Below you’ll find tables detailing several marathon superlatives:
- Give A Gift;
- the 10 fastest American marathoners in history on record-eligible courses;
- the 10 fastest performances on record-eligible courses;
- Note that we said on record-eligible courses. Thats why.
Note that we said “on record-eligible courses.” That’s why Eliud Kipchoge’s 1:59:40 in Vienna isn’t on the list from 2019. That time doesn’t count for record purposes because standard competition rules for pacing and fluids weren’t followed. Similarly, times from the Boston course can’t be on the list, because of its point-to-point layout and too-great net elevation drop.
Each marathoner appears on the first list, for the fastest performers the 10 fastest American marathoners in history on record-eligible courses performances in history, allows for a runner to appear more than once. For example, Eliud Kipchoge appears four times in the fastest-performances list for men.
the 10 fastest performances on record-eligible courses.
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10 Fastest Marathoners on Record-Eligible Course: Men
| Runner | Finish Time | Pace/Mile | Marathon |
| Kelvin Kiptum (Kenya) | 2:00:35 | 4:36.0 | Chicago, 2023 |
| Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) | 2:01:09 | 4:37.2 | Berlin, 2022 |
| Kenenisa Bekele (Ethiopia) | 2:01:41 | 4:38.5 | Berlin, 2019 |
| Sisay Lemma (Ethiopia) | 2:01:48 | 4:38.7 | Valencia, 2023 |
| Benson Kipruto (Kenya) | 2:02:16 | 4:39.8 | Tokyo, 2024 |
| Birhanu Legese (Ethiopia) | 2:02:48 | 4:41.0 | Berlin, 2019 |
| Mosinet Geremew (Ethiopia) | 2:02:55 | 4:41.3 | London, 2019 |
| Timothy Kiplagat (Kenya) | 2:02:55 | 4:41.3 | Tokyo, 2024 |
| Dennis Kimetto (Kenya) | 2:02:57 | 4:41.4 | Berlin, 2014 |
| Evans Chebet (Kenya) | 2:03:00 | 4:41.5 | Valencia, 2020 |
10 Fastest Marathoners on Record-Eligible Course: Women
| Runner | Finish Time | Pace/Mile | Marathon |
| Tigist Assefa (Ethiopia) | 2:11:53 | 5:01.8 | Berlin, 2023 |
| Sifan Hassan (Netherlands) | 2:13:44 | 5:06.0 | Chicago, 2023 |
| Brigid Kosgei (Kenya) | 2:14:04 | 5:06.8 | Chicago, 2019 |
| Ruth Chepngetich (Kenya) | 2:14:18 | 5:07.3 | Chicago, 2022 |
| Amane Beriso (Ethiopia) | 2:14:58 | 5:08.9 | Valencia, 2022 |
| Paula Radcliffe (Great Britain) | 2:15:25 | 5:09.9 | London, 2003 |
| Worknesh Degefa (Ethiopia) | 2:15:51 | 5:10.9 | Valencia, 2023 |
| Sutume Kebede (Ethiopia) | 2:15:55 | 5:11.0 | Tokyo, 2024 |
| Tigist Ketema (Ethiopia) | 2:16:07 | 5:11.5 | Dubai, 2024 |
| Rosemary Wanjiru (Kenya) | 2:16:14 | 5:11.8 | Tokyo, 2024 |
10 Fastest American Marathoners on Record-Eligible Course: Men
| Runner | Finish Time | Pace/Mile | Marathon |
| Khalid Khannouchi | 2:05:38 | 4:47.5 | London, 2002 |
| 2:06:07 | 4:48.6 | Prague, 2018 | |
| 2:06:17 | 4:49.0 | London, 2008 | |
| 2:07:47 | 4:52.4 | Chicago, 2012 | |
| Conner Mantz | 2:07:47 | 4:52.4 | Chicago, 2023 |
| Leonard Korir | 2:07:56 | 4:52.8 | Amsterdam, 2019 |
| Clayton Young | 2:08:00 | 4:52.9 | Chicago, 2023 |
| Sam Chelanga | 2:08:50 | 4:54.8 | Chicago, 2023 |
| Abdi Abdirahman | 2:08:56 | 4:55.1 | Chicago, 2006 |
| 2:09:08 | 4:55.5 | Olympic Marathon Trials, 2012 |
10 Fastest American Marathoners on Record-Eligible Course: Women
| Runner | Finish Time | Pace/Mile | Marathon |
| Emily Sisson | 2:18:29 | 5:16.9 | Chicago, 2022 |
| Keira D’Amato | 2:19:12 | 5:18.6 | Houston, 2022 |
| Betsy Saina | 2:19:17 | 5:18.7 | Tokyo, 2024 |
| Deena Kastor | 2:19:36 | 5:19.5 | London, 2006 |
| Sara Hall | 2:20:32 | 5:21.6 | The 2024 Marathon and Half Marathon Calendar, 2020 |
| Jordan Hasay | 2:20:57 | 5:22.6 | Chicago, 2017 |
| Shalane Flanagan | 2:21:14 | 5:23.2 | Berlin, 2014 |
| Joan Samuelson | 2:21:21 | 5:23.5 | Chicago, 1985 |
| 2:21:42 | 5:24.3 | Tokyo, 2018 | |
| Fiona O’Keeffe | 2:22:10 | 5:25.3 | Olympic Marathon Trials, 2024 |
10 Fastest Marathons on Record-Eligible Course: Men
| Runner | Finish Time | Pace/Mile | Marathon |
| Kelvin Kiptum (Kenya) | 2:00:35 | 4:36.0 | Chicago, 2023 |
| Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) | 2:01:09 | 4:37.2 | Berlin, 2022 |
| Kelvin Kiptum (Kenya) | 2:01:25 | 4:37.8 | London, 2023 |
| Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) | 2:01:39 | 4:38.4 | Berlin, 2018 |
| Kenenisa Bekele (Ethiopia) | 2:01:41 | 4:38.5 | Berlin, 2019 |
| Sisay Lemma (Ethiopia) | 2:01:48 | 4:38.7 | Valencia, 2023 |
| Kelvin Kiptum (Kenya) | 2:01:53 | 4:38.9 | Valencia, 2022 |
| Benson Kipruto (Kenya) | 2:02:16 | 4:39.8 | Tokyo, 2024 |
| Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) | 2:02:37 | 4:40.6 | London, 2019 |
| Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) | 2:02:40 | 4:40.7 | Tokyo, 2022 |
10 Fastest Marathons on Record-Eligible Course: Women
| Runner | Finish Time | Pace/Mile | Marathon |
| Tigist Assefa (Ethiopia) | 2:11:53 | 5:01.8 | Berlin, 2023 |
| Sifan Hassan (Netherlands) | 2:13:44 | 5:06.0 | Chicago, 2023 |
| Brigid Kosgei (Kenya) | 2:14:04 | 5:06.8 | Chicago, 2019 |
| Ruth Chepngetich (Kenya) | 2:14:18 | 5:07.3 | Chicago, 2022 |
| Amane Beriso (Ethiopia) | 2:14:58 | 5:08.9 | Valencia, 2022 |
| Paula Radcliffe (Great Britain) | 2:15:25 | 5:09.9 | London, 2003 |
| Tigist Assefa (Ethiopia) | 2:15:37 | 5:10.3 | Berlin, 2022 |
| Ruth Chepngetich (Kenya) | 2:15:37 | 5:10.3 | Chicago, 2023 |
| Worknesh Gedefa (Ethiopia) | 2:15:51 | 5:10.9 | Valencia, 2023 |
| Sutume Kebede (Ethiopia) | 2:15:55 | 5:11.0 | Tokyo, 2024 |
Progression of World Record Since 1988: Men
| Runner | Finish Time | Pace/Mile | Marathon |
| Belayneh Densamo (Ethiopia) | 2:06:50 | 4:50.3 | Rotterdam, 1988 |
| Ronaldo da Costa (Brazil) | 2:06:06 | 4:48.6 | Berlin, 1998 |
| Khalid Khannouchi (Morocco) | 2:05:42 | 4:47.7 | Chicago, 1999 |
| Khalid Khannouchi (United States) | 2:05:38 | 4:47.5 | London, 2002 |
| Paul Tergat (Kenya) | 2:04:55 | 4:45.9 | Berlin, 2003 |
| Haile Gebrselassie (Ethiopia) | 2:04:26 | 4:44.8 | Berlin, 2007 |
| Haile Gebrselassie (Ethiopia) | 2:03:59 | 4:43.8 | Berlin, 2008 |
| Patrick Makau (Kenya) | 2:03:38 | 4:43.0 | Berlin, 2011 |
| Wilson Kipsang (Kenya) | 2:03:23 | 4:42.4 | Berlin, 2013 |
| Dennis Kimetto (Kenya) | 2:02:57 | 4:41.4 | Berlin, 2014 |
| Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) | 2:01:39 | 4:38.4 | Berlin, 2018 |
| Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) | 2:01:09 | 4:37.2 | Berlin, 2022 |
| Kelvin Kiptum (Kenya) | 2:00:35 | 4:36.0 | Chicago, 2023 |
Progression of World Record Since 1988: Women
| Runner | Finish Time | Pace/Mile | Marathon |
| Tegla Loroupe (Kenya) | 2:20:47 | 5:22.2 | Rotterdam, 1998 |
| Tegla Loroupe (Kenya) | 2:20:43 | 5:22.0 | Berlin, 1999 |
| Naoko Takahashi (Japan) | 2:19:46 | 5:19.8 | Berlin, 2001 |
| Catherine Ndereba (Kenya) | 2:18:47 | 5:17.6 | Chicago, 2001 |
| Paula Radcliffe (Great Britain) | 2:17:18 | 5:14.2 | Chicago, 2002 |
| Paula Radcliffe (Great Britain) | 2:15:25 | 5:09.9 | London, 2003 |
| Brigid Kosgei (Kenya) | 2:14:04 | 5:06.8 | Chicago, 2019 |
| Tigist Assefa (Ethiopia) | 2:11:53 | 5:01.8 | Berlin, 2023 |
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Scott is a veteran running, fitness, and health journalist who has held senior editorial positions at Runner’s World and Running Times. Much of his writing translates sport science research and elite best practices into practical guidance for everyday athletes. He is the author or coauthor of several running books, including The Fastest Shoes of the 2023 NYC Marathon, Advanced Marathoning, and Fast and Flat Marathons For 2024. Note that we said on record-eligible courses. Thats why Slate, The Atlantic, the Washington Post, and other members of the sedentary media. His lifetime running odometer is past 110,000 miles, but he’s as much in love as ever.
