At 42, Olly Murs has just clocked an impressive new half marathon personal best, breaking the elusive 90-minute barrier and placing himself firmly among the advanced runners in his age group.
It’s a particularly strong achievement considering Murs has undergone five knee surgeries, including an ACL reconstruction, and previously admitted that his first half marathon in 2018 put him off running for years.
However, following his gruelling 400km challenge for Soccer Aid for UNICEF earlier this year, which saw him run, row and cycle over five days, Murs has continued to make serious progress with his running. His latest result suggests that consistency is paying off.
Sharing his latest achievement on Instagram, Murs revealed that he’d completed a half marathon in 1:28:32, an average pace of approximately 4:12/km.
The result marks a considerable improvement in his fitness compared with the 1:46 half marathon he shared earlier this year, shaving more than 17 minutes off his previous time.
According to data from Running Level, Murs’ new PB places him comfortably in the advanced category for men in their early 40s.
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For context, the advanced half marathon benchmark for a 40-year-old man is 1:33:24, while the elite benchmark sits at 1:23:32. That means Murs is now almost five minutes faster than the advanced standard, and less than six minutes away from the elite benchmark.
Average Half Marathon Times for Men in Their 40s
Wondering how your own half marathon PB measures up? According to Running Level, these are the benchmarks for men aged around 40:
- Beginner: 2:29:29
- Novice: 2:04:59
- Intermediate: 1:46:48
- Advanced: 1:33:24
- Elite: 1:23:32
These benchmarks offer a useful guide to running performance, although they’re not strict targets and will vary depending on individual experience, training history and current fitness.
For anyone working on their own half marathon PB, Murs’ progress is a reminder that big improvements can still be made in your 40s – particularly with consistent training, appropriate recovery and a structured approach to running.
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Kate is a fitness writer for Men’s Health UK where she contributes regular workouts, training tips and nutrition guides. She has a post graduate diploma in Sports Performance Nutrition and before joining Men’s Health she was a nutritionist, fitness writer and personal trainer with over 5k hours coaching on the gym floor. Kate has a keen interest in volunteering for animal shelters and when she isn’t lifting weights in her garden, she can be found walking her rescue dog.
