Mile to Half Marathon Race Equivalency
Your mile time reflects your aerobic ceiling. This table shows what that ceiling predicts for the half marathon — 13.1 miles of sustained threshold-level effort. The physiological distance between a mile and a half marathon is significant; raw speed converts to half marathon fitness only with distance-specific training.
Quick answer: A 5:30 Mile runner (RPI 53.4) has equivalent Half Marathon fitness of 1:26:27 (6:36/mi). Range in this table: 4:00 Mile → 1:03:20 Half Marathon through 8:00 → 2:03:53.
Mile → Half Marathon Equivalency Table
| Mile Time | RPI | Half Marathon Equivalent | Equiv Pace |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4:00 | 76.5 | 1:03:20 | 4:50/mi(3:00/km) |
| 4:15 | 71.4 | 1:07:13 | 5:08/mi(3:11/km) |
| 4:30 | 66.9 | 1:11:07 | 5:25/mi(3:22/km) |
| 4:45 | 62.9 | 1:15:00 | 5:43/mi(3:33/km) |
| 5:00 | 59.4 | 1:18:49 | 6:01/mi(3:44/km) |
| 5:15 | 56.2 | 1:22:43 | 6:19/mi(3:56/km) |
| 5:30 | 53.4 | 1:26:27 | 6:36/mi(4:06/km) |
| 5:45 | 50.8 | 1:30:16 | 6:53/mi(4:17/km) |
| 6:00 | 48.4 | 1:34:08 | 7:11/mi(4:28/km) |
| 6:30 | 44.3 | 1:41:36 | 7:45/mi(4:49/km) |
| 7:00 | 40.7 | 1:49:16 | 8:20/mi(5:11/km) |
| 8:00 | 35.1 | 2:03:53 | 9:27/mi(5:52/km) |
Computed via Daniels/Gilbert oxygen cost equation (1979). Predictions assume distance-specific training is in place.
How accurate is this prediction?
Mile → half marathon predictions have substantial divergence for runners who lack half marathon-specific training. The equivalency reflects aerobic potential, not fitness developed for sustained 90-minute effort. Runners who add threshold training and long runs (12–15 miles) typically close to within 5 minutes of their prediction.
Equivalency predicts potential — training determines actuals
This table shows what your aerobic capacity predicts at a different distance. StrideIQ tracks whether your training is actually developing the distance-specific fitness needed to meet that potential — long-run adaptation, pacing control, threshold stamina — from your own workout data.
Common questions
How accurate is mile to half marathon equivalency?
This has the most divergence among the short-to-long predictions. The half marathon demands sustained threshold stamina for 70–120 minutes — a quality that mile training alone does not develop. Runners who add long runs and tempo work to their mile training typically land within 5–8 minutes of the equivalency.
What half marathon does a 5:00 mile predict?
A 5:00 mile (RPI 59.4) projects to 1:18:49 half marathon potential at 6:01/mi. Reaching this requires threshold-specific training and long runs to 12–15 miles.
What training is needed to convert mile fitness to half marathon fitness?
Add weekly threshold tempo runs (20–35 minutes at threshold pace) and build long runs to 12–15 miles. These two additions develop the specific aerobic endurance and lactate stamina that convert raw mile speed into half marathon performance.