The pace you need
Sub-2 is the most popular half marathon goal. It needs 5:41 per kilometer or 9:09 per mile, exactly the pace of a 4-hour marathon held for half the distance.
| Value | |
|---|---|
| Pace per km to hold | 5:41 (finishes in 1:59:54) |
| Pace per mile to hold | 9:09 (finishes in 1:59:57) |
| Exact average pace | 5:41.3 /km · 9:09.2 /mi |
| Speed | 10.5 km/h · 6.6 mph |
| Halfway at even pace | 1:00:00 |
The paces above are rounded down to the second, so holding them gets you home just inside the goal.
Checkpoint times
What your watch should read at each marker for an even-paced race, and for a plan where the second half is 2% faster than the first. A 2% negative split means going through halfway in 1:00:36 and running the second half in 59:24.
| Checkpoint | Even pace | 2% negative split |
|---|---|---|
| 5 km | 28:26 | 28:53 |
| 5 miles | 45:46 | 46:20 |
| 10 km | 56:53 | 57:29 |
| Halfway | 1:00:00 | 1:00:36 |
| 15 km | 1:25:19 | 1:25:49 |
| 10 miles | 1:31:32 | 1:31:59 |
| 20 km | 1:53:45 | 1:53:53 |
| Finish | 2:00:00 | 2:00:00 |
How to pace a sub-2 half marathon
- Go through 5 km in about 28:26 and 10 km in about 56:53. Crowded starts often cost 20 to 30 seconds, and that is fine.
- Do not make up lost time in one kilometer. Spread it over the middle 10 km.
- Keep a little in hand for the final 3 km, where most sub-2 races are won or lost.
Want the numbers on your wrist? The pace band generator prints a strip with the elapsed time at every kilometer or mile.
Training paces for this goal
A sub-2 half marathon scores a VDOT of about 36.5 on the scale from Jack Daniels’ Running Formula. These are the training paces that go with that score, using Daniels’ intensities: easy running at 59 to 74% of VO2 max, threshold at 88% and intervals at 97.5%.
| Session | Per km | Per mile | Used for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easy | 6:18 to 7:31 | 10:08 to 12:05 | Most of your weekly running, including long runs |
| Marathon | 5:52 | 9:27 | Steady segments of long runs |
| Threshold | 5:29 | 8:50 | Tempo runs of about 20 minutes, or cruise intervals |
| Interval | 5:03 | 8:08 | Repeats of 3 to 5 minutes with jog recovery |
Train at the paces for the fitness you have now, not the goal. If your recent races are slower, use the VO2 max calculator with a recent result and move to these paces as your races improve.
Race times that match this goal
The same VDOT gives these times at other distances. If you have run close to them recently, the goal is within reach on equal training. They assume training suited to the half marathon, including long runs of around 16 to 20 km.
| Race | Equivalent time | Pace per km |
|---|---|---|
| 5K | 26:04 | 5:13 |
| 10K | 54:07 | 5:25 |
| Marathon | 4:07:45 | 5:52 |
Questions
What pace is a sub-2 half marathon?
5:41 per kilometer or 9:09 per mile. Holding exactly 5:41 per km gets you to the finish in 1:59:54, and 9:09 per mile gets you there in 1:59:57.
What is the halfway split for a sub-2 half marathon?
1:00:00 at even pace. With a 2% negative split, go through halfway in 1:00:36 and run the second half in 59:24.
What treadmill speed is sub-2 half marathon pace?
10.5 km/h or 6.6 mph. Many runners add a 1% incline, which roughly makes up for the lack of air resistance on a treadmill.
What 5K time do I need for a sub-2 half marathon?
About 26:04 on equal fitness, using Daniels’ VDOT tables.
How do I train for a sub-2 half marathon?
Build most of your week from easy running at 6:18 to 7:31 per km, with one threshold session near 5:29 per km and a weekly long run. Run the goal pace itself in shorter sections so it feels familiar on race day.
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Sources
- Daniels J. Daniels’ Running Formula. 4th ed. Human Kinetics; 2022. VDOT tables and training intensities.
- Daniels J, Gilbert J. Oxygen Power: Performance Tables for Distance Runners. 1979.
- Jones AM, Doust JH. A 1% treadmill grade most accurately reflects the energetic cost of outdoor running. Journal of Sports Sciences. 1996;14(4):321-327.