The Fastest Marathons in History

For decades, the idea of a human running 26.2 miles in under two hours was considered physically impossible. On April 26, 2026, Sabastian Sawe of Kenya shattered that barrier forever — running 1:59:30 at the London Marathon to become the first person in history to run an officially ratified sub-2-hour marathon.

Men's World Record

Sawe broke the previous world record of 2:00:35 set by the late Kelvin Kiptum at the 2023 Chicago Marathon by an extraordinary 65 seconds. The same race also saw Ethiopia's Yomif Kejelcha finish second in 1:59:41 — making the 2026 London Marathon the first race in history where two men broke the two-hour barrier.

Historical note: Eliud Kipchoge ran a marathon in 1:59:40 in Vienna in 2019 under the INEOS 1:59 Challenge. That effort used rotating pacers and a laser-guided car and was not ratified by World Athletics. Sawe's 1:59:30 is the first sub-2-hour marathon to count as an official world record.

Women's World Record

Why are times dropping so rapidly?

1. Carbon-Plated Shoes: The introduction of thick foam midsoles combined with stiff carbon fiber plates act like springs, returning massive amounts of energy to the runner and reducing muscle fatigue over 26 miles.
2. Drafting Strategy: In elite races, pacers assemble in an "arrowhead" formation to block wind resistance for the lead runner, saving up to 60 seconds over the course of a marathon.
3. Carb-Loading Science: Hydrogel nutrition allows current elites to absorb up to 100g of carbohydrates per hour without stomach distress, completely eliminating the "wall" at mile 20.

From Elite to Everyday Runner

While you might not be attempting to run a 2:00 marathon anytime soon, the same principles of consistency apply to amateur runners. To hit your own personal bests, you have to find a way to make training enjoyable.