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.
Kenenisa Bekele Beyecha is an Ethiopian long-distance runner. He was the world record holder in both the 5,000-metre and 10,000-metre from 2004 until 2020. He won the gold medal in both the 5,000 m and 10,000 m events at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. At the 2004 Olympics, he won the gold medal in the 10,000 m and the silver medal in the 5,000 m.
Lucy Wangui Kabuu is a Kenyan long-distance runner who specializes in the 5000 and 10,000 metres events. She has represented Kenya twice at the Summer Olympics, finishing in the top ten of the 10,000 m race in both 2004 and 2008. Her personal bests of 14:33.49 minutes for the 5000 m and 30:39.96 minutes for the 10,000 m make her one of Kenya's fastest ever runners in the events.
The Athens Classic Marathon The Authentic is an annual marathon road race held in Athens, Greece, normally in early November, since 1972. It also often serves as Greece's national marathon championships. The race attracted 43,000 competitors in 2015 of which 16,000 were for the 42.195 kilometre (26.2 mile) course, both numbers being an all-time record for the event. The rest of the runners competed in the concurrent 5 and 10 kilometres road races and the racewalking contest.
Paul Malakwen Kosgei is a Kenyan long-distance and marathon runner. He first came to prominence in athletics by taking the World Junior Record of 3000m steeple in 1997, and later with consecutive medals at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships from 1998 to 2000.
Kayoko Fukushi is a Japanese long-distance runner, who specializes in the 5000, 10,000 metres and marathon. Fukushi represented Japan at the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics. She was the bronze medallist in the marathon at the 2013 World Championships in Athletics. She holds a marathon best of 2:22:17 hours.
Nadia Ejjafini is a Moroccan-born professional long-distance runner. She switched nationality from her birth country to Bahrain in 2003, and later became an Italian citizen by marriage in 2009.
Colleen S. De Reuck is a long-distance runner from South Africa, who became an American citizen on 11 December 2000. She has had a long-lasting career, running in her forties, and made a total of four appearances at the Summer Olympics.
Andriy Toptun or Andrii Toptun is a Ukrainian marathon runner. He has won the Moscow Marathon, Philadelphia Marathon, Regensburg Marathon and Nürburgring-Lauf. He has also been runner-up at the Düsseldorf Marathon, California International Marathon, and the Moscow International Peace Marathon. He has represented Ukraine three times at the European Mountain Running Championships.
Antonius Marinus Hendricus Maria "Tonnie" Dirks is a Dutch former long distance runner. He competed internationally on the track, road, and also in cross country competitions.
Florence Jepkemoi Barsosio is a Kenyan athlete who specialises in long-distance running. Her sister, Sally Barsosio, is also a professional runner.
Ivan Babaryka is a Ukrainian long distance runner who specialises in the marathon.
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.
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.
Tiziana Alagia is a retired Italian long-distance runner who specialised in the marathon. She represented Italy at the World Championships in Athletics in 2001. A one-time Italian marathon champion, her best for the distance was 2:27:53 hours. She primarily competed in Italy and won marathon races in Florence, Carpi, Turin, Padova and Piacenza.
Ondoro Osoro is a former Kenyan long-distance runner who competed mostly in cross country and road races.
Albina Mayorova, née Albina Gennadyevna Ivanova, is a Russian long-distance runner who competes in marathon races. She has a personal best of 2:23:52 hours for the distance. Since her marathon debut in 2001, she has won international races in Dubai, Nagano, Singapore and Nagoya. She has also had top four finishes at the Chicago, London and Honolulu Marathons.
Olga Glok is a Russian long-distance runner who competes in marathon races. She represented her country at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics. She has a marathon best of 2:27:18 hours and has won the Prague Marathon and Twin Cities Marathon.
Trudi Thomson is a British former distance runner and ultramarathon runner who competed for Great Britain at the IAU 100 km World Championships in 1993 and 1994, the IAAF 1995 World Cup Marathon, the IAAF 1995 World Championships Marathon and the IAAF 1995 World Championships Half Marathon. She represented Scotland at the 1999 World Mountain Running Trophy.
Sergey Lukin, is a Russian middle-distance and long-distance runner. He achieved fame in 1999, when he became the national champion in the 5,000 meter race at the Russian National Championships. In 2009, he became the Russian National Champion in the half-marathon race at Cheboksary, Russia where he rad a 1:06:13.
Ukraine 
