View source for Marathon world record progression

{{Short description|none}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2021}}
[[File:Kelvin Kiptum 2023 Chicago Marathon.jpg|alt=Kelvin Kiptum at the Chicago marathon 2023|thumb|396x396px|[[Kelvin Kiptum]] during his world record run at the 2023 Chicago marathon with 2:00:35]]
[[File:2017 London Marathon - Mary Keitany.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|[[Mary Keitany]] during her women-only world record run at the 2017 London Marathon with 2:17:01]]

[[World record]]s in the [[marathon]] are ratified by [[World Athletics]], the international [[Sport governing body|governing body]] for the sport of [[athletics (sport)|athletics]].{{Citation needed|date=March 2024}}

Kenyan athlete [[Kelvin Kiptum]] set a men's world record time of 2:00:35 on October 8, 2023, at the [[2023 Chicago Marathon]], a mixed-sex race.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/10/08/kelvin-kiptum-world-marathon-record/|title=Kelvin Kiptum nearly breaks two-hour barrier with world marathon record|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=October 8, 2023|date=October 8, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://olympics.com/en/news/chicago-marathon-2023-kiptum-smashes-kipchoge-world-record-sifan-hassan/|title=Chicago Marathon 2023: Kelvin Kiptum smashes Eliud Kipchoge's world record|publisher=International Olympic Committee|access-date=October 8, 2023|date=October 8, 2023|archive-date=October 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231009040134/https://olympics.com/en/news/chicago-marathon-2023-kiptum-smashes-kipchoge-world-record-sifan-hassan|url-status=live}}</ref>

Kenyan athlete [[Ruth Chepng'etich]] broke the women's world record with a time of 2:09:56 on October 13, 2024, at the [[2024 Chicago Marathon]], a mixed-sex race.<ref >{{Cite news |title=Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya smashes world record by nearly 2 minutes at Chicago Marathon |date=2024-10-13 |url=https://apnews.com/article/chicago-marathon-ruth-chepngetich-world-record-a0ac28b89f4763cc8150ae301e369176 |access-date=2024-10-13 |work=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref>

In addition to the standard women's marathon world record, World Athletics also recognizes a second world record for women in the "Women Only" category, meaning that the marathon was run on a course without any male athletes in the competition. The current "Women Only" record of 2:15:50 was set by [[Tigst Assefa]] on April 27, 2025, at the London Marathon in the elite women's race.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-04-27 |title=London Marathon: Tigst Assefa sets women's-only world record |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/videos/c4gr4y2ek0ro |access-date=2025-04-27 |website=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==History==
Marathon races were first held in 1896, but the distance was not standardized by the [[World Athletics|International Association of Athletics Federations]] (IAAF, now World Athletics) until 1921.<ref>{{cite web |date=April 25, 2008 |title=The Marathon journey to reach 42.195km |url=http://www.germanroadraces.de/274-1-16409-the-marathon-journey-to-reach-42195km-.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140306080943/http://www.germanroadraces.de/274-1-16409-the-marathon-journey-to-reach-42195km-.html |archive-date=March 6, 2014 |access-date=February 26, 2014 |publisher=european-athletics.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Martin |first=David E. |url=https://archive.org/details/olympicmarathon00mart/page/113 |title=The Olympic Marathon |author2=Roger W. H. Gynn |date=May 2000 |publisher=Human Kinetics Publishers |isbn=978-0-88011-969-6 |page=[https://archive.org/details/olympicmarathon00mart/page/113 113] |url-access=registration}}</ref>

The actual distance for pre-1921 races frequently varied from the 1921 standard of 42.195&nbsp;km (26 miles 385 yards). In qualifying races for the [[1896 Summer Olympics]], Greek runners [[Charilaos Vasilakos]] (3:18:00) and [[Ioannis Lavrentis]] (3:11:27) won the first two modern marathons.<ref>{{cite book |last=Martin |first=Dr. David |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f15zoDdCa3oC |title=Marathon Medicine |publisher=[[Royal Society of Medicine Press]] |year=2000 |isbn=9781853154607 |editor-last=Pedoe |editor-first=Dan Tunstall |location=London |page=31 |chapter=Marathon running as a social and athletic phenomenon: historical and current trends |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f15zoDdCa3oC&pg=PA28}}</ref> On April 10, 1896, [[Spiridon Louis]] of Greece won [[Athletics at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's marathon|the first Olympic marathon in Athens, Greece]], in a time of 2:58:50.<ref name="IOC1896">{{cite web |last=De Coubertin |first=Pierre |author2=Timoleon J. Philemon |author3=N. G. Politis |author4=Charalambos Anninos |year=1897 |title=The Olympic Games, B.C. 776 – A.D. 1896, Second Part, The Olympic Games in 1896 |url=http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1896/1896part2.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120815223911/http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1896/1896part2.pdf |archive-date=August 15, 2012 |access-date=October 16, 2008 |publisher=Charles Beck (Athens), H. Grevel and Co. (London)}}</ref> However, the distance for the event was 40,000 meters.<ref>{{cite web |date=July 19, 1996 |title=Athletes &#124; Olympic Medalist &#124; Olympians &#124; Gold Medalists &#124; Medal Count |url=http://www.olympic.org/uk/athletes/profiles/bio_uk.asp?PAR_I_ID=58143 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090414094458/http://www.olympic.org/uk/athletes/profiles/bio_uk.asp?PAR_I_ID=58143 |archive-date=April 14, 2009 |access-date=September 26, 2011 |publisher=International Olympic Committee}}</ref>{{refn|The Association of Road Racing Statisticians has estimated the course distance to be 37–38&nbsp;km.<ref name="arrs.run">{{cite web|url=https://www.arrs.run/HP_OlyMa.htm|title=untitled|access-date=December 2, 2018|archive-date=September 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180917181650/https://arrs.run/HP_OlyMa.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>|group=nb}} Three months later, British runner [[Len Hurst]] won the inaugural [[Paris Marathon|Paris to Conflans Marathon]] (also around 40&nbsp;km) in a time of 2:31:30.<ref name="The origins of the marathon">{{cite web |last=Milroy |first=Andy |title=The origins of the marathon |url=https://www.arrs.run/article_marathonorigins.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210825101156/https://www.arrs.run/article_marathonorigins.php |archive-date=August 25, 2021 |access-date=July 29, 2010 |publisher=Association of Road Racing Statisticians}}</ref> In 1900, Hurst would better his time on the same course with a 2:26:28 performance.{{refn|According to the "Sporting Records" section of ''The Canadian Year Book for 1905'': "Len Hurst won the Marathon race, 40 kilometres (24 miles, 1505 yards), over roads, Conflans to Paris, Fr., in the record time of 2.26:27 3–5, July 8, 1900."<ref>{{Cite journal| title = Sporting Records
| journal = The Canadian Year Book for 1905
| volume = 8
| page = 147
| publisher = Alfred Hewitt
| place = Toronto Canada
| year = 1905
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=bYACMpbJzQcC&pg=PA147
}}</ref> Other sources confirm that the direction of the 1900 race was reversed, but note Hurst's finishing time as 2:26:47.4.<ref name="Martin">{{cite book|last=Martin|first=David E.|author2=Roger W. H. Gynn|title=The Olympic Marathon|url=https://archive.org/details/olympicmarathon00mart |url-access=registration|publisher=Human Kinetics Publishers |date=May 2000|page=[https://archive.org/details/olympicmarathon00mart/page/37 37]|isbn=978-0-88011-969-6}}</ref> or 2:26:48.<ref>{{cite book
|last = Noakes
|first = Tim
|author-link = Tim Noakes
|title = The Lore of Running
|publisher = [[Oxford University Press]]
|edition = Fourth
|year = 2003
|isbn = 0-87322-959-2}}</ref>
|group=nb}}

Later, [[Shizo Kanakuri]] of Japan was reported to have set a world record of 2:32:45 in a November 1911 domestic qualification race for the [[1912 Summer Olympics]], but this performance was also run over a distance of approximately 40&nbsp;km.<ref>{{cite web |date=July 15, 1912 |title=Running Training Blog Entry &#124; Lydiard Foundation Members |url=http://www.lydiardfoundation.org/Blog/EntryDisplay.aspx?EntryID=111 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120302100521/http://www.lydiardfoundation.org/Blog/EntryDisplay.aspx?EntryID=111 |archive-date=March 2, 2012 |access-date=September 26, 2011 |publisher=Lydiardfoundation.org}}</ref>{{refn|Road running historian [https://www.arrs.run/members_andy_milroy.php Andy Milroy] writing for the Association of Road Racing Statisticians has indicated that 25 miles (40.234 km) was the distance of the first Japanese marathon held in 1911.

Predating Kanakuri's performance, Milroy also indicated that a "professional world record" at the 25-mile distance of 2:32:42 was set by British runner Len Hurst on August 27, 1903.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.arrs.run/article_marathonorigins.php|title=ARRS – Association of Road Racing Statisticians|access-date=December 2, 2018|archive-date=August 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210825101156/https://www.arrs.run/article_marathonorigins.php|url-status=live}}</ref>|group=nb}}

The first marathon over the official distance was won by American [[Johnny Hayes]] at the [[Athletics at the 1908 Summer Olympics – Men's marathon|1908 Summer Olympics]], with a time of 2:55:18.4.<ref>{{cite web |title=Profiles – Johnny Hayes |url=http://www.runningpast.com/johnny_hayes.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210504054800/http://www.runningpast.com/johnny_hayes.htm |archive-date=May 4, 2021 |access-date=March 17, 2010 |publisher=Running Past}}</ref>

It is possible that [[Stamata Revithi]], who ran the 1896 Olympic course a day after Louis, is the first woman to run the modern marathon; she is said to have finished in {{frac|5|1|2}} hours.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Tarasouleas |first=Athanasios |date=October–November 1997 |title=Stamata Revithi, "Alias Melpomeni" |url=http://www.la84foundation.org/OlympicInformationCenter/OlympicReview/1997/oreXXVI17/oreXXVI17zg.pdf |url-status=live |journal=Olympic Review |volume=26 |issue=17 |pages=53–55 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180414172250/http://library.la84.org/OlympicInformationCenter/OlympicReview/1997/oreXXVI17/oreXXVI17zg.pdf |archive-date=April 14, 2018 |access-date=May 19, 2010}}</ref> World Athletics credits [[Violet Piercy]]'s 1926 performance as the first woman to race the standard marathon distance; however, other sources report that the 1918 performance of [[Marie-Louise Ledru]] in the Tour de Paris set the initial mark for women.{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}}<ref>{{cite web |date=May 28, 2011 |title=Tour de Paris Marathon |url=https://www.arrs.run/HP_ParisTourMa.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180615190642/https://arrs.run/HP_ParisTourMa.htm |archive-date=June 15, 2018 |access-date=September 26, 2011 |publisher=[[Association of Road Racing Statisticians|ARRS]]}}</ref><ref>''Fast Tracks: The History of Distance Running Since 884&nbsp;B.C.'' by Raymond Krise, Bill Squires. (1982).</ref><ref>''Endurance'' by Albert C. Gross. (1986)</ref> Other "unofficial" performances have also been reported to be world bests or world records over time: although her performance is not recognized by World Athletics, [[Adrienne Beames]] from Australia is frequently credited as the first woman to break the three-hour barrier in the marathon.<ref name="timeline">{{cite web |last=Howe |first=Charles |title=Out of the bushes, ahead of the ambulance, and into the spotlight: milestones in the history of women's (mostly distance) running, Part I |url=http://rundynamics3.webs.com/timeline.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150422140641/http://rundynamics3.webs.com/timeline.pdf |archive-date=April 22, 2015 |access-date=February 26, 2014 |publisher=Rundynamics}}</ref>{{refn|According to the Association of Road Racing Statisticians, Beames' performance of 2:46:30 on August 31, 1971, in [[Werribee]], Australia is regarded as a [[time trial]].<ref>{{cite web
|title       = World Marathon Rankings for 1971
|url       = https://www.arrs.run/MaraRank/ATM_Mara1971.htm
|work       = [[Association of Road Racing Statisticians]]
|access-date       = July 29, 2009
|quote       = Unverified (probably a time trial)
|archive-date       = January 13, 2019
|archive-url       = https://web.archive.org/web/20190113182337/https://www.arrs.run/MaraRank/ATM_Mara1971.htm
|url-status       = live
}}</ref>|group=nb}}

In the 1953 [[Boston Marathon]], the top three male finishers were thought to have broken the standing world record,<ref>{{cite news |title=Boston Marathon history |url=http://www.boston.com/zope_homepage/sports/marathon_archive/history/1953.shtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090417100359/http://www.boston.com/zope_homepage/sports/marathon_archive/history/1953.shtml |archive-date=April 17, 2009 |access-date=March 17, 2010 |work=The Boston Globe}}</ref> but [[Keizo Yamada]]'s mark of 2:18:51 is considered to have been set on a short course of 25.54 miles (41.1&nbsp;km).<ref>{{cite web |title=World Marathon Rankings for 1953 |url=https://www.arrs.run/MaraRank/ATM_Mara1953.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180702233204/https://arrs.run/MaraRank/ATM_Mara1953.htm |archive-date=July 2, 2018 |access-date=November 2, 2009 |work=[[Association of Road Racing Statisticians]] |quote=Short Course (41.1&nbsp;km)}}</ref> The [[Boston Athletic Association]] also does not report Yamada's performance as a world best for this reason.<ref name="BAA">''114th B.A.A Boston Marathon Official Program''. April 19, 2010.</ref>

On October 25, 1981, American [[Alberto Salazar]] and New Zealander [[Allison Roe]] set apparent world bests at the [[New York City Marathon]] (2:08:13 and 2:25:29), however, these marks were invalidated when the course was later found to have been 151 meters short.<ref>{{cite web |title=World Marathon Major Event Records |url=http://static.worldmarathonmajors.com/downloads/CourseRecordProgressions_10-11-09.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111009113052/http://static.worldmarathonmajors.com/downloads/CourseRecordProgressions_10-11-09.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2011}}</ref><ref name="NYC1">{{cite web |title=World Marathon Rankings for 1981 |url=https://www.arrs.run/MaraRank/ATM_Mara1981.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180916130227/https://arrs.run/MaraRank/ATM_Mara1981.htm |archive-date=September 16, 2018 |access-date=July 29, 2009 |work=[[Association of Road Racing Statisticians]] |quote=Short Course (150&nbsp;m short on remeasurement)}}</ref> Although World Athletics' progression notes three performances set on the same course in 1978, 1979, and 1980 by Norwegian [[Grete Waitz]], the [[Association of Road Racing Statisticians]] considers the New York City course suspect for those performances, too.<ref name="NYC2">{{cite web |title=New York City Marathon |url=https://www.arrs.run/HP_NYCMa.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181112021644/https://www.arrs.run/HP_NYCMa.htm |archive-date=November 12, 2018 |access-date=July 29, 2009 |work=[[Association of Road Racing Statisticians]] |quote=The course used for the 1981 race was remeasured at 42.044&nbsp;km or 151 meters short of the full marathon distance. Since a major part of the shortness was within the Central Park portion of the course, all "five borough" races prior to 1981 must also be considered suspect (1976–1980) and are not considered acceptable for statistical purposes.}}</ref>

On April 18, 2011, the Boston Marathon produced what were at that time the two fastest marathon performances in history. Winner [[Geoffrey Mutai]] of Kenya recorded a time of 2:03:02,<ref>{{cite news |date=April 18, 2011 |title=Mutai wins Boston in world-record time: Kilel edges American in women's race |url=http://news.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view/20110418kenyas_geoffrey_mutai_wins_mens_race_in_boston_marathon/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110421030641/http://news.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view/20110418kenyas_geoffrey_mutai_wins_mens_race_in_boston_marathon |archive-date=April 21, 2011 |access-date=April 18, 2011 |newspaper=Boston Herald |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> followed by countryman [[Moses Mosop]] in 2:03:06. However, since the Boston course does not meet the criteria for record attempts (the starting line is too high relative to the finish), these times were not ratified by the IAAF.{{citation needed|date = October 2025}}

Eight IAAF world records were set at the [[Polytechnic Marathon]] (1909, 1913, 1952–1954, 1963–1965).<ref name="ianridpath1">{{cite web |title=The Polytechnic Marathon 1909–1996 |url=http://www.ianridpath.com/polymarathon/history.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101007134500/http://ianridpath.com/polymarathon/history.htm |archive-date=October 7, 2010 |access-date=June 2, 2010 |publisher=Ianridpath.com}}</ref> WA-recognized world records have been broken at all of the original five [[World Marathon Majors]] on numerous occasions (updated 09/2022); twelve times at the [[Berlin Marathon]], three times at the Boston Marathon, five times at the [[Chicago Marathon]], six times at the [[London Marathon]], and five times at the New York City Marathon. However, the records established in the Boston event have been disputed on grounds of a downhill point-to-point course, while four of the five New York records have been disputed on grounds of a short course.{{citation needed|date = October 2025}}

==Criteria for record eligibility==
{{See also|List of world records in athletics#Criteria}}
For a performance to be ratified as a world record by World Athletics, the marathon course on which the performance occurred must be {{convert|42.195|km|mi|abbr=on}} long,<ref name="iaaf_rules" /> measured in a defined manner using the [[Jones Counter|calibrated bicycle method]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://aimsworldrunning.org/measurement/MeasurementOfRoadRaceCourses.pdf |title=IAAF Publication, "The Measurement of Road Race Courses", Second Edition, 2004, Updated 2008. |access-date=March 17, 2010 |archive-date=December 12, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101212111524/http://aimsworldrunning.org/measurement/MeasurementOfRoadRaceCourses.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> (the distance in kilometers being the official distance; the distance in miles is an approximation) and meet other criteria that rule out artificially fast times produced on courses aided by downhill slope or tailwind.<ref name="Boston Herald">{{cite news |title=Kenya's Mutai Wins Boston in 2:03:02 |first=Peter |last=May |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/19/sports/19marathon.html |newspaper=The New York Times |date=April 18, 2011 |access-date=April 18, 2011 |archive-date=December 1, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201133631/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/19/sports/19marathon.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The criteria include:
* "The start and finish points of a course, measured along a theoretical straight line between them, shall not be further apart than 50% of the race distance."<ref name="iaaf_rules">{{cite web|title= IAAF Competition Rules 2016–2017|url= http://www.iaaf.org/download/download?filename=fa556b18-c75f-4b3d-b952-7348645bccb5.pdf&urlslug=IAAF%20Competition%20Rules%202016-2017%2C%20in%20force%20from%201%20November%202015|page= 275|format= PDF|year= 2015|access-date= November 11, 2015|archive-date= March 18, 2016|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160318173741/http://www.iaaf.org/download/download?filename=fa556b18-c75f-4b3d-b952-7348645bccb5.pdf&urlslug=IAAF%20Competition%20Rules%202016-2017%2C%20in%20force%20from%201%20November%202015|url-status= live}}</ref>
* "The decrease in elevation between the start and finish shall not exceed an average of one in a thousand (i.e., 1m per km)."<ref name="iaaf_rules" />

In recognizing Kenyan [[Geoffrey Mutai]]'s mark of 2:03:02 at the [[2011 Boston Marathon]] as (at the time) "the fastest Marathon ever run", the IAAF said: "Due to the elevation drop and point-to-point measurements of the Boston course, performances [on that course] are not eligible for World record consideration."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iaaf.org/news/report/strong-winds-and-ideal-conditions-propel-muta-1 |title=Strong winds and ideal conditions propel Mutai to fastest Marathon ever – Boston Marathon report |first=David |last=Monti |date=April 18, 2011 |work=iaaf.org |publisher=International Association of Athletics Federations |access-date=February 26, 2014 |archive-date=October 6, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006083719/http://www.iaaf.org/news/report/strong-winds-and-ideal-conditions-propel-muta-1 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="iaaf_rules" /><ref>{{cite news |work=Boston.com |last=Bird |first=Hayden |title=Why a world record set in the Boston Marathon wouldn't officially count |date=5 April 2023 |url=https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-marathon/2021/09/28/why-world-record-set-in-the-boston-marathon-wouldnt-officially-count/ |access-date=17 December 2024}}</ref>

The [[Association of Road Racing Statisticians]], an independent organization that compiles data from [[road running]] events, also maintains an alternate marathon world best progression but with standards they consider to be more stringent.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.arrs.run/article_iaaf.php |title=Association of Road Racing Statisticians |publisher=ARRS |date=January 1, 2003 |access-date=November 11, 2015 |archive-date=April 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422052525/https://www.arrs.run/article_iaaf.php |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Women's world record changes===
[[File:Berlin-Marathon 2023 Tigist Assefa (cropped).jpg|thumb|[[Tigst Assefa]] during her women's world record run at the 2023 Berlin Marathon with 2:11:53]]
The IAAF Congress, at the 2011 World Championships, passed a motion changing the record eligibility criteria effective October 6, 2007, so that women's world records must be set in all-women competitions.<ref name="Baldwin">{{cite news |title=Argument erupts over Radcliffe's marathon record |first=Alan |last=Baldwin |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-athletics-marathon-idUSTRE78J4DG20110920 |agency=Reuters |newspaper=Reuters.com |date=September 20, 2011 |access-date=September 29, 2011 |archive-date=April 25, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170425121022/http://www.reuters.com/article/us-athletics-marathon-idUSTRE78J4DG20110920 |url-status=live }}</ref> The result of the change was that Radcliffe's 2:17:42 performance at the 2005 London Marathon supplanted her own existing women's mark as the "world record"; the earlier performance is to be referred to as a "world best".<ref name="Baldwin" />

Per the 2021 IAAF Competition Rules, "a World Record for performance achieved in mixed sex ("Mixed") races and a World Record for performance achieved in single sex ("Women only") races" are tracked separately.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.worldathletics.org/download/download?filename=117e4572-be07-4fee-a734-5b878420e525.pdf&urlslug=C1.1%20-%20Competition%20Rules |title=IAAF Book of Rules |publisher=IAAF |year=2021 |volume=Book C – C1.1 |pages=32 |access-date=October 8, 2022 |archive-date=October 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221008161511/https://www.worldathletics.org/download/download?filename=117e4572-be07-4fee-a734-5b878420e525.pdf&urlslug=C1.1%20-%20Competition%20Rules |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Unofficial record attempts===
In December 2016, [[Nike, Inc.]], announced that three top distance runners — [[Eliud Kipchoge]], [[Zersenay Tadese]], and [[Lelisa Desisa]] — had agreed to forgo the spring marathon season to work with the company in an effort to run a sub-two-hour marathon.<ref>{{cite magazine | url = https://www.wired.com/2016/12/nike-two-hour-marathon/ | title = Inside Nike's Quest for the Impossible: a Two-Hour Marathon | date = 12 December 2016 | access-date = 12 December 2016 | magazine = Wired | author = Ed Caesar | archive-date = October 2, 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181002020300/https://www.wired.com/2016/12/nike-two-hour-marathon/ | url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine | url = http://www.runnersworld.com/marathon/nikes-audacious-plan-break-the-2-hour-marathon-barrier-in-2017 | title = Nike's Audacious Plan: Break the 2-Hour Marathon Barrier in 2017 | date = 12 December 2016 | access-date = 15 December 2016 | magazine = Runner's World | author = Alex Hutchinson | archive-date = January 13, 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180113064829/https://www.runnersworld.com/marathon/nikes-audacious-plan-break-the-2-hour-marathon-barrier-in-2017 | url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://sportsscientists.com/2016/12/sub-2-hour-marathon-2017-thoughts-concept/ | title = The sub-2 hour marathon in 2017? Thoughts on concept | date = 13 December 2016 | access-date = 15 December 2016 | publisher = The Science of Sport | author = Ross Tucker, PhD | archive-date = October 2, 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181002070343/https://sportsscientists.com/2016/12/sub-2-hour-marathon-2017-thoughts-concept/ | url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://graphics.straitstimes.com/STI/STIMEDIA/Interactives/2017/05/sub-2hr-marathon-attempt/index.html|title=Interactive: A look at how three marathoners could break the sub-2hr barrier on May 6|work=The Straits Times|access-date=2017-05-12|language=en|archive-date=September 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180918123540/https://graphics.straitstimes.com/STI/STIMEDIA/Interactives/2017/05/sub-2hr-marathon-attempt/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[Breaking2]] event took place in the early morning of May 6, 2017; Kipchoge crossed the finish line with a time of 2:00:25.<ref>{{cite news|title=Kipchoge a 'happy man' in Monza|url=https://www.iaaf.org/news/report/breaking-2-marathon-eliud-kipchoge-monza|publisher=IAAF|author=Jon Mulkeen|date=6 May 2017|access-date=6 May 2017|archive-date=May 6, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170506110939/https://www.iaaf.org/news/report/breaking-2-marathon-eliud-kipchoge-monza|url-status=live}}</ref> This time was more than two minutes faster than the world record.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-07/kipchoge-falls-26-seconds-short-of-first-sub-2-hour-marathon/8504084 Eliud Kipchoge falls 26 seconds short of first sub two-hour marathon] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180922080720/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-07/kipchoge-falls-26-seconds-short-of-first-sub-2-hour-marathon/8504084 |date=September 22, 2018 }}, [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]], 7-May-2017</ref>

Kipchoge took part in a similar attempt to break the two-hour barrier in Vienna on October 12, 2019, as part of the [[Ineos 1:59 Challenge]]. He successfully ran the first sub two-hour marathon distance, with a time of 1:59:40.2.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ineos159challenge.com/|title=INEOS 1:59 Challenge|last=INEOS|website=ineos159challenge.com|language=en|access-date=2019-09-16|archive-date=August 23, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190823140356/https://www.ineos159challenge.com/|url-status=live}}</ref> The effort did not count as a new world record under IAAF rules due to the setup of the challenge. Specifically, it was not an open event, Kipchoge was handed fluids by his support team throughout, the run featured a pace car, and included rotating teams of other runners pacing Kipchoge in a formation designed to reduce wind resistance and maximize efficiency.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/10/12/eliud-kipchoge-breaks-two-hour-marathon-record/|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|title=Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge Just Became the First Person to Break the 2-Hour Barrier|author=Derek Hawkins|date=12 October 2019|access-date=12 October 2019|archive-date=October 12, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191012124800/https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/10/12/eliud-kipchoge-breaks-two-hour-marathon-record/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Agnew |first1=Mark |title=Eliud Kipchoge runs sub two-hour marathon in 1:59:40, making history with first four-minute mile equivalent |url=https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3032651/eliud-kipchoge-runs-sub-two-hour-marathon-15940-making |work=South China Morning Post |access-date=13 October 2019 |date=12 October 2019 |archive-date=October 12, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191012114936/https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3032651/eliud-kipchoge-runs-sub-two-hour-marathon-15940-making |url-status=live }}</ref> The achievement was recognized by [[Guinness World Records]] with the titles 'Fastest marathon distance (male)' and 'First marathon distance run under two hours' instead of an official world record.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/595048-fastest-marathon-distance-male|title=Fastest marathon distance (male)|website=Guinness World Records|date=October 12, 2019|access-date=October 25, 2019|archive-date=August 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200810002349/https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/595048-fastest-marathon-distance-male|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/595080-first-marathon-distance-under-two-hours|title=First marathon distance run under two hours|website=Guinness World Records|date=October 12, 2019|access-date=October 25, 2019|archive-date=May 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210509052811/https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/595080-first-marathon-distance-under-two-hours|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Men===
<timeline>
#>
The chart is clipped at 1 hour 50 minutes (110 minutes, or 6600 seconds), and magnified by .05 (one pixel height equals 20 seconds)
<#
ImageSize  = width:750 height:260 # The width can be changed without much harm (remember to change the PlotArea below too)
PlotArea   = width:700 height:150 left:40 bottom:20

DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy
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Colors=
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TextData=
  fontsize: M
  pos:(250,228)  textcolor: red text:Listed by the IAAF as world best prior to official acceptance

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  pos:(250,208)  textcolor: blue text:Ratified by the International Association of Athletics Federations as a world best\n (since January 1, 2003) or world record (since January 1, 2004)

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  color: grid
  from: start till: end atpos: 20
  from: start till: end atpos: 50
  from: start till: end atpos: 80
  from: start till: end atpos: 110
  from: start till: end atpos: 140
  from: start till: end atpos: 170
  from: start till: 01/01/1940 atpos: 200
  from: start till: 01/01/1940 atpos: 230

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  pos:(0,230) text: "3:00:00"
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  pos:(0,110) text: "2:20:00"
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  pos:(0,20) text: "1:50:00"

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  width: 0.2
  color: red
  at: 12/07/1908 tillpos: 215.9
  at: 01/01/1909 tillpos: 208.2
  at: 12/02/1909 tillpos: 190.4
  at: 08/05/1909 tillpos: 188.2
  at: 08/05/1909 tillpos: 177.5
  at: 31/08/1909 tillpos: 171.7
  at: 12/05/1913 tillpos: 164.8
  at: 22/08/1920 tillpos: 147.3
  at: 12/10/1925 tillpos: 137.0
  at: 31/03/1935 tillpos: 133.5
  at: 03/04/1935 tillpos: 129.1
  at: 03/11/1935 tillpos: 129.0
  at: 19/04/1947 tillpos: 127.0
  at: 14/06/1952 tillpos: 112.0
  at: 13/06/1953 tillpos: 106.1
  at: 04/10/1953 tillpos: 105.2
  at: 26/06/1954 tillpos: 102.0
  at: 24/08/1958 tillpos: 95.9
  at: 10/09/1960 tillpos: 95.8
  at: 17/02/1963 tillpos: 95.8
  at: 15/06/1963 tillpos: 92.4
  at: 13/06/1964 tillpos: 91.8
  at: 21/10/1964 tillpos: 86.6
  at: 12/06/1965 tillpos: 86.0
  at: 03/12/1967 tillpos: 78.8
  at: 30/05/1969 tillpos: 75.2
  at: 06/12/1981 tillpos: 74.9
  at: 21/10/1984 tillpos: 74.3
  at: 20/04/1985 tillpos: 71.6
  at: 17/04/1988 tillpos: 70.5
  at: 20/09/1998 tillpos: 68.3
  at: 24/10/1999 tillpos: 67.1

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  width: 0.2
  color: blue
  at: 14/04/2002 tillpos: 66.9
  at: 28/09/2003 tillpos: 64.8
  at: 30/09/2007 tillpos: 63.8
  at: 28/09/2008 tillpos: 62.0
  at: 25/09/2011 tillpos: 60.9
  at: 29/09/2013 tillpos: 60.1
  at: 28/09/2014 tillpos: 58.9
  at: 16/09/2018 tillpos: 54.8
  at: 25/09/2022 tillpos: 53.2
  at: 08/10/2023 tillpos: 51.39
</timeline>

<div>
'''Table key:'''<br />
{{legend2|#D6ECF3|Listed by World Athletics as a world best prior to official acceptance{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}}|border=solid 1px #AAAAAA}}<br />
{{legend2|#87CEEB|Ratified by World Athletics as a world best (since January 1, 2003) or world record (since January 1, 2004){{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}}|border=solid 1px #AAAAAA}}<br />
{{legend2|#FFD0BD|Recognized by the [[Association of Road Racing Statisticians]] (ARRS){{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}}|border=solid 1px #AAAAAA}}
</div>
The edition of the marathon is linked on some of the dates.
{| class="wikitable" style=" font-size: 95%;"
|- style="background:#dfdfdf;"
! style="width:120px"|Time
! style="width:140px"|Name
! style="width:160px"|Nationality
! style="width:160px"|Date
! style="width:180px"|Event/Place
! style="width:120px"|Source
! style="width:360px"|Notes
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:55:18.4 || [[Johnny Hayes]] || {{flagu|United States|1908}} || July 24, 1908 || [[Athletics at the 1908 Summer Olympics – Men's marathon|London Olympics]], England || IAAF{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} || Time was officially recorded as 2:55:18 2/5.<ref name=IOC1908>{{cite web
 |last=Cook 
 |first=Theodore Andrea 
 |title=The Fourth Olympiad being The Official Report The Olympic Games of 1908 
 |publisher=The British Olympic Association, London 
 |date=1909 
 |url=http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1908/1908.pdf
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927222443/http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1908/1908.pdf
 |url-status=dead
 |archive-date=2007-09-27
 |access-date=November 11, 2015 
}}</ref> Italian [[Dorando Pietri]] finished in 2:54:46.4, but was disqualified for receiving assistance from race officials near the finish.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.olympic.org/uk/athletes/profiles/bio_uk.asp?PAR_I_ID=56207 |title=Athletes &#124; Olympic Medalist &#124; Olympians &#124; Gold Medalists &#124; Medal Count |publisher=International Olympic Committee |date=July 19, 1996 |access-date=September 26, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080913175016/http://www.olympic.org/uk/athletes/profiles/bio_uk.asp?PAR_I_ID=56207 |archive-date=September 13, 2008 |df=mdy }}</ref> Note.<ref name="marathonguide1">{{cite web |url=http://www.marathonguide.com/history/records/popupSummary.cfm?RID=MMAR19080724 |title=Men's World Record Times – 1905 to 1911 |publisher=Marathonguide.com |access-date=March 17, 2010 |archive-date=January 27, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160127173220/http://www.marathonguide.com/history/records/popupSummary.cfm?RID=MMAR19080724 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:52:45.4 || [[Robert Fowler (athlete)|Robert Fowler]] || {{flagu|United States|1908}} || January 1, 1909 || [[Yonkers, New York|Yonkers]],{{refn|Many references incorrectly refer to this race as the [[Yonkers Marathon]]. The Yonkers Marathon, which during the early 1900s was traditionally run during late November, was won over a month earlier by [[James Crowley (athlete)|Jim Crowley]].<ref>[[Association of Road Racing Statisticians]]. [https://www.arrs.run/HP_YonMa.htm Yonkers Marathon] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190110235025/https://www.arrs.run/HP_YonMa.htm |date=January 10, 2019 }}. Retrieved May 15, 2010.</ref><ref name="Times2">{{Cite news
| title = J.F. CROWLEY WINS YONKERS MARATHON; Irish-American Runner Leads Big Field Over Westchester County Roads.
| newspaper = [[The New York Times]]
| page = 7
| date = November 27, 1908
| url = https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9D0DEEDE113EE233A25754C2A9679D946997D6CF
| access-date = May 15, 2010
| archive-date = June 28, 2011
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110628221256/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9D0DEEDE113EE233A25754C2A9679D946997D6CF
| url-status = live
}}</ref>|group=nb}} United States || IAAF{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} || Note.<ref name="marathonguide1"/>
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:46:52.8 || [[James Clark (athlete)|James Clark]] || {{flagu|United States|1908}} || February 12, 1909 || New York City, United States || IAAF{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} || Note.<ref name="marathonguide1"/>
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:46:04.6 || [[Albert Raines]] || {{flagu|United States|1908}} || May 8, 1909 || New York City, United States || IAAF{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} || Note.<ref name="marathonguide1"/>
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:42:31.0 || [[Henry Barrett]] || {{Flagu|United Kingdom}} || May 8, 1909{{refn|According to the progression of world bests listed by the [[International Association of Athletics Federations]] (IAAF), James Clark set a world best of 2:46:52.8 in New York on February 12, 1909, Albert Raines broke Clark's mark with a 2:46:04.6 in New York on May 8, 1909, and Henry Barrett broke Raines' mark with a 2:42:31.0 in London on May 26, 1909.<ref name="IAAF_Berlin_2009">
{{cite web
 |title=12th IAAF World Championships In Athletics: IAAF Statistics Handbook. Berlin 2009. 
 |url=http://www.iaaf.org/mm/document/competitions/competition/05/15/63/20090706014834_httppostedfile_p345-688_11303.pdf 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090806172743/http://www.iaaf.org/mm/document/competitions/competition/05/15/63/20090706014834_httppostedfile_p345-688_11303.pdf 
 |archive-date=August 6, 2009 
 |publisher=IAAF Media & Public Relations Department 
 |location=Monte Carlo 
 |page=565 
 |year=2009 
 |access-date=November 11, 2015 
 |url-status=dead 
 |df=mdy 
}}
</ref> Ian Ridpath, a former director of the Polytechnic marathon, has indicated on his website that some sources have wrongly listed the date of Barrett performance as May 26, 1909, and has confirmed the true date as May 8, 1909.<ref name="ianridpath1"/> An article in ''[[The Times]]'' dated May 10, 1909, provides strong evidence that Ridpath is correct.<ref name="ianridpath">{{cite web|url=http://www.ianridpath.com/polymarathon/1909Timesreport.jpg|title=Image: 1909Timesreport.jpg, (550 × 1188 px)|publisher=ianridpath.com|access-date=September 15, 2015|archive-date=September 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924032314/http://www.ianridpath.com/polymarathon/1909Timesreport.jpg|url-status=live}}</ref> Given that Barrett's marathon in London most likely concluded before Raines' marathon held on the same date in New York, it is also likely that Barrett rather than Raines broke the world best set by Clark three months earlier.|group=nb}} || [[Polytechnic Marathon]], London, England || IAAF{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} || Note.<ref name="marathonguide1"/>
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:40:34.2 || [[Thure Johansson (athlete)|Thure Johansson]] || {{Flagu|Sweden}} || August 31, 1909 || Stockholm, Sweden || IAAF{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} || Note.<ref name="marathonguide1"/>
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:38:16.2 || [[Harry Green (athlete)|Harry Green]] || {{Flagu|United Kingdom}} || May 12, 1913 || [[Polytechnic Marathon]] || IAAF{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} || Note.<ref name="marathonguide2">{{cite web |url=http://www.marathonguide.com/history/records/popupSummary.cfm?RID=MMAR19130512 |title=Men's World Record Times – 1910 to 1916 |publisher=Marathonguide.com |access-date=March 17, 2010 |archive-date=October 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004213138/http://www.marathonguide.com/history/records/popupSummary.cfm?RID=MMAR19130512 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:36:06.6 || [[Alexis Ahlgren]] || {{Flagu|Sweden}} || May 31, 1913 || [[Polytechnic Marathon]] || IAAF{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} || Report in ''[[The Times]]'' claiming world record.<ref name="ianridpath3">{{cite web|url=http://www.ianridpath.com/polymarathon/1913Timesreport.jpg|title=Image: 1913Timesreport.jpg, (434 × 452 px)|publisher=ianridpath.com|access-date=September 15, 2015|archive-date=June 10, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610062336/http://www.ianridpath.com/polymarathon/1913Timesreport.jpg|url-status=live}}</ref> Note.<ref name="marathonguide2"/>
|- style="background:#ffd0bd;"
| style="text-align:right;"| 2:38:00.8 || [[Umberto Blasi]] || {{flagu|Italy|1861}} || November 29, 1914 || Legnano, Italy || ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:32:35.8 || [[Hannes Kolehmainen]] || {{Flagu|Finland}} || August 22, 1920 || [[Athletics at the 1920 Summer Olympics – Men's marathon|Antwerp Olympics]], Belgium || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} || The course distance was officially reported to be 42,750 meters/26.56 miles,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1920/1920.pdf |title=Olympic Games Official Report 1920 |access-date=March 17, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080408203653/http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1920/1920.pdf |archive-date=April 8, 2008 }}</ref> however, the Association of Road Racing Statisticians estimated the course to be 40&nbsp;km.<ref name="arrs.run"/>
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:29:01.8 || [[Albert Michelsen]]  || {{flagu|United States|1912}} || October 12, 1925 || [[Port Chester Marathon]], United States || IAAF{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} || Note.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/mi/albert-michelsen-1.html|title=Whitey Michelsen|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005093331/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/mi/whitey-michelsen-1.html|archivedate=2013-10-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.marathonguide.com/history/records/popupSummary.cfm?RID=MMAR19251012 |title=Men's World Record Times – 1922 to 1928 |publisher=Marathonguide.com |date=October 12, 1925 |access-date=March 17, 2010 |archive-date=October 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004213741/http://www.marathonguide.com/history/records/popupSummary.cfm?RID=MMAR19251012 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|- style="background:#ffd0bd;"
| style="text-align:right;"| 2:30:57.6 || [[Harry Payne (athlete)|Harry Payne]] || {{Flagu|United Kingdom}} || July 5, 1929 || [[AAA Championships]], London, England || ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:#ffd0bd;"
| style="text-align:right;"| 2:26:14 || [[Sohn Kee-chung]] || [[Korea under Japanese rule|Japanese Korea]] || March 21, 1935 || Tokyo, Japan || ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} || Also romanized as Kitei Son.
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:27:49.0 || [[Fusashige Suzuki]] || {{flagu|Japan}} || March 31, 1935 || Tokyo, Japan || IAAF{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} || According to the Association of Road Racing Statisticians, Suzuki's 2:27:49 performance occurred in Tokyo on March 21, 1935, during a race in which he finished ''second'' to [[Sohn Kee-chung]] (sometimes referred to as Kee-Jung Sohn or Son Kitei) who ran a 2:26:14.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.arrs.run/MaraRank/ATM_Mara1935.htm |title=World Marathon Rankings for 1935 |publisher=[[Association of Road Racing Statisticians|ARRS]] |access-date=March 17, 2010 |archive-date=September 17, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180917215545/https://arrs.run/MaraRank/ATM_Mara1935.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:26:44.0 || [[Yasuo Ikenaka]] || {{flagu|Japan}} || April 3, 1935 || Tokyo, Japan || IAAF{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} || Note.<ref name="marathonguide3"/>
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:26:42 || [[Sohn Kee-chung]] || [[Korea under Japanese rule|Japanese Korea]] || November 3, 1935 || [[Meiji Shrine Games]], Tokyo, Japan || IAAF{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} || Also romanized as Kitei Son. Note.<ref name="marathonguide3">{{cite web |url=http://www.marathonguide.com/history/records/popupSummary.cfm?RID=MMAR19350331 |title=Men's World Record Times – 1932 to 1938 |publisher=Marathonguide.com |access-date=March 17, 2010 |archive-date=October 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004213525/http://www.marathonguide.com/history/records/popupSummary.cfm?RID=MMAR19350331 |url-status=live }}</ref> 
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:25:39 || [[Suh Yun-bok]] || {{flagdeco|South Korea|1945}} [[United States Army Military Government in Korea|Korea]] || April 19, 1947 || [[Boston Marathon]] || IAAF{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} || Disputed (short course).<ref>{{cite web
|title       = World Marathon Rankings for 1947
|url       = https://www.arrs.run/MaraRank/ATM_Mara1947.htm
|work       = [[Association of Road Racing Statisticians]]
|access-date       = July 29, 2009
|quote       = Short Course (25.54&nbsp;mi. = 41.1&nbsp;km)
|archive-date       = May 18, 2021
|archive-url       = https://web.archive.org/web/20210518130014/https://www.arrs.run/MaraRank/ATM_Mara1947.htm
|url-status       = live
}}</ref> Disputed (point-to-point).<ref name="Boston">The Association of Road Racing Statisticians does not consider performances on the Boston Marathon course to qualify for world record status due to the possibility that they could be aided by slope and/or tailwinds. (See [https://www.arrs.run/] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190109175359/https://arrs.run/|date=January 9, 2019}}.) This mirrors the IAAF's current criteria regarding record eligible courses.</ref> Note.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.marathonguide.com/history/records/popupSummary.cfm?RID=MMAR19470419 |title=Men's World Record Times – 1944 to 1950 |publisher=Marathonguide.com |date=April 19, 1947 |access-date=March 17, 2010 |archive-date=January 27, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160127173919/http://www.marathonguide.com/history/records/popupSummary.cfm?RID=MMAR19470419 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:20:42.2|| [[Jim Peters (athlete)|Jim Peters]] || {{Flagu|United Kingdom}} || June 14, 1952 || [[Polytechnic Marathon]] || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} || ''MarathonGuide.com'' states the course was slightly long.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.marathonguide.com/history/records/popupSummary.cfm?RID=MMAR19520614 |title=Men's World Record Times – 1949 to 1955 |publisher=Marathonguide.com |access-date=March 17, 2010 |archive-date=October 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004213608/http://www.marathonguide.com/history/records/popupSummary.cfm?RID=MMAR19520614 |url-status=live }}</ref> Report in ''[[The Times]]'' claiming world record.<ref name="ianridpath2">{{cite web|url=http://www.ianridpath.com/polymarathon/1952Timesreport.jpg|title=Image: 1952Timesreport.jpg, (359 × 1700 px)|publisher=ianridpath.com|access-date=September 15, 2015|archive-date=September 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924032318/http://www.ianridpath.com/polymarathon/1952Timesreport.jpg|url-status=live}}</ref>
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:18:40.4 || [[Jim Peters (athlete)|Jim Peters]] || {{Flagu|United Kingdom}} || June 13, 1953 || [[Polytechnic Marathon]] || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} || Report in ''[[The Times]]'' claiming world record.<ref name="ianridpath2"/>
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:18:34.8 || [[Jim Peters (athlete)|Jim Peters]] || {{Flagu|United Kingdom}} || October 4, 1953 || [[Turku Marathon]] || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:17:39.4 || [[Jim Peters (athlete)|Jim Peters]] || {{GBR }} || June 26, 1954 || [[Polytechnic Marathon]] || IAAF{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} || Point-to-point course.{{Citation needed|date=July 2009}} Report in ''[[The Times]]'' claiming world record.<ref name="ianridpath4">{{cite web|url=http://www.ianridpath.com/polymarathon/1954Timesreport.jpg|title=Image: 1954Timesreport.jpg, (339 × 1244 px)|publisher=ianridpath.com|access-date=September 15, 2015|archive-date=September 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924032323/http://www.ianridpath.com/polymarathon/1954Timesreport.jpg|url-status=live}}</ref>
|- style="background:#ffd0bd;"
| style="text-align:right;"| 2:18:04.8 || [[Paavo Kotila]] || {{Flagu|Finland}} || August 12, 1956 || [[Finnish Athletics Championships]], Pieksämäki, Finland || ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:15:17.0 || [[Sergei Popov (marathon runner)|Sergei Popov]] || {{Flagu|Soviet Union}} || August 24, 1958 || [[1958 European Athletics Championships|European Athletics Championships]], Stockholm, Sweden || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} || The ARRS notes Popov's extended time as 2:15:17.6{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}}
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:15:16.2 || [[Abebe Bikila]] || {{flagu|Ethiopia|1897}} || September 10, 1960 || [[Athletics at the 1960 Summer Olympics|Rome Olympics]], Italy || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||World record fastest marathon run in bare feet.<ref name="guinnessworldrecords1">{{cite web|url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/fastest-marathon-barefoot|title=Guinness World Records fastest marathon run in bare feet|date=September 10, 1960|publisher=guinnessworldrecords.com|access-date=April 30, 2019|archive-date=May 6, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170506102224/http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/fastest-marathon-barefoot|url-status=live}}</ref>
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:15:15.8 || [[Toru Terasawa]] || {{Flagu|Japan}} || February 17, 1963 || [[Beppu-Ōita Marathon]] || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:14:28 || [[Leonard Edelen]] || {{Flagu|United States}} || June 15, 1963 || [[Polytechnic Marathon]] || IAAF{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} || Point-to-point course.{{Citation needed|date=July 2009}} Report in ''[[The Times]]'' claiming world record and stating that the course may have been long.<ref name="ianridpath5">{{cite web|url=http://www.ianridpath.com/polymarathon/1963Timesreport.jpg|title=Image: 1963Timesreport.jpg, (1733 × 1242 px)|publisher=ianridpath.com|access-date=September 15, 2015|archive-date=September 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924032329/http://www.ianridpath.com/polymarathon/1963Timesreport.jpg|url-status=live}}</ref>
|- style="background:#ffd0bd;"
| style="text-align:right;"| 2:14:43 || [[Brian Kilby]] || {{Flagu|United Kingdom}} || July 6, 1963 || [[Port Talbot]], Wales <!-- Welsh Championships https://www.arrs.run/MaraList/ML_1963.htm --> || ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:13:55 || [[Basil Heatley]] || {{Flagu|United Kingdom}} || June 13, 1964 || [[Polytechnic Marathon]] || IAAF{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} || Point-to-point course.{{Citation needed|date=July 2009}} Report in ''[[The Times]]'' claiming world record.<ref name="ianridpath6">{{cite web|url=http://www.ianridpath.com/polymarathon/1964Timesreport.jpg|title=Image: 1964Timesreport.jpg, (1362 × 1353 px)|publisher=ianridpath.com|access-date=September 15, 2015|archive-date=September 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924032332/http://www.ianridpath.com/polymarathon/1964Timesreport.jpg|url-status=live}}</ref>
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:12:11.2 || [[Abebe Bikila]] || {{flagu|Ethiopia|1897}} || October 21, 1964 || [[Athletics at the 1964 Summer Olympics - Men's marathon|Tokyo Olympics]], Japan || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:12:00 || [[Morio Shigematsu]] || {{JPN }} || June 12, 1965 || [[Polytechnic Marathon]] || IAAF{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} || Point-to-point course.{{Citation needed|date=July 2009}} Report in ''[[The Times]]'' claiming world record.<ref name="ianridpath7">{{cite web|url=http://www.ianridpath.com/polymarathon/1965Timesreport.jpg|title=Image: 1965Timesreport.jpg, (704 × 1260 px)|publisher=ianridpath.com|access-date=September 15, 2015|archive-date=September 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924032335/http://www.ianridpath.com/polymarathon/1965Timesreport.jpg|url-status=live}}</ref>
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:09:36.4 || [[Derek Clayton]] || {{Flagu|Australia}} || December 3, 1967 || [[Fukuoka Marathon]] || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:08:33.6 || [[Derek Clayton]] || {{AUS }} || May 30, 1969 || [[Antwerp]], Belgium <!-- Belgian Championships https://www.arrs.run/MaraList/ML_1969.htm --> || IAAF{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} || Disputed (short course).<ref>{{cite web
|title       = World Marathon Rankings for 1969
|url       = https://www.arrs.run/MaraRank/ATM_Mara1969.htm
|work       = [[Association of Road Racing Statisticians]]
|access-date       = July 29, 2009
|quote       = Short Course (ca 500&nbsp;m short)
|archive-date       = September 17, 2018
|archive-url       = https://web.archive.org/web/20180917181815/https://arrs.run/MaraRank/ATM_Mara1969.htm
|url-status       = live
}}</ref>
|- style="background:#ffd0bd;"
| style="text-align:right;"| 2:09:28.8 || [[Ron Hill]] ||{{Flagu|United Kingdom}} || July 23, 1970 || [[1970 British Commonwealth Games|Edinburgh Commonwealth Games]], Scotland || ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:#ffd0bd;"
| style="text-align:right;"| 2:09:12 || [[Ian Thompson (marathoner)|Ian Thompson]] || {{Flagu|United Kingdom}} || January 31, 1974 || [[1974 British Commonwealth Games|Christchurch Commonwealth Games]], New Zealand || ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:#ffd0bd;"
| style="text-align:right;"| 2:09:05.6 || [[Shigeru So]] || {{Flagu|Japan}} || February 5, 1978 || [[Beppu-Ōita Marathon]] || ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:#ffd0bd;"
| style="text-align:right;"| 2:09:01 || [[Gerard Nijboer]] || {{Flagu|Netherlands}} || April 26, 1980 || [[Amsterdam Marathon]] || ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:08:18 || [[Robert De Castella]] || {{Flagu|Australia}} || December 6, 1981 || [[Fukuoka Marathon]] || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:08:05 || [[Steve Jones (athlete)|Steve Jones]] || {{Flagu|United Kingdom}} || [[1984 Chicago Marathon|October 21, 1984]] || [[Chicago Marathon]] || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:07:12 || [[Carlos Lopes]] || {{Flagu|Portugal}} || April 20, 1985 || [[Rotterdam Marathon]] || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:06:50 || [[Belayneh Dinsamo]] || {{flagu|Ethiopia|1987}} || April 17, 1988 || [[Rotterdam Marathon]] || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:06:05 || [[Ronaldo da Costa]] || {{Flagu|Brazil}} || [[1998 Berlin Marathon|September 20, 1998]] || [[Berlin Marathon]] || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} || First time the 40K mark was passed under two hours (1:59:55).<ref>{{cite web |title=2021 New York Marathon Statistical Information |url=https://germanroadraces.de/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/New-York-Marathon-2021-Statistical-Referemce-File-Nakamura.pdf |website=germanroadraces.de |access-date=26 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220823195234/https://germanroadraces.de/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/New-York-Marathon-2021-Statistical-Referemce-File-Nakamura.pdf |archive-date=23 August 2022}}</ref>
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:05:42 || [[Khalid Khannouchi]] || {{Flagu|Morocco}} || [[1999 Chicago Marathon|October 24, 1999]] || [[Chicago Marathon]] || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:skyBlue;"
| 2:05:38 || [[Khalid Khannouchi]] || {{Flagu|United States}} || [[2002 London Marathon|April 14, 2002]] || [[London Marathon]] || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} || First "World's Best" recognized by the [[International Association of Athletics Federations]].<ref name="Stat Corner 2003, Page 50">"Stat Corner: First World Road Records," Track and Field News, Volume 56, No. 2, February 2003, Page 50</ref> The ARRS notes Khannouchi's extended time as 2:05:37.8{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}}
|- style="background:skyBlue;"
| 2:04:55 || [[Paul Tergat]] || {{Flagu|Kenya}} || [[2003 Berlin Marathon|September 28, 2003]] || [[Berlin Marathon]] || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} || First world record for the men's marathon ratified by the [[International Association of Athletics Federations]].<ref>{{cite web
 |url=http://www.athletics.hitsites.de/events_info.php?eventNr=108 
 |title=Del's Athletics Almanac Olympics Commonweath European World Championship Results &#91;Event Information&#93; 
 |publisher=Athletics.hitsites.de 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090228132132/http://www.athletics.hitsites.de/events_info.php?eventNr=108 
 |archive-date=February 28, 2009 
 |access-date=November 11, 2015 
 |url-status=dead 
 |df=mdy 
}}</ref>
|- style="background:skyBlue;"
| 2:04:26|| [[Haile Gebrselassie]] || {{Flagu|Ethiopia|variant=1996}}|| [[2007 Berlin Marathon|September 30, 2007]] || [[Berlin Marathon]] || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:skyBlue;"
| 2:03:59 || [[Haile Gebrselassie]] || {{Flagu|Ethiopia|variant=1996}}|| [[2008 Berlin Marathon|September 28, 2008]] || [[Berlin Marathon]] || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} || The ARRS notes Gebrselassie's extended time as 2:03:58.2.{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} {{YouTube|2I9ERfh22TU}}
|- style="background:skyBlue;"
| 2:03:38 || [[Patrick Makau]] || {{Flagu|Kenya}} || [[2011 Berlin Marathon|September 25, 2011]] || [[Berlin Marathon]] || IAAF,<ref>{{cite web
|url		=https://worldathletics.org/news/news/makau-stuns-with-20338-marathon-world-record
|title		=Makau stuns with 2:03:38 marathon world record in Berlin
|publisher		=[[World Athletics]]
|date		=September 25, 2011
|access-date		=September 9, 2023
|archive-date		=September 27, 2022
|archive-url		=https://web.archive.org/web/20220927080648/https://worldathletics.org/news/news/makau-stuns-with-20338-marathon-world-record
|url-status		=live
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url		=https://worldathletics.org/news/press-release/world-records-ratified3
|title		=World records ratified
|publisher		=[[World Athletics]]
|date		=December 20, 2011
|access-date		=September 9, 2023
|archive-date		=October 8, 2023
|archive-url		=https://web.archive.org/web/20231008144128/https://worldathletics.org/news/press-release/world-records-ratified3
|url-status		=live
}}</ref> ARRS<ref name="ARRS road progression 2016">{{cite web
 |url          = https://arrs.run/RecProg/RP_wwR.htm
 |title        = World Best Progression- Road
 |website      = [[Association of Road Racing Statisticians|ARRS]]
 |date         = May 3, 2016
 |access-date  = January 3, 2019
 |archive-date = June 14, 2018
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20180614221254/https://arrs.run/RecProg/RP_wwR.htm
 |url-status   = live
}}</ref> ||
|- style="background:skyBlue;"
| 2:03:23 || [[Wilson Kipsang]] || {{Flagu|Kenya}} || [[2013 Berlin Marathon|September 29, 2013]] || [[Berlin Marathon]] || IAAF<ref>{{cite web
|url		=http://www.iaaf.org/news/report/wilson-kipsang-sets-world-record-of-20323-in
|title		=Kipsang sets world record of 2:03:23 at Berlin Marathon &#124; iaaf.org
|website		=[[IAAF]]
|date		=September 29, 2013
|access-date		=November 11, 2015
|archive-date		=September 24, 2015
|archive-url		=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924194559/http://www.iaaf.org/news/report/wilson-kipsang-sets-world-record-of-20323-in
|url-status		=live
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url		=http://www.iaaf.org/news/press-release/marathon-world-record-ratified
|title		=World Record Ratified &#124; iaaf.org
|website		=[[IAAF]]
|date		=November 12, 2013
|access-date		=November 11, 2015
|archive-date		=October 18, 2014
|archive-url		=https://web.archive.org/web/20141018220541/http://www.iaaf.org/news/press-release/marathon-world-record-ratified
|url-status		=live
}}</ref> ARRS<ref name="ARRS road progression 2016"/> || The ARRS notes Kipsang's extended time as 2:03:22.2<ref name="ARRS road progression 2016"/>
|- style="background:skyBlue;"
| 2:02:57 || [[Dennis Kimetto]] || {{Flagu|Kenya}} || [[2014 Berlin Marathon|September 28, 2014]] || [[Berlin Marathon]] || IAAF<ref>{{cite web
|url		=http://www.iaaf.org/news/report/marathon-world-record-dennis-kimetto-berlin
|title		=Kimetto breaks marathon world record in Berlin with 2:02:57 &#124; iaaf.org
|website		=[[IAAF]]
|date		=September 28, 2014
|access-date		=November 11, 2015
|archive-date		=October 1, 2014
|archive-url		=https://web.archive.org/web/20141001012927/http://www.iaaf.org/news/report/marathon-world-record-dennis-kimetto-berlin
|url-status		=live
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url		=http://www.iaaf.org/news/press-release/world-record-ratified-marathon-kimetto-30km
|title		=World Record Ratified &#124; iaaf.org
|website		=[[IAAF]]
|date		=November 24, 2014
|access-date		=November 11, 2015
|archive-date		=November 27, 2014
|archive-url		=https://web.archive.org/web/20141127082506/http://www.iaaf.org/news/press-release/world-record-ratified-marathon-kimetto-30km
|url-status		=live
}}</ref> ARRS<ref name="ARRS road progression 2016"/> || The ARRS notes Kimetto's extended time as 2:02:56.4<ref name="ARRS road progression 2016"/>
|- style="background:skyBlue;"
| 2:01:39 || [[Eliud Kipchoge]] || {{Flagu|Kenya}} || [[2018 Berlin Marathon|September 16, 2018]] || [[Berlin Marathon]] || IAAF<ref name="Kipchoge Berlin">{{cite web|url=https://www.worldathletics.org/news/report/eliud-kipchoge-world-record-berlin-marathon-2022|title=Kipchoge breaks world record in Berlin with 2:01:09|publisher=IAAF|access-date=September 25, 2022|date=October 26, 2018|archive-date=September 25, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220925100720/https://www.worldathletics.org/news/report/eliud-kipchoge-world-record-berlin-marathon-2022|url-status=live}}</ref>  || 
|- style="background:skyBlue;"
| 2:01:09 || [[Eliud Kipchoge]] || {{Flagu|Kenya}} || [[2022 Berlin Marathon|September 25, 2022]] || [[Berlin Marathon]] || World Athletics<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kipchoge breaks world record in Berlin with 2:01:09 {{!}} REPORT {{!}} World Athletics |url=https://worldathletics.org/news/report/eliud-kipchoge-world-record-berlin-marathon-2022 |access-date=2022-09-25 |website=worldathletics.org |archive-date=September 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220925100720/https://www.worldathletics.org/news/report/eliud-kipchoge-world-record-berlin-marathon-2022 |url-status=live }}</ref>||
|- style="background:skyBlue;"
|2:00:35
|[[Kelvin Kiptum]]
|{{Flagu|Kenya}}
|[[2023 Chicago Marathon|October 8, 2023]]
|[[Chicago Marathon]]
|World Athletics<ref>{{cite web|title=Kiptum smashes world marathon record with 2:00:35, Hassan runs 2:13:44 in Chicago|url=https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-label-road-races/news/chicago-marathon-2023-kiptum-world-record-hassan|website=World Athletics|date=8 October 2023|access-date=10 October 2023|archive-date=October 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231009002324/https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-label-road-races/news/chicago-marathon-2023-kiptum-world-record-hassan|url-status=live}}</ref>
|First man to break 2:01:00 in a record-eligible marathon.
|}

===Women===
<timeline>
#>
The chart is clipped at 2 hours 0 minutes (120 minutes, or 7200 seconds), and magnified by .05 (one pixel height equals 20 seconds)
<#
ImageSize  = width:750 height:370 # The width can be changed without much harm (remember to change the PlotArea below too)
PlotArea   = width:700 height:150 left:40 bottom:20

DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy
Period     = from:1925 till:2025
TimeAxis   = orientation:horizontal
ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:5 start:1925

Colors=
  id:grid value: gray(0.5)

LineData=
  width: 0.1
  color: grid
  from: start till: end atpos: 20
  from: start till: end atpos: 50
  from: start till: end atpos: 80
  from: start till: end atpos: 110
  from: start till: end atpos: 140
  from: start till: end atpos: 170
  from: start till: end atpos: 200
  from: start till: end atpos: 230
  from: start till: end atpos: 260
  from: start till: end atpos: 290
  from: start till: 01/01/1966 atpos: 320
  from: start till: 01/01/1966 atpos: 350

TextData=
  pos:(0,350) text: "3:50:00"
  pos:(0,320) text: "3:40:00"
  pos:(0,290) text: "3:30:00"
  pos:(0,260) text: "3:20:00"
  pos:(0,230) text: "3:10:00"
  pos:(0,200) text: "3:00:00"
  pos:(0,170) text: "2:50:00"
  pos:(0,140) text: "2:40:00"
  pos:(0,110) text: "2:30:00"
  pos:(0,80) text: "2:20:00"
  pos:(0,50) text: "2:10:00"
  pos:(0,20) text: "2:00:00"

TextData=
  fontsize: M
  pos:(335,350)  textcolor: red text:Listed by World Athletics as world best prior to official acceptance

TextData=
  fontsize: M
  pos:(335,330)  textcolor: blue text:Ratified by World Athletics as a world best (since January 1, 2003)\n or world record (since January 1, 2004)

LineData=
  width: 0.2
  color: red
  at: 03/10/1926 tillpos: 321.1
  at: 16/12/1963 tillpos: 311.4
  at: 23/05/1964 tillpos: 283.3
  at: 21/07/1964 tillpos: 258.7
  at: 06/05/1967 tillpos: 246.2
  at: 16/09/1967 tillpos: 222.4
  at: 28/02/1970 tillpos: 208.7
  at: 09/05/1971 tillpos: 205.1
  at: 19/09/1971 tillpos: 186.1
  at: 05/12/1971 tillpos: 169.0
  at: 02/12/1973 tillpos: 160.3
  at: 27/10/1974 tillpos: 159.2
  at: 01/12/1974 tillpos: 151.7
  at: 21/04/1975 tillpos: 147.2
  at: 03/05/1975 tillpos: 140.7
  at: 12/10/1975 tillpos: 134.9
  at: 01/05/1977 tillpos: 125.7
  at: 10/09/1977 tillpos: 124.3
  at: 22/10/1978 tillpos: 107.4
  at: 21/10/1979 tillpos: 102.6
  at: 26/10/1980 tillpos: 97.0
  at: 17/04/1983 tillpos: 96.4
  at: 18/04/1983 tillpos: 88.1
  at: 21/04/1985 tillpos: 83.2
  at: 19/04/1998 tillpos: 82.1
  at: 26/09/1999 tillpos: 79.3
  at: 30/09/2001 tillpos: 76.3

LineData=
  width: 0.2
  color: blue
  at: 13/10/2002 tillpos: 71.9
  at: 13/04/2003 tillpos: 66.3
  at: 13/10/2019 tillpos: 62.2
  at: 24/09/2023 tillpos: 55.7
  at: 13/10/2024 tillpos: 49.8

</timeline>

<div>
'''Table key:'''<br />
{{legend2|#D6ECF3|Listed by World Athletics as a world best prior to official acceptance{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}}|border=solid 1px #AAAAAA}}<br />
{{legend2|#87CEEB|Ratified by World Athletics as a world best (since January 1, 2003) or world record (since January 1, 2004){{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}}|border=solid 1px #AAAAAA}}<br />
{{legend2|#FFD0BD|Recognized by the [[Association of Road Racing Statisticians]] (ARRS){{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}}|border=solid 1px #AAAAAA}}
</div>

{| class="wikitable" style=" font-size: 95%;"
|- style="background:#dfdfdf;"
! style="width:120px"|Time
! style="width:140px"|Name
! style="width:160px"|Nationality
! style="width:160px"|Date
! style="width:180px"|Event/Place
! style="width:120px"|Source
! style="width:360px"|Notes
|- style="background:#ffd0bd;"
| style="text-align:right;"| 5:40 || [[Marie-Louise Ledru]] || {{flagdeco|France|1794}} [[French Third Republic|France]] || September 29, 1918 || [[Tour de Paris Marathon]] || ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 3:40:22 || [[Violet Piercy]] || {{Flagu|United Kingdom}} || October 3, 1926 || London{{refn|Piercy's mark was set on the [[Polytechnic Marathon]] course between [[Windsor, Berkshire|Windsor]] and London.<ref>{{cite book
|last = Noakes
|first = Tim
|author-link = Tim Noakes
|title = The Lore of Running
|publisher = [[Oxford University Press]]
|page = 675
|edition = Fourth
|year = 2003
|isbn = 0-87322-959-2}}</ref> A number of sources, including [[Kathrine Switzer]], have reported that the venue for Piercy's mark was the actual Polytechnic Marathon,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.runwashington.com/archive0209/features/misckateswitzer.html |title=Washington Running Report – Feature Article |publisher=Runwashington.com |date=February 23, 1981 |access-date=September 26, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930105441/http://www.runwashington.com/archive0209/features/misckateswitzer.html |archive-date=September 30, 2011 }}</ref> however, records from the Association of Road Racing Statisticians confirm that the 1926 Polytechnic Marathon was held on May 18.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.arrs.run/HP_PolyM.htm|title=untitled|access-date=December 2, 2018|archive-date=May 9, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190509010204/https://www.arrs.run/HP_PolyM.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>|group=nb}} ||  IAAF{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} || The ARRS indicates that Piercy's 3:40:22 was set on August 2, 1926, during a time trial on a course that was only 35.4&nbsp;km.{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}}
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
|| 3:37:07 || [[Merry Lepper]] || {{Flagu|United States}} || December 16, 1963{{refn|The Association of Road Racing Statisticians notes the date of the race as December <u>14</u>, 1963.<ref name="ARRS_WH">{{cite web
|title       = Western Hemisphere Marathon
|url       = https://www.arrs.run/HP_WHmMa.htm
|work       = [[Association of Road Racing Statisticians]]
|access-date       = November 11, 2015
|archive-date       = January 7, 2019
|archive-url       = https://web.archive.org/web/20190107015812/https://www.arrs.run/HP_WHmMa.htm
|url-status       = live
}}</ref><ref name="ARRS_1963">{{cite web
|title       = World Marathon Rankings for 1963
|url       = https://arrs.run/MaraRank/ATM_Mara1963.htm
|work       = [[Association of Road Racing Statisticians]]
|access-date       = November 11, 2015
|archive-date       = January 7, 2019
|archive-url       = https://web.archive.org/web/20190107015842/https://arrs.run/MaraRank/ATM_Mara1963.htm
|url-status       = live
}}</ref>|group=nb}} || [[Culver City]], United States || IAAF{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}}|| Disputed (short course).<ref name="ARRS_WH"/>
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 3:27:45 || [[Dale Greig]] || {{Flagu|United Kingdom}} || May 23, 1964 || [[Ryde]] || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 3:19:33 || [[Mildred Sampson]] || {{Flagu|New Zealand}} || July 21, 1964{{refn
|name	=ARRS_refn1964
|group	=nb
|Peter Heidenstrom, a statistician for [[Athletics New Zealand]], has been reported as providing a date of December 1964,<ref name="Jutel">{{Cite journal
| last = Jutel
| first = Anne-Marie
| title = Forgetting Millie Sampson: Collective Frameworks for Historical Memory
| journal = New Zealand Journal of Media Studies
| volume = 10
| issue = 1
| pages = 31–36
| year = 2007
| df = mdy-all
| doi = 10.11157/medianz-vol10iss1id74
| doi-access = free
}}</ref> however, the Association of Road Racing Statisticians notes the date of Sampson's performance was August 16, 1964.<ref name="ARRS_1964" /> Other sources from August to October 1964 support the August date.<ref name="TheAge">{{Cite news
| title = Housewife's Marathon Record Run
| newspaper = [[The Age]]
| location = [[Melbourne]]
| page = 22
| date = August 18, 1964
| url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VB0TAAAAIBAJ&pg=3987,3203407&dq=mildred-sampson+new+zealand&hl=en
| access-date = May 21, 2010
| archive-date = September 28, 2022
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220928082253/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VB0TAAAAIBAJ&pg=3987,3203407&dq=mildred-sampson+new+zealand&hl=en
| url-status = live
}}</ref><ref name="SI">{{Cite news
 |last=Rogin 
 |first=Gilbert 
 |title=The Fastest Is Faster 
 |newspaper=[[Sports Illustrated]] 
 |date=October 5, 1964 
 |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1076457/index.htm 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100305125854/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1076457/index.htm 
 |url-status=dead 
 |archive-date=March 5, 2010 
 |access-date=May 21, 2010 
 |quote=One Saturday last August, a Mrs. Millie Sampson, a 31-year-old mother of two who lives in the Auckland  suburb of Manurewa, went dancing until 1&nbsp;am The next day she cooked dinner for 11 visitors. In between, she ran the marathon in 3:19.33, presumably a record. 
}}</ref> The ARRS also notes that Sampson's mark was set during a [[time trial]] and does not recognize it in their progression of marathon world bests.{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}}<ref name="ARRS_WH"/>
}} || [[Auckland]], New Zealand || IAAF{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} || Disputed by ARRS as a time trial.{{refn |group=nb |name=ARRS_refn1964}}<ref name="ARRS_1964">{{cite web
|title       = World Marathon Rankings for 1964
|url       = https://www.arrs.run/MaraRank/ATM_Mara1964.htm
|work       = [[Association of Road Racing Statisticians]]
|access-date       = July 29, 2009
|quote       = Note: Mildred Sampson (NZL) ran 3:19:33 in a time trial on 16 Aug 1964 at Auckland NZL.
|archive-date       = December 16, 2019
|archive-url       = https://web.archive.org/web/20191216060348/https://arrs.run/MaraRank/ATM_Mara1964.htm
|url-status       = live
}}</ref>
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 3:14:23 || [[Maureen Wilton]] || {{Flagu|Canada}} || May 6, 1967 || [[Toronto]], Canada || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} || The ARRS notes Wilton's extended time as 3:14:22.8{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}}
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 3:07:27.2 || [[Anni Pede-Erdkamp]] || {{Flagu|West Germany}} || September 16, 1967 || [[Schwalmtal, North Rhine-Westphalia|Waldniel]], West Germany || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} || The ARRS notes Pede-Erdkamp's extended time as 3:07:26.2{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}}
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 3:02:53 || [[Caroline Walker (athlete)|Caroline Walker]] || {{Flagu|United States}} || February 28, 1970 || [[Seaside, OR]] || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 3:01:42 || [[Beth Bonner|Elizabeth Bonner]] || {{Flagu|United States}} || May 9, 1971 || [[Philadelphia]], United States <!-- AAU Eastern Regional Championships https://www.arrs.run/MaraList/ML_1971.htm --> || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:55:22 || [[Beth Bonner|Elizabeth Bonner]] || {{Flagu|United States}} || [[1971 New York City Marathon|September 19, 1971]] || [[New York City Marathon]] || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:49:40 || [[Cheryl Bridges]] || {{Flagu|United States}} || December 5, 1971 || [[Culver City]], United States || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:46:36 || [[Michiko Gorman]] || {{Flagu|United States}} || December 2, 1973 || [[Culver City]], United States || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} || The ARRS notes Gorman's extended time as 2:46:37{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}}
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:46:24 || [[Chantal Langlacé]] || {{flagu|France|1974}} || October 27, 1974 || [[Neuf-Brisach]], France || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:43:54.5 || [[Jacqueline Hansen]] || {{Flagu|United States}} || December 1, 1974 || [[Culver City]], United States || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} || The ARRS notes Hansen's extended time as 2:43:54.6{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}}
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:42:24 || [[Liane Winter]] || {{Flagu|West Germany}} || April 21, 1975 || [[Boston Marathon]] || IAAF{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} || Disputed (point-to-point).<ref name="Boston"/>
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:40:15.8 || [[Christa Vahlensieck]] || {{Flagu|West Germany}} || May 3, 1975 || [[Dülmen]] || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:38:19 || [[Jacqueline Hansen]] || {{Flagu|United States}} || October 12, 1975 || [[Nike OTC Marathon]], [[Eugene, Oregon|Eugene]], United States <!-- [[Oregon Track Club Marathon]] https://www.arrs.run/HP_OTCMa.htm --> || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:35:15.4 || [[Chantal Langlacé]] || {{flagu|France|1974}} || May 1, 1977 || [[Oiartzun]], Spain || IAAF{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ||
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:34:47.5 || [[Christa Vahlensieck]] || {{Flagu|West Germany}} || [[1977 Berlin Marathon|September 10, 1977]] || [[Berlin Marathon]] || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:32:29.8 || [[Grete Waitz]] || {{Flagu|Norway}} || [[1978 New York City Marathon|October 22, 1978]] || [[New York City Marathon]] || IAAF{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} || Disputed (short course).<ref name="NYC2"/><ref>{{cite web
|title       = World Marathon Rankings for 1978
|url       = https://www.arrs.run/MaraRank/ATM_Mara1978.htm
|work       = [[Association of Road Racing Statisticians]]
|access-date       = July 29, 2009
|quote       = Short Course (measurements on subsequent course were 150&nbsp;m short, this course probably short as well)
|archive-date       = September 17, 2018
|archive-url       = https://web.archive.org/web/20180917181855/https://arrs.run/MaraRank/ATM_Mara1978.htm
|url-status       = live
}}</ref>
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:27:32.6 || [[Grete Waitz]] || {{Flagu|Norway}} || [[1979 New York City Marathon|October 21, 1979]] || [[New York City Marathon]] || IAAF{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} || Disputed (short course).<ref name="NYC2"/><ref>{{cite web
|title       = World Marathon Rankings for 1979
|url       = https://www.arrs.run/MaraRank/ATM_Mara1979.htm
|work       = [[Association of Road Racing Statisticians]]
|access-date       = July 29, 2009
|quote       = Short Course (measurements on subsequent course were 150&nbsp;m short, this course probably short as well)
|archive-date       = April 18, 2023
|archive-url       = https://web.archive.org/web/20230418135250/https://www.arrs.run/MaraRank/ATM_Mara1979.htm
|url-status       = live
}}</ref>
|- style="background:#ffd0bd;"
| style="text-align:right;"| 2:31:23 || [[Joan Benoit]] || {{Flagu|United States}} || February 3, 1980 || [[Auckland]], New Zealand <!-- [[Auckland Marathon]] https://www.arrs.run/HP_AucMa.htm --> || ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:#ffd0bd;"
| style="text-align:right;"| 2:30:57.1 || [[Patti Catalano]] || {{Flagu|United States}} || September 6, 1980 || [[Montreal]], Canada <!-- [[Montreal International Marathon]] https://www.arrs.run/HP_MonMa.htm --> || ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:25:41.3 || [[Grete Waitz]] || {{Flagu|Norway}} || [[1980 New York City Marathon|October 26, 1980]] || [[New York City Marathon]] || IAAF{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} || Disputed (short course).<ref name="NYC2"/><ref>{{cite web
|title       = World Marathon Rankings for 1980
|url       = https://www.arrs.run/MaraRank/ATM_Mara1980.htm
|work       = [[Association of Road Racing Statisticians]]
|access-date       = July 29, 2009
|quote       = Short Course (remeasurements of a nearly identical course in 1981 was 150&nbsp;m short, this course probably short as well)
|archive-date       = September 16, 2018
|archive-url       = https://web.archive.org/web/20180916130347/https://arrs.run/MaraRank/ATM_Mara1980.htm
|url-status       = live
}}</ref>
|- style="background:#ffd0bd;"
| style="text-align:right;"| 2:30:27 || [[Joyce Smith]] || {{Flagu|United Kingdom}} || November 16, 1980 || Tokyo, Japan <!-- [[Tokyo International Women's Marathon]] https://www.arrs.run/HP_TkWMa.htm --> || ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:#ffd0bd;"
| style="text-align:right;"| 2:29:57 || [[Joyce Smith]] || {{Flagu|United Kingdom}} || [[1981 London Marathon|March 29, 1981]] || [[London Marathon]] || ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:25:28 || [[Allison Roe]] || {{Flagu|New Zealand}} || [[1981 New York City Marathon|October 25, 1981]] || [[New York City Marathon]] || IAAF{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} || Disputed (short course).<ref name="NYC2"/><ref>{{cite web
|title       = World Marathon Rankings for 1980
|url       = https://www.arrs.run/MaraRank/ATM_Mara1980.htm
|work       = [[Association of Road Racing Statisticians]]
|access-date       = July 29, 2009
|quote       = Short Course (remeasurements of a nearly identical course in 1981 was 150&nbsp;m short, this course probably short as well)
|archive-date       = September 16, 2018
|archive-url       = https://web.archive.org/web/20180916130347/https://arrs.run/MaraRank/ATM_Mara1980.htm
|url-status       = live
}}</ref>
|- style="background:#ffd0bd;"
| style="text-align:right;"| 2:29:01.6|| [[Charlotte Teske]] || {{Flagu|West Germany}} || January 16, 1982 || Miami, United States <!-- Orange Bowl Marathon --> || ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:#ffd0bd;"
| style="text-align:right;"| 2:26:12 || [[Joan Benoit]] || {{Flagu|United States}} || September 12, 1982 || [[Nike OTC Marathon]], [[Eugene, Oregon|Eugene]], United States <!-- [[Oregon Track Club Marathon]] https://www.arrs.run/HP_OTCMa.htm --> || ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:25:28.7 || [[Grete Waitz]] || {{Flagu|Norway}} || [[1983 London Marathon|April 17, 1983]] || [[London Marathon]] || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:22:43 || [[Joan Benoit]] || {{Flagu|United States}} || April 18, 1983 || [[Boston Marathon]] || IAAF{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} || Disputed (point-to-point).<ref name="Boston"/>
|- style="background:#ffd0bd;"
| style="text-align:right;"| 2:24:26 || [[Ingrid Kristiansen]] || {{Flagu|Norway}} || [[1984 London Marathon|May 13, 1984]] || [[London Marathon]] || ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:21:06 || [[Ingrid Kristiansen]] || {{Flagu|Norway}} || [[1985 London Marathon|April 21, 1985]] || [[London Marathon]] || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:20:47 || [[Tegla Loroupe]] || {{Flagu|Kenya}} || April 19, 1998 || [[Rotterdam Marathon]] || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:20:43 || [[Tegla Loroupe]] || {{Flagu|Kenya}} || [[1999 Berlin Marathon|September 26, 1999]] || [[Berlin Marathon]] || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:19:46 || [[Naoko Takahashi]] || {{JPN|}} || [[2001 Berlin Marathon|September 30, 2001]] || [[Berlin Marathon]] || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:#d6ecf3;"
| 2:18:47 || [[Catherine Ndereba]] || {{Flagu|Kenya}} || [[2001 Chicago Marathon|October 7, 2001]] || [[Chicago Marathon]] || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} ||
|- style="background:skyBlue;"
| 2:17:18|| [[Paula Radcliffe]] || {{Flagu|United Kingdom}} || [[2002 Chicago Marathon|October 13, 2002]] || [[Chicago Marathon]] || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} || First "World's Best" recognized by the [[International Association of Athletics Federations]].<ref name="Stat Corner 2003, Page 50"/> The ARRS notes Radcliffe's extended time as 2:17:17.7{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}}
|- style="background:skyBlue;"
| 2:15:25 {{AthAbbr|Mx}} || [[Paula Radcliffe]] || {{Flagu|United Kingdom}} || [[2003 London Marathon|April 13, 2003]] || [[London Marathon]] || IAAF,{{sfn|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}} ARRS{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}} || First world record for the women's marathon ratified by the [[International Association of Athletics Federations]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.athletics.hitsites.de/events_info.php?eventNr=308 |title=Del's Athletics Almanac Olympics Commonweath European World Championship Results &#91;Event Information&#93; |publisher=Athletics.hitsites.de |access-date=November 11, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090228132327/http://www.athletics.hitsites.de/events_info.php?eventNr=308 |archive-date=February 28, 2009 }}</ref> The ARRS notes Radcliffe's extended time as 2:15:24.6{{sfn|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}}
|- style="background:skyBlue;"
|2:17:42 {{AthAbbr|Wo}}
|[[Paula Radcliffe]]
|{{flagu|Great Britain}}
|[[2005 London Marathon|April 17, 2005]]
|[[London Marathon]]
|IAAF<ref>{{cite web|title=IAAF Statistic Handbook Beijing 2015|url=http://iaaf-ebooks.s3.amazonaws.com/2015/Beijing-2015-Statistics-Handbook/index.htm|publisher=IAAF|year=2015|access-date=23 April 2017|archive-date=October 18, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018122334/http://iaaf-ebooks.s3.amazonaws.com/2015/Beijing-2015-Statistics-Handbook/index.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>
|
|-style="background:skyBlue;"
|2:17:01 {{AthAbbr|Wo}}
|[[Mary Jepkosgei Keitany]]
|{{flagu|Kenya}}
|[[2017 London Marathon|April 23, 2017]]
|[[London Marathon]]
|IAAF<ref>{{cite news|title=Keitany breaks women's-only world record at London Marathon|url=https://www.iaaf.org/news/report/london-marathon-2017-keitany-world-record|publisher=IAAF|date=23 April 2017|access-date=23 April 2017|archive-date=April 24, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170424001813/https://www.iaaf.org/news/report/london-marathon-2017-keitany-world-record|url-status=live}}</ref>
|
|- style="background:skyBlue;"
| 2:14:04 {{AthAbbr|Mx}} || [[Brigid Kosgei]] || {{Flagu|Kenya}} || [[2019 Chicago Marathon|October 13, 2019]] || [[Chicago Marathon]] || IAAF<ref>{{cite web |title=World Record Progression of Marathon |url=https://www.iaaf.org/records/by-progression/6240?type=2 |website=iaaf.org |publisher=IAAF |access-date=13 October 2019 |archive-date=July 26, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190726095746/https://www.iaaf.org/records/by-progression/6240?type=2 |url-status=live }}</ref>  || 
|- style="background:skyBlue;"
|2:11:53 {{AthAbbr|Mx}}
|[[Tigst Assefa]]
|{{flagu|Ethiopia}}
|[[2023 Berlin Marathon|September 24, 2023]]
|[[Berlin Marathon]]
|World Athletics<ref>{{cite web|title=Assefa smashes world marathon record in Berlin with 2:11:53, Kipchoge achieves record fifth win|url=https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-label-road-races/news/tigst-assefa-world-marathon-record-berlin-kipchoge-2023|work=World Athletics|date=24 September 2023|access-date=24 September 2023|archive-date=September 26, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230926153900/https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-label-road-races/news/tigst-assefa-world-marathon-record-berlin-kipchoge-2023|url-status=live}}</ref>
|First woman to break the 2:12:00 barrier in the marathon.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://letsrun.com/news/2023/09/tigist-assefa-obliterates-womens-marathon-world-record-with-21153-in-berlin|title=Tigst Assefa Sets Womens Marathon Record in 2023 Berlin Marathon|website=letsrun.com|date=September 24, 2023|accessdate=September 26, 2023|archive-date=September 26, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230926110606/https://www.letsrun.com/news/2023/09/tigist-assefa-obliterates-womens-marathon-world-record-with-21153-in-berlin/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|- style="background:skyBlue;"
|2:16:16 {{AthAbbr|Wo}}
|[[Peres Jepchirchir]]
|{{flagu|Kenya}}
|[[2024 London Marathon|April 21, 2024]]
|[[London Marathon]]
|World Athletics<ref>{{cite news|title=Jepchirchir breaks women-only world marathon record in London|url=https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-label-road-races/news/peres-jepchirchir-women-world-marathon-record-london|work=[[World Athletics]]|date=21 April 2024|access-date=21 April 2024}}</ref>
|
|- style="background:skyBlue;"
| 2:09:56 {{AthAbbr|Mx}}
| [[Ruth Chepng'etich]]
| {{flagu|Kenya}}
| [[2024 Chicago Marathon|October 13, 2024]]
| [[Chicago Marathon]]
| World Athletics
| First woman to break the 2:11:00 and 2:10:00 barriers in the marathon. Chepng'etich was banned on 23 October 2025 for three years for the presence and use of [[hydrochlorothiazide]], though achievements and records pre-dating the 14 March 2025 sample stand.<ref>{{cite press release|title=AIU Bans Chepng'etich for 3 Years|url=https://www.athleticsintegrity.org/downloads/pdfs/other/Press-Release_Howman-Nobody-Above-the-Rules-%E2%80%93-AIU-Bans-Chepngetich-for-3-Years.pdf|work=[[Athletics Integrity Unit]]|date=23 October 2025|access-date=24 October 2025}}</ref>
|- style="background:skyBlue;"
| 2:15:50 {{AthAbbr|Wo}}
| [[Tigst Assefa]]
| {{flagu|Ethiopia}}
| [[2025 London Marathon|April 27, 2025]]
| [[London Marathon]]
| World Athletics<ref>{{Cite web |title=Assefa breaks women-only marathon world record with 2:15:50 in London {{!}} REPORTS {{!}} World Athletics |url=https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-label-road-races/news/tigist-assefa-women-only-world-marathon-record-london |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250428013252/https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-label-road-races/news/tigist-assefa-women-only-world-marathon-record-london |archive-date=April 28, 2025 |access-date=2025-04-28 |website=worldathletics.org |language=en |url-status=live }}</ref>
|
|}

==Gallery of world record holders==
<gallery mode="packed">
File:Hayes shore ac sm.jpg|[[Johnny Hayes]]
File:Sohn Kee-chung (Kitei Son) Marathon 1936 Summer Olympics.jpg|[[Sohn Kee-chung]]
File:Robert de Castella 1983.jpg|[[Robert de Castella]]
File:20071103 Khalid Khannouchi.jpg|[[Khalid Khannouchi]]
File:Kelvin Kiptum (KEN) 2023.jpg|[[Kelvin Kiptum]]
File:Haile Gebrselassie at Vienna City Marathon 2011.jpg|[[Haile Gebrselassie]]
File:Patrick Makau at the Berlin Marathon 2011.jpg|[[Patrick Makau Musyoki|Patrick Makau]]
File:Joan Benoit 2008.jpg|[[Joan Benoit]]
File:Takahashi Naoko Nagoya Womens Marathon 2008.jpg|[[Naoko Takahashi]]
File:Osaka07 D9M WMarathon Ndereba running.jpg|[[Catherine Ndereba]]
File:Paula Radcliffe NYC Marathon 2008 cropped.jpg|[[Paula Radcliffe]]
File:London Marathon 2018 (27765192508).jpg|[[Brigid Kosgei]]
File:Eliud Kipchoge in Berlin - 2015 (cropped).jpg|[[Eliud Kipchoge]]
</gallery>

==See also==
{{portal|Sport of athletics}}
* [[Marathon year rankings]]
* [[National records in the marathon]]

'''Men's Masters Records'''
* [[Masters M35 marathon world record progression]]
* [[Masters M40 marathon world record progression]]
* [[Masters M45 marathon world record progression]]
* [[Masters M50 marathon world record progression]]
* [[Masters M55 marathon world record progression]]
* [[Masters M60 marathon world record progression]]
* [[Masters M65 marathon world record progression]]
* [[Masters M70 marathon world record progression]]
* [[Masters M75 marathon world record progression]]
* [[Masters M80 marathon world record progression]]
* [[Masters M85 marathon world record progression]]
* [[Masters M90 marathon world record progression]]

'''Women's Masters Records'''
* [[Masters W35 marathon world record progression]]
* [[Masters W40 marathon world record progression]]
* [[Masters W45 marathon world record progression]]
* [[Masters W50 marathon world record progression]]
* [[Masters W55 marathon world record progression]]
* [[Masters W60 marathon world record progression]]
* [[Masters W65 marathon world record progression]]
* [[Masters W70 marathon world record progression]]
* [[Masters W75 marathon world record progression]]
* [[Masters W80 marathon world record progression]]
* [[Masters W85 marathon world record progression]]
* [[Masters W90 marathon world record progression]]

==Notes==
<references group="nb"/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Sources==
{{refbegin|2}}
*{{cite web
 |url=https://www.arrs.run/RecProg/RP_wwR.htm
 |title=untitled
 |website=[[Association of Road Racing Statisticians|ARRS]]
 |access-date=2015-11-11
 |ref={{harvid|ARRS World Best Progressions – Road|2015}}
 |archive-date=December 15, 2018
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181215121010/https://www.arrs.run/RecProg/RP_wwR.htm
 |url-status=live
 }}
*{{cite book
 |editor1-first = Mark
 |editor1-last  = Butler
 |title         = 13th IAAF World Championships in Athletics – IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu 2011
 |url           = http://media.aws.iaaf.org/competitioninfo/c36ff61e-f89f-4205-a873-8f3dff0fff67.pdf
 |access-date   = 2015-11-11
 |year          = 2011
 |publisher     = IAAF Media & Public Relations Department
 |series        = Part 5 (of 5)
 |pages         = 595, 612, 614–615, 705, 707
 |ref           = {{harvid|IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu|2011}}
 |archive-date  = October 3, 2020
 |archive-url   = https://web.archive.org/web/20201003214014/http://media.aws.iaaf.org/competitioninfo/c36ff61e-f89f-4205-a873-8f3dff0fff67.pdf
 |url-status    = live
}}
{{refend|2}}

==External links==
*[http://www.iaaf.org/competitions/iaaf-world-championships/13th-iaaf-world-championships-in-athletics-4147 13th IAAF World Championships in Athletics – IAAF Statistics Handbook – Daegu 2011 (all 5 parts)]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20150516042325/http://rw.runnersworld.com/sub-2/ Runner's World {{!}} What Will It Take to Run A 2-Hour Marathon?]
*[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12933932 BBC – "Could a marathon ever be run in under two hours?"]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20190506234828/http://www.marathonguide.com/history/records/index.cfm Interactive graph of men's and women's marathon times with race descriptions (outdated)]

{{Athletics record progressions}}
{{Marathon}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Marathon World Record Progression}}
[[Category:Sport of athletics world record progressions|Marathon]]
[[Category:Marathon world records| ]]