Good Marathon Times by Age
Quick answer: A good marathon time depends on your age and sex. Using WMA age-grading standards, a 50-year-old male running 3:44:13 scores 60% — "Local Class." A 70% Regional Class performance at that age requires 3:12:12. These benchmarks are derived from world-record data, not average finish times from mass-participation events.
Men's Marathon Times by Age
| Age | Recreational 50% | Local Class 60% | Regional 70% | National 80% | World Class 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 4:01:10 9:12/mi | 3:20:58 7:40/mi | 2:52:16 6:34/mi | 2:30:44 5:45/mi | 2:13:59 5:07/mi |
| 35 | 4:01:10 9:12/mi | 3:20:58 7:40/mi | 2:52:16 6:34/mi | 2:30:44 5:45/mi | 2:13:59 5:07/mi |
| 40 | 4:06:31 9:24/mi | 3:25:26 7:50/mi | 2:56:05 6:43/mi | 2:34:05 5:53/mi | 2:16:57 5:13/mi |
| 45 | 4:17:18 9:49/mi | 3:34:25 8:11/mi | 3:03:47 7:01/mi | 2:40:49 6:08/mi | 2:22:57 5:27/mi |
| 50 | 4:29:04 10:16/mi | 3:44:13 8:33/mi | 3:12:12 7:20/mi | 2:48:10 6:25/mi | 2:29:29 5:42/mi |
| 55 | 4:41:58 10:45/mi | 3:54:59 8:58/mi | 3:21:25 7:41/mi | 2:56:14 6:43/mi | 2:36:39 5:58/mi |
| 60 | 4:56:09 11:18/mi | 4:06:48 9:25/mi | 3:31:32 8:04/mi | 3:05:06 7:04/mi | 2:44:32 6:17/mi |
| 65 | 5:11:53 11:54/mi | 4:19:54 9:55/mi | 3:42:46 8:30/mi | 3:14:55 7:26/mi | 2:53:16 6:37/mi |
| 70 | 5:29:20 12:34/mi | 4:34:27 10:28/mi | 3:55:14 8:58/mi | 3:25:50 7:51/mi | 3:02:58 6:59/mi |
| 75 | 5:51:43 13:25/mi | 4:53:06 11:11/mi | 4:11:14 9:35/mi | 3:39:49 8:23/mi | 3:15:24 7:27/mi |
| 80 | 6:27:48 14:47/mi | 5:23:10 12:20/mi | 4:37:00 10:34/mi | 4:02:22 9:15/mi | 3:35:27 8:13/mi |
Women's Marathon Times by Age
| Age | Recreational 50% | Local Class 60% | Regional 70% | National 80% | World Class 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 4:20:19 9:56/mi | 3:36:55 8:16/mi | 3:05:56 7:05/mi | 2:42:42 6:12/mi | 2:24:37 5:31/mi |
| 35 | 4:23:02 10:02/mi | 3:39:12 8:22/mi | 3:07:53 7:10/mi | 2:44:24 6:16/mi | 2:26:08 5:34/mi |
| 40 | 4:28:28 10:14/mi | 3:43:43 8:32/mi | 3:11:46 7:19/mi | 2:47:48 6:24/mi | 2:29:09 5:41/mi |
| 45 | 4:36:52 10:34/mi | 3:50:43 8:48/mi | 3:17:46 7:33/mi | 2:53:02 6:36/mi | 2:33:49 5:52/mi |
| 50 | 4:48:49 11:01/mi | 4:00:41 9:11/mi | 3:26:18 7:52/mi | 3:00:31 6:53/mi | 2:40:27 6:07/mi |
| 55 | 5:05:11 11:38/mi | 4:14:19 9:42/mi | 3:37:59 8:19/mi | 3:10:45 7:17/mi | 2:49:33 6:28/mi |
| 60 | 5:26:16 12:27/mi | 4:31:53 10:22/mi | 3:53:03 8:53/mi | 3:23:55 7:47/mi | 3:01:15 6:55/mi |
| 65 | 5:50:37 13:22/mi | 4:52:11 11:09/mi | 4:10:26 9:33/mi | 3:39:08 8:21/mi | 3:14:47 7:26/mi |
| 70 | 6:18:52 14:27/mi | 5:15:43 12:02/mi | 4:30:37 10:19/mi | 3:56:47 9:02/mi | 3:30:29 8:02/mi |
| 75 | 6:53:08 15:45/mi | 5:44:17 13:08/mi | 4:55:06 11:15/mi | 4:18:13 9:51/mi | 3:49:31 8:45/mi |
| 80 | 7:47:38 17:50/mi | 6:29:42 14:52/mi | 5:34:01 12:44/mi | 4:52:16 11:09/mi | 4:19:48 9:55/mi |
What the performance levels mean
- World Class (90%+) — National or world age-group record territory. Very few runners at any age reach this level.
- National Class (80–89%) — Competitive at national masters championships. Requires serious, structured training over years.
- Regional Class (70–79%) — Strong age-group placements at regional and larger local races. Consistent training with quality sessions.
- Local Class (60–69%) — Competitive in local races. Solid fitness from regular running and some structured training.
- Recreational (below 60%) — Running for fitness and enjoyment. Most runners start here and can improve significantly with consistent training.
Training for a faster Marathon
The marathon is an aerobic endurance event that punishes undertrained runners. Competitive marathon performance requires months of consistent volume — typically 40–60+ miles per week at peak. Marathon-pace long runs are the most race-specific session: running the final 6–10 miles of a long run at goal marathon pace teaches your body to hold pace when glycogen-depleted. Most runners fail at the marathon because they train too fast on easy days and race without enough total volume.
Calculate your exact age-graded score
The table above shows benchmarks at round performance levels. Enter your exact race time below to see your precise WMA age-graded percentage.
These are population benchmarks
WMA age-grading tells you how your time compares to world-record standards. StrideIQ goes further — it tracks your individual recovery patterns, efficiency trends, and supercompensation curves from your own training data. Population benchmarks are a starting point. Your body's individual response is where real coaching begins.
Common questions
What is a good marathon time for a 40 year old?
For a 40-year-old male, WMA benchmarks show: 3:25:26 = Local Class (60%), 2:56:05 = Regional Class (70%), 2:34:05 = National Class (80%). For a 40-year-old female, the equivalent times are 3:43:43, 3:11:46, and 2:47:48. These are computed from world-record data, not average finishers.
Is a 4-hour marathon good for my age?
For a 30-year-old male, a 4:00:00 marathon is about 50% age-graded — recreational. For a 55-year-old male, the same time scores about 59%. For a 65-year-old male, it is about 65% — solidly Local Class. Marathon average finish times at mass events are typically 4:30–5:00, so sub-4:00 at any age is faster than most participants.
How much slower should I expect to be in my 50s vs 30s at the marathon?
WMA data shows about 15–17% slowdown from age 30 to 55 at the same performance level. A 30-year-old male at 70% age-grade runs 2:52:16; a 55-year-old at the same grade runs 3:21:25 — about 29 minutes slower. The marathon degrades slightly more with age than shorter distances because it taxes recovery and glycogen systems more heavily.
See times for other distances
Data source: Alan Jones 2025 WMA Road Age-Grading Tables, approved by USATF Masters Long Distance Running Council (January 2025). Times computed from official age-factor tables and open-class world-record standards.