1935 | Tokyo Tokyo , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family... , Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
IAAF | Note. |
| 2:26:42 | Son Kitei Sohn Kee-chung Sohn Kee-Chung became the first medal-winning Korean Olympian, when he won the gold medal in the marathon at the 1936 Berlin Olympics as a member of the Japanese delegation.... |
Empire of Japan |
November 3, 1935 | Tokyo Tokyo , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family... , Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
IAAF | Note. |
| 2:25:39 | Suh Yun-bok Suh Yun-bok Suh Yun-bok is a former South Korean athlete, who is best known as the winner of the 1947 Boston Marathon. He won the race with a world best time of 2:25:39 under the coach Sohn Kee-chung, the Korean winner of the marathon at the 1936 Berlin Olympics... |
April 19, 1947 | Boston Marathon Boston Marathon The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by the U.S. city of Boston, Massachusetts, on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897 and inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest... |
IAAF | Disputed (short course). Disputed (point-to-point). Note. | |
| 2:20:42.2 | Jim Peters | June 14, 1952 | Polytechnic Marathon Polytechnic Marathon The Polytechnic Marathon, often called the Poly, was a marathon held annually between 1909 and 1996, over various courses in or near London. It was the first marathon to be run regularly over the distance of 26 miles, 385 yards which is now the global standard... |
IAAF, ARRS | MarathonGuide.com states that the course that was slightly long. Report in The Times The Times The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International... claiming world record. |
|
| 2:18:40.4 | Jim Peters | June 13, 1953 | Polytechnic Marathon Polytechnic Marathon The Polytechnic Marathon, often called the Poly, was a marathon held annually between 1909 and 1996, over various courses in or near London. It was the first marathon to be run regularly over the distance of 26 miles, 385 yards which is now the global standard... |
IAAF, ARRS | Report in The Times The Times The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International... claiming world record. |
|
| 2:18:34.8 | Jim Peters | October 4, 1953 | Turku Marathon | IAAF, ARRS | ||
| 2:17:39.4 | Jim Peters | June 26, 1954 | Polytechnic Marathon Polytechnic Marathon The Polytechnic Marathon, often called the Poly, was a marathon held annually between 1909 and 1996, over various courses in or near London. It was the first marathon to be run regularly over the distance of 26 miles, 385 yards which is now the global standard... |
IAAF | Point-to-point course. Report in The Times The Times The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International... claiming world record. |
|
| 2:18:04.8 | Paavo Kotila Paavo Kotila Paavo Edvard Kotila is a former Finnish long-distance runner, Olympian, and three-time national champion in the marathon .Kotila won his second consecutive national title in 1956 with a time of 2:18:04.8... |
August 12, 1956 | Pieksämäki, Finland Finnish Championships in Athletics The Finnish Championships in Athletics, which are known as Kalevan kisat in Finnish, were first held in Tampere in 1907. Since then, they have been held in a different location every year... |
ARRS | ||
| 2:15:17.0 | Sergei Popov | August 24, 1958 | Stockholm, Sweden | IAAF, ARRS | The ARRS notes Popov's extended time as 2:15:17.6 | |
| 2:15:16.2 | Abebe Bikila Abebe Bikila Abebe Bikila was a two-time Olympic marathon champion from Ethiopia. A stadium in Addis Ababa is named in his honor.-1932–1959:... |
 Ethiopia |
September 10, 1960 | Rome, Italy Athletics at the 1960 Summer Olympics At the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, 34 events in athletics were contested, 24 by men and 10 by women. There were a total number of 1016 participating athletes from 73 countries.-Men's events:-Women's events:-Medal table:-Records broken:... |
IAAF, ARRS | |
| 2:15:15.8 | Toru Terasawa Toru Terasawa is a former Japanese long-distance runner who on February 17, 1963 set a world's best in the marathon with a time of 2:15:16 at the Beppu Marathon. Terasaw placed second in the marathon at the 1964 Japanese Olympic trials and 15th at the 1964 Summer Olympics... |
February 17, 1963 | Beppu-Ōita Marathon Beppu-Ōita Marathon The ' is an annual men's marathon race that takes place every February between the cities of Beppu and Ōita on the island of Kyushu in Japan. First held in 1952 as a 35 km race, the looped marathon course begins at the bottom of Takasaki Mountain and reaches Beppu's Kankoko International Port... |
IAAF, ARRS | ||
| 2:14:28 | Leonard Edelen Leonard Edelen Leonard Graves "Buddy" Edelen was an American marathoner. Based in England for most of his prime competitive years, in 1963 Edelen became the first man to run a marathon faster than 2 hours and 15 minutes when he set a world record of 2:14:28. Edelen also won the 1964 U.S... |
June 15, 1963 | Polytechnic Marathon Polytechnic Marathon The Polytechnic Marathon, often called the Poly, was a marathon held annually between 1909 and 1996, over various courses in or near London. It was the first marathon to be run regularly over the distance of 26 miles, 385 yards which is now the global standard... |
IAAF | Point-to-point course. Report in The Times The Times The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International... claiming world record and stating that the course may have been long. |
|
| 2:14:43 | Brian Kilby Brian Kilby Brian Leonard Kilby is a retired marathon runner from Great Britain, whose best year was 1962. He then won the gold medal in the men's marathon at the European Championships and at the 1962 Commonwealth Games... |
July 6, 1963 | Port Talbot Port Talbot Port Talbot is a town in Neath Port Talbot, Wales. It had a population of 35,633 in 2001.-History:Port Talbot grew out of the original small port and market town of Aberafan , which belonged to the medieval Lords of Afan. The area of the parish of Margam lying on the west bank of the lower Afan... , Wales Wales Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²... |
ARRS | ||
| 2:13:55 | Basil Heatley Basil Heatley Benjamin Basil Heatley was a British athlete, who mainly competed in the marathon. He was born in Kenilworth, Warwickshire.... |
June 13, 1964 | Polytechnic Marathon Polytechnic Marathon The Polytechnic Marathon, often called the Poly, was a marathon held annually between 1909 and 1996, over various courses in or near London. It was the first marathon to be run regularly over the distance of 26 miles, 385 yards which is now the global standard... |
IAAF | Point-to-point course. Report in The Times The Times The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International... claiming world record. |
|
| 2:12:12.2 | Abebe Bikila Abebe Bikila Abebe Bikila was a two-time Olympic marathon champion from Ethiopia. A stadium in Addis Ababa is named in his honor.-1932–1959:... |
Ethiopia |
October 21, 1964 | Tokyo, Japan Athletics at the 1964 Summer Olympics - Men's marathon The men's marathon was part of the Athletics at the 1964 Summer Olympics program in Tokyo. It was held on 21 October 1964. 79 athletes from 41 nations entered, with 68 starting and 58 finishing.-Results:... |
IAAF, ARRS | |
| 2:12:00 | Morio Shigematsu Morio Shigematsu is a former Japanese long-distance runner who on June 12, 1965 set a world's best in the marathon with a time of 2:12:00 at the Polytechnic Marathon. Less than two months earlier, Shigematsu set a course record at the 1965 Boston Marathon .-Achievements:... |
June 12, 1965 | Polytechnic Marathon Polytechnic Marathon The Polytechnic Marathon, often called the Poly, was a marathon held annually between 1909 and 1996, over various courses in or near London. It was the first marathon to be run regularly over the distance of 26 miles, 385 yards which is now the global standard... |
IAAF | Point-to-point course. Report in The Times The Times The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International... claiming world record. |
|
| 2:09:36.4 | Derek Clayton Derek Clayton Derek Clayton is a former Australian long-distance runner, born in Cumbria, England and raised in Northern Ireland. He set a marathon world best in the Fukuoka Marathon, Japan on 3 December 1967 in 2:09:36.4, in what is considered a classic race, the first marathon race ever run in less than two... |
December 3, 1967 | Fukuoka Marathon Fukuoka Marathon The , held in Fukuoka, Japan, is an international men's marathon race established in 1947. It is usually held on the first Sunday in December.The course record is held by Tsegaye Kebede of Ethiopia, running 2:05:18 in 2009 to best his own record from the previous year.-Men's winners:Winners of the... |
IAAF, ARRS | ||
| 2:08:33.6 | Derek Clayton Derek Clayton Derek Clayton is a former Australian long-distance runner, born in Cumbria, England and raised in Northern Ireland. He set a marathon world best in the Fukuoka Marathon, Japan on 3 December 1967 in 2:09:36.4, in what is considered a classic race, the first marathon race ever run in less than two... |
May 30, 1969 | Antwerp, Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
IAAF | Disputed (short course). | |
| 2:09:28.8 | Ron Hill Ron Hill Ronald "Ron" Hill, MBE, BSc, PhD , is a noted runner and founder of Ron Hill and Hilly Clothing Company. Hill was born in Accrington, Lancashire, England. He was the second man to break 2:10 in the marathon; he set world records at four other distances, but never laid claim to the marathon world... |
July 23, 1970 | Edinburgh, Scotland 1970 British Commonwealth Games The 1970 British Commonwealth Games were held in Edinburgh, Scotland from 16 July to 25 July 1970.This was the first time the name British Commonwealth Games was adopted, the first time metric units rather than imperial units were used in events, and also the first time the games were held in... |
ARRS | ||
| 2:09:12 | Ian Thompson Ian Thompson Ian Reginald Thompson in Birkenhead, Merseyside is an English athlete, who gained success in marathon running. His Commonwealth Games marathon record set in 1974 remains unbeaten.-Making up the numbers:... |
January 31, 1974 | Christchurch, New Zealand 1974 British Commonwealth Games The 1974 British Commonwealth Games were held in Christchurch, New Zealand from 24 January to 2 February 1974. The bid vote was held in Edinburgh at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games.... |
ARRS | ||
| 2:09:05.6 | Shigeru So Shigeru So is a retired long-distance runner from Japan, who represented his native country at two Summer Olympics: 1976 and 1984. He won the 1985 edition of the Tokyo Marathon... |
February 5, 1978 | Beppu-Ōita Marathon Beppu-Ōita Marathon The ' is an annual men's marathon race that takes place every February between the cities of Beppu and Ōita on the island of Kyushu in Japan. First held in 1952 as a 35 km race, the looped marathon course begins at the bottom of Takasaki Mountain and reaches Beppu's Kankoko International Port... |
ARRS | ||
| 2:09:01 | Gerard Nijboer Gerard Nijboer Gerard Nijboer is a former Dutch athlete who competed mainly in the Marathon.Nijboer competed for the Netherlands in three consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1980 , when he won the silver medal in the Men's Marathon... |
April 26, 1980 | Amsterdam Marathon Amsterdam Marathon The Amsterdam Marathon is an annual marathon race over the classic distance of 42.195km held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands since 1975. It is one of the top ten marathons in the world.-History:... |
ARRS | ||
| 2:08:18 | Robert De Castella Robert de Castella Robert Francois de Castella, MBE is an Australian former world champion marathon runner. He is widely known as "Deek" or "Deeks" to the Australian public, and "Tree" to his competitors due to his thick legs and inner calm... |
December 6, 1981 | Fukuoka Marathon Fukuoka Marathon The , held in Fukuoka, Japan, is an international men's marathon race established in 1947. It is usually held on the first Sunday in December.The course record is held by Tsegaye Kebede of Ethiopia, running 2:05:18 in 2009 to best his own record from the previous year.-Men's winners:Winners of the... |
IAAF, ARRS | ||
| 2:08:05 | Steve Jones Steve Jones (athlete) Steve Jones is a Welsh athlete and former world marathon record holder.Steve Jones was born in St James' Hospital Tredegar and grew up in the neighbouring town of Ebbw Vale, Wales, Jones began his career as an aircraft technician in the Royal Air Force... |
October 21, 1984 | Chicago Marathon Chicago Marathon The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is a major marathon held yearly in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Alongside the Boston, New York, London and Berlin Marathons, it is one of the five World Marathon Majors. Thus, it is also an IAAF Gold Label race... |
IAAF, ARRS | ||
| 2:07:12 | Carlos Lopes Carlos Lopes Carlos Alberto de Sousa Lopes, GCIH, is a former Portuguese long-distance athlete, winner of the marathon race at the 1984 Summer Olympics, in Los Angeles. He brought home Portugal's first ever Olympic gold medal along with a new Olympic record - 2:09.21.Born in Vildemoinhos, near Viseu, Portugal,... |
April 20, 1985 | Rotterdam Marathon Rotterdam Marathon The Rotterdam Marathon is an annual marathon that has been held in Rotterdam, the Netherlands since 1981. It has been held in April of every year since the third edition in 1984, and attracts many top athletes. It has also been ranked as one of the top 10 marathons in the world by Runner's World... |
IAAF, ARRS | ||
| 2:06:50 | Belayneh Dinsamo |  Ethiopia |
April 17, 1988 | Rotterdam Marathon Rotterdam Marathon The Rotterdam Marathon is an annual marathon that has been held in Rotterdam, the Netherlands since 1981. It has been held in April of every year since the third edition in 1984, and attracts many top athletes. It has also been ranked as one of the top 10 marathons in the world by Runner's World... |
IAAF, ARRS | |
| 2:06:05 | Ronaldo da Costa Ronaldo da Costa Ronaldo da Costa broke the ten-year-old marathon world record in 1998 in Berlin. The record was previously held by Belayneh Densamo from Ethiopia at the Rotterdam Marathon in April, 1988... |
September 20, 1998 | Berlin Marathon Berlin Marathon The Berlin Marathon is a major running and sporting event held annually in Berlin, Germany. The official marathon distance of 42.195 kilometers is set up as a city-wide road race where professional athletes and amateur runners jointly participate... |
IAAF, ARRS | ||
| 2:05:42 | Khalid Khannouchi Khalid Khannouchi Khalid Khannouchi is a Moroccan American marathoner. He was born in Meknes, Morocco. He is the former world record holder for the marathon and held the former road world best for the 20 km distance. He is one of only five men to break the marathon world record more than once, and one of only four... |
October 24, 1999 | Chicago Marathon Chicago Marathon The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is a major marathon held yearly in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Alongside the Boston, New York, London and Berlin Marathons, it is one of the five World Marathon Majors. Thus, it is also an IAAF Gold Label race... |
IAAF, ARRS | ||
| 2:05:38 | Khalid Khannouchi Khalid Khannouchi Khalid Khannouchi is a Moroccan American marathoner. He was born in Meknes, Morocco. He is the former world record holder for the marathon and held the former road world best for the 20 km distance. He is one of only five men to break the marathon world record more than once, and one of only four... |
April 14, 2002 | London Marathon London Marathon The London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world, and one of the five top world marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors competition, which has a $1 million prize purse. It has been held each spring in London since 1981. The race is currently sponsored by Virgin Money,... |
IAAF, ARRS | First "World's Best" recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations International Association of Athletics Federations The International Association of Athletics Federations is the international governing body for the sport of athletics. It was founded in 1912 at its first congress in Stockholm, Sweden by representatives from 17 national athletics federations as the International Amateur Athletics Federation... . The ARRS notes Khannouchi's extended time as 2:05:37.8 |
|
| 2:04:55 | Paul Tergat Paul Tergat Paul Kibii Tergat is a Kenyan professional long distance runner. He held the world record in the marathon from 2003 to 2007, with a time of 2:04:55, and is regarded as one of the most accomplished long-distance runners of all time.Now concentrating exclusively on the marathon, Tergat won many... |
September 28, 2003 | Berlin Marathon Berlin Marathon The Berlin Marathon is a major running and sporting event held annually in Berlin, Germany. The official marathon distance of 42.195 kilometers is set up as a city-wide road race where professional athletes and amateur runners jointly participate... |
IAAF, ARRS | First world record for the men's marathon ratified by the International Association of Athletics Federations International Association of Athletics Federations The International Association of Athletics Federations is the international governing body for the sport of athletics. It was founded in 1912 at its first congress in Stockholm, Sweden by representatives from 17 national athletics federations as the International Amateur Athletics Federation... . |
|
| 2:04:26 | Haile Gebrselassie Haile Gebrselassie Haile Gebrselassie is an Ethiopian long-distance track and road running athlete. He won two Olympic gold medals over 10,000 metres and four World Championship titles in the event. He won the Berlin Marathon four times consecutively and also had three straight wins at the Dubai Marathon... |
September 30, 2007 | Berlin Marathon Berlin Marathon The Berlin Marathon is a major running and sporting event held annually in Berlin, Germany. The official marathon distance of 42.195 kilometers is set up as a city-wide road race where professional athletes and amateur runners jointly participate... |
IAAF, ARRS | ||
| 2:03:59 | Haile Gebrselassie Haile Gebrselassie Haile Gebrselassie is an Ethiopian long-distance track and road running athlete. He won two Olympic gold medals over 10,000 metres and four World Championship titles in the event. He won the Berlin Marathon four times consecutively and also had three straight wins at the Dubai Marathon... |
September 28, 2008 | Berlin Marathon Berlin Marathon The Berlin Marathon is a major running and sporting event held annually in Berlin, Germany. The official marathon distance of 42.195 kilometers is set up as a city-wide road race where professional athletes and amateur runners jointly participate... |
IAAF, ARRS | The ARRS notes Gebrselassie's extended time as 2:03:58.2 | |
| 2:03:38 | Patrick Makau | September 25, 2011 | Berlin Marathon Berlin Marathon The Berlin Marathon is a major running and sporting event held annually in Berlin, Germany. The official marathon distance of 42.195 kilometers is set up as a city-wide road race where professional athletes and amateur runners jointly participate... |
IAAF, | This is currently pending ratification by the IAAF |
Women
| Time | Name | Nationality | Date | Event/Place | Source | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5:40:xx | Marie-Louise Ledru Marie-Louise Ledru Marie-Louise Ledru was a French athlete who has been credited as the first woman to race the now-defined marathon distance of 42.195 km. On September 29, 1918, Ledru reportedly completed the Tour de Paris Marathon in a time of 5 hours and 40 minutes and finished in 38th place.The International... |
September 29, 1918 | Tour de Paris Marathon | ARRS | ||
| 3:40:22 | Violet Piercy Violet Piercy Violet Piercy was an English long-distance runner who is recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations as having set the first women's world best in the marathon on October 3, 1926 with a time of 3:40:22.... |
October 3, 1926 | London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... |
IAAF | The ARRS indicates that Piercy's 3:40:22 was set on August 2, 1926 during a time trial on a course that was only 35.4 km. | |
| 3:37:07 | Merry Lepper Merry Lepper Merry Lepper is a former American long-distance runner from California who is recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations as having set a world best in the marathon on December 16, 1963, with a time of 3:37:07 at the Western Hemisphere Marathon in Culver City,... |
December 16, 1963 | Culver City, United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
IAAF | Disputed (short course). | |
| 3:27:45 | Dale Greig Dale Greig Dale Greig is a former Scottish long-distance runner who is recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations as having set a world best in the women's marathon on May 23, 1964 with a time of 3:27:45... |
May 23, 1964 | Ryde Ryde Ryde is a British seaside town, civil parish and the most populous town and urban area on the Isle of Wight, with a population of approximately 30,000. It is situated on the north-east coast. The town grew in size as a seaside resort following the joining of the villages of Upper Ryde and Lower... |
IAAF, ARRS | ||
| 3:19:33 | Mildred Sampson Mildred Sampson Mildred "Millie" Sampson is a former New Zealand long-distance runner who is recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations as having set a world best in the marathon on 21 July 1964, with a time of 3:19:33 in Auckland, New Zealand... |
July 21, 1964 | Auckland Auckland The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world... , New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga... |
IAAF | Disputed by ARRS as a time trial. | |
| 3:15:23 | Maureen Wilton Maureen Wilton Maureen "Moe" Wilton is a former Canadian long-distance runner who is well recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations as having set a world best in the marathon on May 6, 1967 with a time of 3:15:23 in Toronto, Canada... |
May 6, 1967 | Toronto Toronto Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from... , Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
IAAF, ARRS | The ARRS notes Wilton's extended time as 3:14:22.8 | |
| 3:07:27.2 | Anni Pede-Erdkamp Anni Pede-Erdkamp Anni Pede-Erdkamp is a former West German long-distance runner who is recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations as having set a world best in the marathon on September 16, 1967 with a time of 3:07:27 in Waldniel, West Germany.Pede and Monika Boers were asked by Ernst van... |
September 16, 1967 | Waldniel Schwalmtal, North Rhine-Westphalia Schwalmtal is a municipality in the district of Viersen, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is named after the river Schwalm, which flows through the area. Schwalmtal is situated approx. 12 km west of Mönchengladbach.... , West Germany West Germany West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990.... |
IAAF, ARRS | The ARRS notes Pede-Erdkamp's extended time as 3:07:26.2 | |
| 3:02:53 | Caroline Walker Caroline Walker Caroline Walker is a former American long-distance runner from Oregon who is recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations as having set a world best in the marathon on February 28, 1970 with a time of 3:02:53 at the inaugural Trail's End Marathon in Seaside, Oregon.Walker's... |
February 28, 1970 | Seaside, OR | IAAF, ARRS | ||
| 3:01:42 | Elizabeth Bonner Elizabeth Bonner Beth Bonner was a long-distance runner from Reedsville, West Virginia. On May 9, 1971, Bonner ran a 3:01:42 marathon time in Philadelphia at the AAU Eastern Regional Championships, breaking the world best set one year earlier by Caroline Walker... |
May 9, 1971 | Philadelphia, United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
IAAF, ARRS | ||
| 2:55:22 | Elizabeth Bonner Elizabeth Bonner Beth Bonner was a long-distance runner from Reedsville, West Virginia. On May 9, 1971, Bonner ran a 3:01:42 marathon time in Philadelphia at the AAU Eastern Regional Championships, breaking the world best set one year earlier by Caroline Walker... |
September 19, 1971 | New York City Marathon New York City Marathon The New York City Marathon is a major annual marathon that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is one of the largest marathons in the world, with 45,103 finishers in 2010... |
IAAF, ARRS | ||
| 2:49:40 | Cheryl Bridges Cheryl Bridges Cheryl Bridges, now Cheryl Treworgy, is an American long-distance runner who is a former American and world record holder in the marathon, racing in the 1960s and 1970s.-Biography:... |
December 5, 1971 | Culver City, United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
IAAF, ARRS | ||
| 2:46:36 | Michiko Gorman | December 2, 1973 | Culver City, United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
IAAF, ARRS | The ARRS notes Gorman's extended time as 2:46:37 | |
| 2:46:24 | Chantal Langlacé Chantal Langlacé Chantal Langlacé is a former French long-distance runner who is recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations as having set a world best in the marathon on two different occasions... |
October 27, 1974 | Neuf-Brisach, France | IAAF, ARRS | ||
| 2:43:54.5 | Jacqueline Hansen Jacqueline Hansen Jacqueline Hansen is a former long-distance runner from the United States who is recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations as having set a world best in the marathon on two different occasions.Hansen set a world best mark on December 1, 1974 with a 2:43:55 performance... |
December 1, 1974 | Culver City, United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
IAAF, ARRS | The ARRS notes Hansen's extended time as 2:43:54.6 | |
| 2:42:24 | Liane Winter Liane Winter Liane Winter is a former West German long-distance runner, who is recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations as having set a world best at the Boston Marathon on April 21, 1975 with a time of 2:42:24... |
April 21, 1975 | Boston Marathon Boston Marathon The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by the U.S. city of Boston, Massachusetts, on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897 and inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest... |
IAAF | Disputed (point-to-point). | |
| 2:40:15.8 | Christa Vahlensieck Christa Vahlensieck Christa Vahlensieck is a former German long distance runner and pionier in the marathon for women.... |
May 3, 1975 | Dülmen Dülmen Dülmen is a municipality in the district of Coesfeld, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Geography:Dülmen is situated in the south part of the Münsterland area, between the Lippe river to the south, the Baumberge hills to the north and the Ems river to the east... |
IAAF, ARRS | ||
| 2:38:19 | Jacqueline Hansen Jacqueline Hansen Jacqueline Hansen is a former long-distance runner from the United States who is recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations as having set a world best in the marathon on two different occasions.Hansen set a world best mark on December 1, 1974 with a 2:43:55 performance... |
October 12, 1975 | Eugene, United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
IAAF, ARRS | ||
| 2:35:15.4 | Chantal Langlacé Chantal Langlacé Chantal Langlacé is a former French long-distance runner who is recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations as having set a world best in the marathon on two different occasions... |
May 1, 1977 | Oiartzun Oiartzun Oiartzun is a town of the Basque Country located in the province of Gipuzkoa lying at the foot of the massif Aiako Harria.The name traces back to the Oiasso or Oiarso of the Roman period, an important town dedicated to mining and marine activities... , Spain Spain Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula... |
IAAF | ||
| 2:34:47.5 | Christa Vahlensieck Christa Vahlensieck Christa Vahlensieck is a former German long distance runner and pionier in the marathon for women.... |
September 10, 1977 | Berlin Marathon Berlin Marathon The Berlin Marathon is a major running and sporting event held annually in Berlin, Germany. The official marathon distance of 42.195 kilometers is set up as a city-wide road race where professional athletes and amateur runners jointly participate... |
IAAF, ARRS | ||
| 2:32:29.8 | Grete Waitz Grete Waitz Grete Waitz was a Norwegian marathon runner and former world record holder. Waitz won nine New York City Marathons between 1978 and 1988, more than any other runner in history... |
October 22, 1978 | New York City Marathon New York City Marathon The New York City Marathon is a major annual marathon that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is one of the largest marathons in the world, with 45,103 finishers in 2010... |
IAAF | Disputed (short course). | |
| 2:27:32.6 | Grete Waitz Grete Waitz Grete Waitz was a Norwegian marathon runner and former world record holder. Waitz won nine New York City Marathons between 1978 and 1988, more than any other runner in history... |
October 21, 1979 | New York City Marathon New York City Marathon The New York City Marathon is a major annual marathon that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is one of the largest marathons in the world, with 45,103 finishers in 2010... |
IAAF | Disputed (short course). | |
| 2:31:23 | Joan Benoit Joan Benoit Joan Benoit Samuelson is an American marathon runner, who won gold at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, the year that the women's marathon was introduced. As a result she was the first ever women's Olympic marathon champion. Benoit Samuelson still holds the fastest times for an American... |
February 3, 1980 | Auckland Auckland The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world... , New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga... |
ARRS | ||
| 2:30:57.1 | Patti Catalano Patti Catalano Patti Catalano Dillon is a former long-distance runner from the United States who is recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations as having set world bests in the half marathon, 30 kilometers, and 20 kilometers... |
September 6, 1980 | Montreal Montreal Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America... , Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
ARRS | ||
| 2:25:41.3 | Grete Waitz Grete Waitz Grete Waitz was a Norwegian marathon runner and former world record holder. Waitz won nine New York City Marathons between 1978 and 1988, more than any other runner in history... |
October 26, 1980 | New York City Marathon New York City Marathon The New York City Marathon is a major annual marathon that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is one of the largest marathons in the world, with 45,103 finishers in 2010... |
IAAF | Disputed (short course). | |
| 2:30:27 | Joyce Smith Joyce Smith Joyce Esther Smith is a British former long distance runner.Smith was born in Stoke Newington, London, and began running competitively in the 1950s, at which time the longest distance for women in international competitions was 800 metres. She won the English National Crosscountry Championship in... |
November 16, 1980 | Tokyo Tokyo , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family... , Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
ARRS | ||
| 2:29:57 | Joyce Smith Joyce Smith Joyce Esther Smith is a British former long distance runner.Smith was born in Stoke Newington, London, and began running competitively in the 1950s, at which time the longest distance for women in international competitions was 800 metres. She won the English National Crosscountry Championship in... |
March 29, 1981 | London Marathon London Marathon The London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world, and one of the five top world marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors competition, which has a $1 million prize purse. It has been held each spring in London since 1981. The race is currently sponsored by Virgin Money,... |
ARRS | ||
| 2:29:01.6 | Charlotte Teske Charlotte Teske Charlotte Teske is a former female long-distance runner from Germany, who represented West Germany at the 1984 Summer Olympics. She won the 1982 edition of the Boston Marathon, and the 1986 edition of the Berlin Marathon.-Achievements:-References:*... |
January 16, 1982 | Miami, United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
ARRS | ||
| 2:26:12 | Joan Benoit Joan Benoit Joan Benoit Samuelson is an American marathon runner, who won gold at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, the year that the women's marathon was introduced. As a result she was the first ever women's Olympic marathon champion. Benoit Samuelson still holds the fastest times for an American... |
September 12, 1982 | Eugene, United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
ARRS | ||
| 2:25:28.7 | Grete Waitz Grete Waitz Grete Waitz was a Norwegian marathon runner and former world record holder. Waitz won nine New York City Marathons between 1978 and 1988, more than any other runner in history... |
April 17, 1983 | London Marathon London Marathon The London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world, and one of the five top world marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors competition, which has a $1 million prize purse. It has been held each spring in London since 1981. The race is currently sponsored by Virgin Money,... |
IAAF, ARRS | ||
| 2:22:43 | Joan Benoit Joan Benoit Joan Benoit Samuelson is an American marathon runner, who won gold at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, the year that the women's marathon was introduced. As a result she was the first ever women's Olympic marathon champion. Benoit Samuelson still holds the fastest times for an American... |
April 18, 1983 | Boston Marathon Boston Marathon The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by the U.S. city of Boston, Massachusetts, on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897 and inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest... |
IAAF | Disputed (point-to-point). | |
| 2:24:26 | Ingrid Kristiansen Ingrid Kristiansen Ingrid Kristiansen née Christensen , was one of the best female long distance runners in the second half of the 1980s. She finished in fourth place in the first women's Olympic marathon race, at the 1984 Summer Olympics.-Career:Kristiansen started her career quite unremarkably, running 2:30 - 2:40... |
May 13, 1984 | London Marathon London Marathon The London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world, and one of the five top world marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors competition, which has a $1 million prize purse. It has been held each spring in London since 1981. The race is currently sponsored by Virgin Money,... |
ARRS | ||
| 2:21:06 | Ingrid Kristiansen Ingrid Kristiansen Ingrid Kristiansen née Christensen , was one of the best female long distance runners in the second half of the 1980s. She finished in fourth place in the first women's Olympic marathon race, at the 1984 Summer Olympics.-Career:Kristiansen started her career quite unremarkably, running 2:30 - 2:40... |
April 21, 1985 | London Marathon London Marathon The London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world, and one of the five top world marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors competition, which has a $1 million prize purse. It has been held each spring in London since 1981. The race is currently sponsored by Virgin Money,... |
IAAF, ARRS | ||
| 2:20:47 | Tegla Loroupe Tegla Loroupe Tegla Chepkite Loroupe is a long-distance track and road runner, and a global spokeswoman for peace, women's rights, and education.... |
April 19, 1998 | Rotterdam Marathon Rotterdam Marathon The Rotterdam Marathon is an annual marathon that has been held in Rotterdam, the Netherlands since 1981. It has been held in April of every year since the third edition in 1984, and attracts many top athletes. It has also been ranked as one of the top 10 marathons in the world by Runner's World... |
IAAF, ARRS | ||
| 2:20:43 | Tegla Loroupe Tegla Loroupe Tegla Chepkite Loroupe is a long-distance track and road runner, and a global spokeswoman for peace, women's rights, and education.... |
September 26, 1999 | Berlin Marathon Berlin Marathon The Berlin Marathon is a major running and sporting event held annually in Berlin, Germany. The official marathon distance of 42.195 kilometers is set up as a city-wide road race where professional athletes and amateur runners jointly participate... |
IAAF, ARRS | ||
| 2:19:46 | Naoko Takahashi Naoko Takahashi is a Japanese long-distance runner competing mainly in the marathon. She is widely known for her victory in the women's marathon at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, a performance that stands as the current Olympic record. At the 2001 Berlin Marathon, Takahashi became the first woman to break the 2... |
Berlin Marathon
The Berlin Marathon is a major running and sporting event held annually in Berlin, Germany. The official marathon distance of 42.195 kilometers is set up as a city-wide road race where professional athletes and amateur runners jointly participate...
|| IAAF, ARRS ||
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:18:47 || Catherine Ndereba
Catherine Ndereba
Wincatherine Nyambura Ndereba is a Kenyan marathon runner. She has twice won the marathon at the World Championships in Athletics and won silver medals in the Olympics in 2004 and 2008. She is also a four-time winner of the Boston Marathon...
|| || October 7, 2001 || Chicago Marathon
Chicago Marathon
The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is a major marathon held yearly in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Alongside the Boston, New York, London and Berlin Marathons, it is one of the five World Marathon Majors. Thus, it is also an IAAF Gold Label race...
|| IAAF, ARRS ||
|- style="background:skyBlue;"
| 2:17:18|| Paula Radcliffe
Paula Radcliffe
Paula Jane Radcliffe, MBE is an English long-distance runner. She is the current women's world record holder in the marathon with her time of 2:15:25 hours...
|| || October 13, 2002 || Chicago Marathon
Chicago Marathon
The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is a major marathon held yearly in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Alongside the Boston, New York, London and Berlin Marathons, it is one of the five World Marathon Majors. Thus, it is also an IAAF Gold Label race...
|| IAAF, ARRS || First "World's Best" recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations
International Association of Athletics Federations
The International Association of Athletics Federations is the international governing body for the sport of athletics. It was founded in 1912 at its first congress in Stockholm, Sweden by representatives from 17 national athletics federations as the International Amateur Athletics Federation...
. The ARRS notes Radcliffe's extended time as 2:17:17.7
|- style="background:skyBlue;"
| 2:15:25 || Paula Radcliffe
Paula Radcliffe
Paula Jane Radcliffe, MBE is an English long-distance runner. She is the current women's world record holder in the marathon with her time of 2:15:25 hours...
|| || April 13, 2003 || London Marathon
London Marathon
The London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world, and one of the five top world marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors competition, which has a $1 million prize purse. It has been held each spring in London since 1981. The race is currently sponsored by Virgin Money,...
|| IAAF, ARRS || First world record for the women's marathon ratified by the International Association of Athletics Federations
International Association of Athletics Federations
The International Association of Athletics Federations is the international governing body for the sport of athletics. It was founded in 1912 at its first congress in Stockholm, Sweden by representatives from 17 national athletics federations as the International Amateur Athletics Federation...
. The ARRS notes Radcliffe's extended time as 2:15:24.6
|}