World Records Set in Majors
Men
Bold font = active athlete
| WR | Athlete | WMM Event | Date |
| 2:03:59* | Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) | BER | September 28, 2008 |
| 2:04:26 | Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) | BER | September 30, 2007 |
| 2:04:55 | Paul Tergat (KEN) | BER | September 28, 2003 |
| 2:05:38 | Khalid Khannouchi (USA) | LON | April 14, 2002 |
| 2:05:42 | Khalid Khannouchi (MAR) | CHI | October 24, 1999 |
| 2:06:05 | Ronaldo da Costa (BRA) | BER | September 20, 1998 |
| 2:08:05 | Steve Jones (GBR) | CHI | October 21, 1984 |
| 2:12:12 | Abebe Bikila (ETH) | OLY (Tokyo) | October 21, 1964 |
| 2:15:17 | Abebe Bikila (ETH) | OLY (Rome) | September 10, 1960 |
| 2:25:39 | Yun Bok Suh (KOR) | BOS | April 19, 1947 |
| 2:32:36 | Hannes Kolehmainen (FIN) | OLY (Antwerp) | August 22, 1920 |
| 2:55:19 | Johnny Hayes (USA) | OLY (London) | July 24, 1908 |
Women
Bold font = active athlete
| WR | Athlete | WMM Event | Date |
| 2:15:25* | Paula Radcliffe (GBR) | LON | April 13, 2003 |
| 2:17:18 | Paula Radcliffe (GBR) | CHI | October 13, 2002 |
| 2:18:47 | Catherine Ndereba (KEN) | CHI | October 7, 2001 |
| 2:19:46 | Naoko Takahashi (JPN) | BER | September 30, 2001 |
| 2:20:43 | Tegla Loroupe (KEN) | BER | September 26, 1999 |
| 2:21:06 | Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR) | LON | April 21, 1985 |
| 2:22:43 | Joan Benoit (USA) | BOS | April 18, 1983 |
| 2:25:29 | Grete Waitz (NOR) | LON | April 17, 1983 |
| 2:25:29 | Allison Roe (NZL) | NYC | October 25, 1981 |
| 2:25:42 | Grete Waitz (NOR) | NYC | October 26, 1980 |
| 2:27:33 | Grete Waitz (NOR) | NYC | October 21, 1979 |
| 2:32:30 | Grete Waitz (NOR) | NYC | October 22, 1978 |
| 2:34:48** | Christa Vahlensieck (GER) | BER | September 10, 1977 |
| 2:42:24 | Liane Winter (GER) | BOS | April 21, 1975 |
*Current World Record
**Set in the 1977 German Marathon Championships
