A half marathon is a road running event of 21.0975 kilometres —half the distance of a marathon. It is common for a half marathon event to be held concurrently with a marathon or a 5K race, using almost the same course with a late start, an early finish or shortcuts. If finisher medals are awarded, the medal or ribbon may differ from those for the full marathon. The half marathon is also known as a 21K, 21.1K, or 13.1 miles, although these values are rounded and not formally correct.
Rita Jeptoo is a Kenyan marathon runner. Originally a winner of the Boston Marathon three times, including setting the then course record at 2:18:57 in 2014, she had also won marathons in Chicago, Stockholm, and Milan, as well as having represented Kenya in the event at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics. She was the bronze medalist at the 2006 IAAF World Road Running Championships.
The Principality Building Society Cardiff Half Marathon is an annual half marathon race held in the Welsh capital city of Cardiff, taking place in October. The event was established in 2003, initially alongside the Cardiff Marathon, however, due to the increasing popularity of the Half Marathon, the Marathon distance was dropped after 2006. The race was originally organised by the children’s charity Barnardo’s. Now organised by Run 4 Wales, the race has grown to accommodate up to 27,500 runners.
Mary Jepkosgei Keitany is a Kenyan former professional long distance runner. She is the world record holder in a women-only marathon, having won the 2017 London Marathon in a time of 2:17:01. As of November 2022, she placed fifth on the world all-time list at the marathon and eleventh on the respective world all-time list for the half marathon.
Sammy Kirop Kitwara is a Kenyan long-distance runner who specialises in road running events. He is coached by Moses Kiptanui. As of January 2020 he is the 12th fastest half marathon runner in history.
Amane Gobena Gemeda is an Ethiopian long-distance runner who competes primarily in road running events. She has a marathon best of 2:23:50 hours.
Lelisa Desisa Benti is an Ethiopian long-distance runner who specialises in road running competitions. Desisa gained his first international medal at the 2009 African Junior Athletics Championships, where he took the 10,000 metres gold medal.
Laban Kipngetich Korir is a Kenyan long-distance runner who competes in road running competitions. He is currently part of the NN Running Team, an international team of elite long-distance runners managed by Global Sports Communication in Nijmegen, Netherlands.
Gladys Cherono Kiprono is a Kenyan professional long-distance runner who competes in track and road running events. She became the first woman to win both the 5000 metres and 10,000 metres at the African Championships in 2012. She is a three-time winner of the Berlin Marathon and the 8th fastest women marathoner of all time.
Peres Jepchirchir is a Kenyan professional long-distance runner who competes mainly in road running competitions. She won the gold medal in the women's marathon at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Jepchirchir was the champion at the 2016 and 2020 World Half Marathon Championships. She claimed victories at the 2021 New York City and 2022 Boston Marathon and finished third at the 2023 London Marathon.
Lonah Korlima Chemtai Salpeter is a Kenyan-Israeli runner. She won the bronze medal in the marathon at the 2022 World Athletics Championships. At the European Athletics Championships, Chemtai took victory in the 10,000 metres in 2018 and earned bronze in 2022. She won the 2020 Tokyo Marathon, finished second at the 2022 New York City Marathon and third at the 2023 Boston Marathon.
The Valencia Marathon is an annual marathon road running event hosted by Valencia, Spain since 1981. It is categorized as a Platinum Label Road Race by World Athletics. The race is organised by the Valencian sports club SD Correcaminos, which also organises the annual Valencia Half Marathon.
Eunice Chebichii Chumba is a Kenyan-born Bahraini female long distance runner. She won silver medals in the 10,000 metres at the 2018 Asian Games and 2015 Asian Athletics Championships.
Ruth Chepng'etich, often spelt Ruth Chepngetich, is a Kenyan road racing athlete, who competes in the marathon and other long distance events. She was the 2019 Marathon World champion in hot and humid conditions. Chepng'etich twice won the Chicago Marathon, in 2021 and 2022. Her personal best in the marathon sits second on the world all-time list. She holds the third-fastest mark of all time for the half marathon.
Titus Ekiru is a Kenyan long-distance runner. He represented Kenya at the 2019 African Games and he won the men's half marathon with a time of 1:01:42. He became the first Kenyan to win this event at the African Games. This was also a new African Games record.
The 25K run is a long distance running footrace that is between the distance of a half marathon and a marathon. It was formerly an official world record distance in road running by World Athletics, but has since been downgraded to world best status. Separately, the Association of Road Racing Statisticians retains world records in the 25K distance. The ARRS holds different standards for records than World Athletics, with exclusions for certain point-to-point races and mixed sex races. As a result its women's world record is 1:26:34 by Nancy Conz, set in 1982.
Philemon Rono, nicknamed the "baby police", is a Kenyan long-distance runner who specializes in the marathon. He holds the Canadian all-comers' record in the marathon, having run the fastest marathon ever in Canada of 2:05:00 to win the 2019 Toronto Waterfront Marathon. Rono is a three-time winner of this marathon, having won the race in 2016, 2017 and 2019.
Elisha Rotich is a Kenyan long-distance runner who specializes in the marathon. Rotich has a personal best in the marathon of 2:04:21, which he set when he won and set the course record at the Paris Marathon in 2021. Rotich also won the 2016 Cannes Marathon des Alpes-Maritimes, the 2017 Chuncheon Chosunilbo Marathon, and the 2018 Eindhoven Marathon.
The Abu Dhabi Marathon is an annual road-based marathon hosted by Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, since 2018. The marathon is a World Athletics Elite Label Road Race and a member of the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races. During the race weekend, a 10K race, a 5K race, and a 2.5K fun run are also offered.
