Half-Marathon Report 2013

Last updated 29 Jan 2014.

This report summarises Australian 21.0975 km half-marathons in 2013.

The entire population of half-marathons was included. The event website must have stated it was a standard half-marathon race for inclusion.

Thank you to Brendan Davies for compiling ACT and NSW data.

1. Key Facts

Two thousand thirteen was a record-breaking year with 161 half-marathon events and 82,631 half-marathon performances.

Male:

• 43,764 performances
• 53.0 percent of all performances
• 37.4 average age
• 1:51:01 median time
• 1:00:56 - fastest Australian male was Collis Birmingham in Japan
• 1:01:57 - fastest male in Australia was Wilfred Kipkosgei Murgor of Kenya

Female:

• 38,867 performances
• 47.0 percent of all performances
• 35.1 average age
• 2:05:51 median time
• 1:10:34 - fastest Australian female was Nikki Chapple in Japan
• 1:11:00 - fastest female in Australia was Nikki Chapple of Australia

2. Participation

2.1 Events

A total of 161 half-marathons (HMs) had at least one finisher in 2013. This total was a 20 percent annual increase.

The number of trail HMs increased at a faster rate than road HMs. A 33 percent annual increase.

Most of the inaugural HMs were existing events that added a HM to their programme. Typically events extended their longest distance from 10km.

Three HMs were cancelled but expected to return next year:

• Twilight in QLD due to a midrace storm (2,000 starters, 0 finishers)
• Kedumba in NSW due to bushfires
• Bairnsdale in VIC

Table 2.1.1: Half-Marathon events.

^a Road was defined as a course with mostly good-quality sealed surface that can be accurately measured.
^b Trail was defined as a course with mostly unsealed track.

2.2 Performances

Note on terminology: More than one performance may be recorded by a performer. More than one run may be recorded by a runner.

A total of 82,631 HM performances in 2013. This total was a 9.3 percent annual increase.

The total comprised of 43,764 male and 38,867 female performances. An 15.5 percent increase of females was greater than of males although both sexes increased performances in absolute numbers.

Performances increased 5.0 percent in the same HMs from 2012 to 2013 (73,277 to 76,969).

Trail HMs performances increased 56.3 percent.

Table 2.2.1: Half-Marathon performances.^a

^a Complete results were not available for 31 HMs (5 in 2013). Numbers should be considered as at least this number of performances.

2.3 Performers

An attempt was made to estimate performers by using a database to match similar names, sex, relative times, and geographic distance between events.

The total number of performers was estimated at 65,509. An increase of 60 percent on 2009. The Australian population increased 6 percent during the same period.

There were approx 30 male half-marathoners for every 10,000 Australian males and 27 female half-marathoners for every 10,000 Australian females in 2013.

The number of HMs per runner per year was 1.26. Male performers finished HMs more frequently than female performers.

Table 2.3.1: Half-Marathon performers.

^a Australian Bureau of Statistics estimate at 30 June.

Table 2.3.2: Half-Marathons per runner per year (performances divided by performers).

2.4 Gender

The proportion of male performances decreased to 53.0 percent. The absolute number of male performances did increase but at a slower rate than female performances.

Table 2.4.1: Gender proportion of performances.

2.5 Age

Age data was not reported for all HMs and a sample was used instead. The sample included 54,769 performances.

The average age was 35.1 for females and 37.4 for males (medians were 34 and 36).

The oldest HMs finishers were:

• Ray Urbahn (84, NZL) finishing at Sunshine Coast in 2:32:19.
• Erica Davanna (74) finishing at Melbourne in 2:52:27.

The sample comprised of 1.9 percent juniors (Under 20), 60.7 percent open runners (20–39), and 37.3 percent masters runners (40+).

Table 2.5.1: Age group percentages from sample:

2.6 Median Times

The road median time was 1:58:07. This time may be interpreted as the average runner getting slower.

Generally median times trend slower each year because of

• The increasing proportion of females. The difference between male and female times was 15 minutes on average.
• The increasing average age of finishers. The slowing is expected to accelerate as the proportion of 40+ increases.
• Generous cut-off times in larger events attracting first-time runners and walkers.

Table 2.6.1: Road half-marathon median times.

Table 2.6.2: Road half-marathon median times from age sample.

3. High Performance

3.1 Australian Nationals

This section is on performances by Australians recorded anywhere in the world. It includes record-ineligible races such as Great North Run.

The fastest male in the world was Bernard Koech (Kenya), 58:41 at San Diego.
The fastest Australian male was Collis Birmingham, 1:00:56 at Kagawa Marugame. He was fastest non-East African and 60th fastest male in the world.

The fastest female in the world was Priscah Jeptoo (Kenya), 1:05:45 at Great North Run.
The fastest Australian female was Nikki Chapple, 1:10:34 at Kagawa Marugame. She was the 96th fastest female in the world.

Noteworthy absentees from rankings:

• Jeffrey Hunt was 1:05:35 at the HM split at Boston Marathon
• Michael Shelley was 1:04:10 at the HM split at Beppu-Oita
• Lisa Weightman went through halfway in approx 1:12 at Melbourne.

Table 3.1.1: National rankings (ranked by gun times).

^a Oceania and national record by current IAAF rules. Darren Wilson (1:00:02) and Stephen Moneghetti (1:00:06, 1:00:34, 1:00:27) set times on record-ineligible courses.
^b National record is Kerryn McCann's 1:07:48 at Tokyo 2000.

Table 3.1.2: First and tenth ranking for selected nations in 2013.^a

^a Sources: Japan Running News, Association of Road Running Statisticians, Power of 10, and Athletics NZ.

3.2 Australian Allcomers

This section is on performances recorded in Australia.

The fastest male in Australia was Wilfred Kipkosgei Murgor (Kenya), 1:01:57 at Melbourne. His performance was 5th fastest ever recorded in Australia.

The fastest female in Australia was Nikki Chapple, 1:11:00 at Gold Coast. Her performance was the 11th fastest ever recorded in Australia.

Allcomers rankings were processed up to 1,000 performers for 2009 to 2013. For the year 2013, 3,054 males and 319 females ran under the 1:30 mark. Depth appeared to be improving with increased participation.

Table 3.2.1: Allcomers rankings (ranked by gun times).

^a Allcomers record is Pat Carroll's 1:01:11 at Sydney Morning Herald 1994.
^b Allcomers record is Lisa Weightman's 1:09:00 at Gold Coast 2010.

Table 3.2.2: Allcomers rankings by year.

3.3 Wins

The fastest Australian male winner was Martin Dent recording three of the five fastest winning performances.

The fastest Australian female winner was Nikki Chapple recording the four fastest winning performances.

No runner won more than five Australian HMs during the year. Runners winning five HMs:

• Jane Fardell
• Timothy Molesworth (best 1:15:24)

Two females were outright winners in Australia: Courtney Gillfillan at Tomewin Mountain Challenge and Nicole Bernardi at Lamington Eco Challenge. Both events on Gold Coast trails.

Table 3.3.1: Fastest winning performances.

Table 3.3.2: Fastest runner-up (second place) performances.

4. Events

4.1 Size and Concentration

The largest HM in Australia was Sydney Morning Herald although entrants and finishers decreased.
The largest HM in the world was Gothenburg, Sweden with 45,154 finishers. Sydney Morning Herald was 40th largest HM in the world.

The largest 2, 3, and 5 HMs concentrated 1/4, 1/3, and 1/2 of all finishers in Australia, respectively.

The largest inaugural HM was Run Sydney (previously Run 4 Fun). It extended its longest distance from 10km.

The mean number of finishers was 533 and the median number of finishers was 119.

Table 4.1.1: Half-Marathons ordered by most finishers.

4.2 Growth

Alice Springs, Western Sydney, Great Barrier Reef, and Glow Worm Tunnel more than doubled in finishers albeit from a relatively small base.

Newer events tended to grow at a faster rate. For example, Western Sydney (2010), Great Barrier Reef (2011), Glow Worm Tunnel (2012), or Forster (2011).

Table 4.2.1: Half-Marathons with at least 100 finishers ordered by largest growth.

4.3 Gender

Sussan Women's was the only all female half-marathon.

Sri Chinmoy Centennial Park had the largest proportion of males with nearly 8 in 10.

Table 4.3.1: Half-Marathons with at least 100 females ordered by largest female proportion.

Table 4.3.2: Half-Marathons with at least 100 males ordered by largest male proportion.

4.4 Median Times

AV Burnley had the fastest median time of 1:31:13. Perth City to Surf had the slowest median time of 2:14:20.

The fastest median times were mostly from HMs with large proportions of males.

Table 4.4.1: Road half-marathons with at least 100 finishers ordered by fastest 2013 median times.

^a Incorporated state half-marathon championship

Table 4.4.2: Road half-marathons with at least 100 finishers ordered by slowest 2013 median times.

4.5 Entrants and Starters

Entrants and starters were seldom reported.

Sydney Morning Herald had the largest number of entrants with 12,742 followed by Gold Coast with 10,342.

Based on the available data, on average, 16 percent of entrants failed to start and 4 percent of starters failed to finish.

4.6 Entry Prices

Entry fees were recorded for all HMs. Due to different fee structures (for example, early bird), the fee recorded was for an Australian resident entering one week prior to the race, was for a one-off race, and included club membership if required for entry.

The median entry price was $45 for a road HM and was $40 for a trail HM. Entry was approx half the cost of full-marathon average entry.

The largest HMs, Sydney Morning Herald, Gold Coast, and Melbourne, increased their fees by $8, $5, and $5 respectively from 2012.

5. Miscellaneous

5.1 States and Territories

This section is selected national data split into state and territory components. The ACT and NSW are considered one geographic area.

New South Wales had the most events and the most performances. Tasmania had the fewest events but the Northern Territory had the fewest performances.

Queensland had the most performances per capita. Northern Territory had the fewest performances per capita.

Tasmania was the fastest state with a combined median of 1:53:05.

Table 5.1.1: Selected state data ordered by largest population.

cont.

^a Australian Bureau of Statistics estimate at 30 June.
^b Twilight was cancelled midrace. Queensland growth estimate if not cancelled, 14%
^c Not necessarily state residents.

5.2 Calendar

Of the 161 events, 61 were concentrated in the third quarter, specifically, 25 in August and 9 on the weekend of 17–18 August.

Sunday was the most popular day hosting 137 events. Saturday hosted 21 events.

Table 5.2.1: Distribution of events and performances by month.