This list is a chronological progression of record times for the marathon. World records in the marathon are ratified by World Athletics, the international governing body for the sport of athletics.
Grete Waitz was a Norwegian marathon runner and former world record holder. In 1979, at the New York City Marathon, she became the first woman in history to run the marathon in under two and a half hours. Waitz won nine New York City Marathons, women's division, between 1978 and 1988, the highest number of victories in a single big city marathon in history. She won the silver medal at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and a gold medal at the 1983 World Championships in Helsinki. She was also a five-time winner of the World Cross Country Championships.
Tegla Chepkite Loroupe is a Kenyan long-distance track and road runner. She is also a global spokeswoman for peace, women's rights and education. Loroupe holds the world records for 25 and 30 kilometers and previously held the world marathon record. She was the first African woman to hold the marathon World Record, which she held from 19 April 1998 until 30 September 2001. She is the three-time World Half-Marathon champion. Loroupe was also the first woman from Africa to win the New York City Marathon, which she has won twice. She has won marathons in London, Rotterdam, Hong Kong, Berlin and Rome.
The following tables are an overview of all current national records in the marathon, as compiled by World Athletics and other authoritative sources of road racing statistics.
Lineth Chepkurui is a Kenyan long distance runner.
Claire Woods, also known as Claire Tallent, is an Australian racewalker.
Molly Huddle is an American long-distance runner who competes in track and cross country running events. She held the American record in the 5000 meters set in 2014 in Monaco (14:42.64), which has since been lowered by Shannon Rowbury and Shelby Houlihan. Huddle held also the American record in the 10,000 meters set at the 2016 Rio Olympics with a time of 30:13.17, which has since been lowered by Alicia Monson.
Rosemary Ryan is a retired Irish long-distance runner who was on the Ireland 2000 Summer Olympics team. Born in Limerick, she attended the University of Limerick between 1996 and 1998. She competed for Ireland five times at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships between 1999 and 2006.
Carla Salomé Rocha is a Portuguese long-distance runner who competed in the 10,000 metres at the 2016 European Athletics Championships and 2017 World Championships, finishing 28th in the latter competition with a time of 32:52.71. She finished 8th in the 2019 London Marathon with a time of 2:24:47.
The world record in the half marathon has been officially recognized since 1 January 2004 by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), the international governing body for the sport of athletics. A total of five men's world records and six women's world records have been officially ratified since that date. The IAAF officially recognized the fastest times before that date as a "world best" from 1 January 2003 onwards. Before that date, the IAAF did not recognize any road running world records, though the concept of a world record was recognized by other organizations, such as the Association of Road Racing Statisticians (ARRS).
Michelle Ross-Cope is an English long-distance runner. She competed for Britain at the European Athletics Championships and several IAAF World Half Marathon Championships. She also represented England at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. She has also won several British domestic road races.
Giampaolo Messina is an Italian marathon runner. He competed in the 1983 World Championships in Athletics.
Cristina Tomasini is an Italian female retired long-distance runner, which participated at the 1987 World Championships in Athletics.
Stefano Scaini is a former Italian male long-distance runner who competed at three editions of the IAAF World Cross Country Championships at senior level. He is the husband of the marathon runner Anna Incerti.
Patrizia Di Napoli is a former Italian female long-distance runner who competed at two editions of the IAAF World Cross Country Championships at senior level. She won one national championships at senior level.
Patrizia Tisi is a former Italian female long-distance runner who competed at four editions of the IAAF World Cross Country Championships at senior level. and two of the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships.
Sara Palmas is a former Italian female middle and long-distance runner who competed at one edition of the IAAF World Cross Country Championships at senior level (2001).
Serenella Sbrissa is a former Italian female middle and long-distance runner who competed at one edition of the IAAF World Cross Country Championships at senior level (1998).
Valentina Belotti is an Italian female mountain runner, world champion at the 2009 World Mountain Running Championships.
Rosita Rota Gelpi is a former Italian female mountain runner who won two World Mountain Running Championships.
Ireland 
