20K run

The 20K run (20 kilometres, or approximately 12.4 miles) is a long distance foot race. It is a rarely held race that is not recognized as an Olympic event. The event held IAAF world championship status in 2006 only, when the existing IAAF World Half Marathon Championships briefly hosted the shorter distance.

The world best for men is held by Zersenay Tadese of Eritrea who ran a time of 56:01 at the 2006 IAAF World Road Running Championships in Debrecen, Hungary. The women's world best is held by Florence Kiplagat of Kenya who ran a time of 1:01:54 at the 2015 Barcelona Half Marathon in Barcelona, Spain. IAAF records require the 20 km distance to be run on a course without a significant drop in elevation between the start and finish points and where the birds-eye distance between the start of finish points is less than ten kilometres. The Association of Road Racing Statisticians has an additional criteria in that it requires records to be set in competitions of the given distance, thus it does not recognise Kiplagat's run due to it being recorded en route to a longer distance. The ARRS-recognised world record is 1:03:21 by Lornah Kiplagat of the Netherlands, who also recorded her time at the 2006 World Championships.

Road races

There are several annual road running competitions over the 20 km distance, mostly based in Western Europe, the United States, and Japan.

Europe

• 20 van Alphen
• 20 km of Brussels
• 20 Kilomètres de Paris
• 20 km of Tours
• 20 km of Lausanne
• 20 km of Maroilles
• Behobia-San Sebastián
• Friedeslauf 20 km
• Marseille-Cassis Classique Internationale
• Zilveren Molenloop

Japan

• Hakone Ekiden Yosenkai
• Takashimadaira 20 km

United States

• New Haven Road Race
• John F Kennedy Memorial 20 km
• Vestal XX
• Penn Relays 20 km

The Kanaguri Hai Tamana Half Marathon, Dam to Dam Half Marathon and Ogden Newspapers Classic Half Marathon were all previously 20 km races for much of their history.

All-time top 25

• + = en route to longer performance
• Mx = mixed gender race
• Wo = women only race

Men

• Correct as of March 2026

Notes

Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 55:32:

• Jacob Kiplimo also ran 54:23+ (2026), 54:29+ (2021), 54:42+ (2020), 54:53+ (2022) and 55:13+ (2024).
• Yomif Kejelcha also ran 54:38+ (2023).
• Kibiwott Kandie also ran 54:43+ (2022), 55:08+ (2022).
• Hagos Gebrhiwet also ran 55:02+ (2026).
• Rhonex Kipruto also ran 55:04+ (2021).
• Isaia Kipkoech Lasoi also ran 55:13+ (2024).
• Geoffrey Kamworor also ran 55:13+ (2026).
• Philemon Kiplimo also ran 55:19+ (2021).
• Daniel Mateiko also ran 55:17+ (2021).
• Sebastian Sawe also ran 55:17+ (2023).
• Nicholas Kimeli also ran 55:27+ (2025).

Women

• Updated March 2026

Notes

Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 1:01:45:

• Yalemzerf Yehualaw also ran 1:01:05+ Mx (2021).
• Hellen Obiri also ran 1:01:18+ Mx (2021).
• Joyciline Jepkosgei also ran 1:01:22+ Mx (2023), 1:01:25+ Mx (2017), 1:01.28+ (2017).
• Sheila Chepkirui also ran 1:01:26+ Mx (2021).
• Brigid Kosgei also ran 1:01:29+ (2020).
• Margaret Kipkemboi also ran 1:01:42+ Mx (2024).

Notes