Infographic: World record in marathon

I have created a graphic with statistics about the world record in marathon running. The infographic contains 1) the development of marathon times for men and women, 2) Which nations (divided into women and men) have held the world record the most times and 3) where in the world the world record in marathon has been set most often.

The evolution of the marathon world record

The world record for marathons has changed significantly since the early 1900s. The first recorded marathon record from Wikipedia was 2:55:18.4. Today, the world record for marathons is 2:02:57 (2:55 min/km), just 2 minutes and 57 seconds short of the magical two hours.

Marathon under 2 timer?

Has man reached a natural limit to how fast a marathon can be run, or will we see elite runners complete a marathon in under 2 hours? In any case, it will be a huge tribute to the first runner to cross this limit.

The development of running shoes also has a significant impact on the world record and the extent to which it becomes possible to hit sub 2 hours. Running shoes were once much more minimalist than they are today. Read here about the history of running shoes. With new midsoles, bounce effect and lighter materials, running shoes are getting faster and faster.

Marathon in 3 hours or 4 hours – the magic limits for exercisers

Many marathon virgins have the ambition to run a marathon under 4 hours. This is the most common goal for marathon runners – to sneak under 4 hours. Getting under 4 hours requires you to be able to maintain an average pace of 5:41 min/km.

For the ambitious, the hard limit is the 3 hour, sub 3 marathon. This requires you to run 4:16 min/km for 42.195 kilometers.

Marathon world record for women versus men

Men are faster than women. However, the development of the world record in the marathon over time indicates that the world elite for men and women are getting closer. With the latest statistics, there is only about 15 minutes difference between the world record for men and women.

The best nations – surprised?

Master

The USA is the world’s best marathon nation. At least it is the USA that has been the record holder the most times. However, it is important to emphasize that it is the Kenyan and Ethiopian nations that have been the favorites in recent years.

The last 5 world records have been set byPaul Tergat (Kenya), Haile Gebrselassie (Ethiopia), Patrick Makau (Kenya) and Wilson Kipsang (Kenya), all 4 of whom come from Kenya or Ethiopia.

Ladies

Women have had a tremendous progression in the world record in the marathon from 1980-2000. However, the most recent record was set all the way back in 2003 by the British runner Paula Radcliffe.

If we go back a few decades, Norway was quite dominant. It was Ingrid Kristiansen, who was the latest Scandinavian record holder (a title that Denmark has never had).

Here you run the fastest marathon

The last 6 world records have been set byBerlin Marathon. The route is flat and very straight without many bends, making Berlin the ideal place for you to set a personal best.

In addition, London Marathon andBoston marathon (no longer recognized for record attempts as the start and finish are in different places and the route as a whole drops too much in altitude) are also known to be obvious destinations for those of you who want to set a personal record in the marathon. Kim Petersen from Rekordjagt has written an excellent article about the 30 fastest marathon routes in Europe. His suggestion is:

• Frankfurt
• Berlin
• London
• Rotterdam
• Amsterdam

Optimal temperature for setting a PR in a marathon

As you can see in the graphic, almost all world records are set in the temperate climate zone (even those in Australia and New Zealand). When choosing your marathon, consider running in cool weather.