Half Marathon
In short
A road running race covering a distance of 21.0975 kilometres.
In plain words
It is exactly half the length of a full marathon. Runners race on paved roads to complete the distance.
A simple example
A runner joins a local city race and runs for about two hours to reach the 21.1km mark.
Why it matters
It is a popular distance because it is challenging but more achievable for many people than a full marathon. It allows athletes to test their endurance without the extreme physical toll of longer races.
Easy to mix up
Do not confuse it with a full marathon, which is twice as long at 42.195 kilometres.