diff --git a/NAMESPACE b/NAMESPACE
index 0918871..646f03d 100644
--- a/NAMESPACE
+++ b/NAMESPACE
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@ export(layout_simple)
 export(layout_syslognet)
 export(log_appender)
 export(log_debug)
+export(log_elapsed)
+export(log_elapsed_start)
 export(log_error)
 export(log_errors)
 export(log_eval)
diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index 07721af..913de9d 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 # logger (development version)
 
+* Added `log_elapsed()` to show cumulative elapsed running time (@thomasp85)
+* New `formatter_cli()` allows you to use the syntax from the cli package to create log messages (#210, @thomasp85)
 
 # logger 0.4.0 (2024-10-19)
 
@@ -13,7 +15,6 @@ improved documentations, modernized tests, performance speedups.
 * `log_appender()`, `log_layout()` and `log_formatter()` now check that you are calling them with a function, and return the previously set value (#170, @hadley)
 * new function to return number of log indices (#194, @WurmPeter)
 * `appender_async` is now using `mirai` instead of a custom background process and queue system (#214, @hadley @shikokuchuo)
-* New `formatter_cli()` allows you to use the syntax from the cli package to create log messages (#210, @thomasp85)
 
 ## Fixes
 
diff --git a/R/helpers.R b/R/helpers.R
index 223fb41..df5c7b6 100644
--- a/R/helpers.R
+++ b/R/helpers.R
@@ -227,6 +227,64 @@ log_tictoc <- function(..., level = INFO, namespace = NA_character_) {
 }
 tictocs <- new.env(parent = emptyenv())
 
+#' Log cumulative running time
+#'
+#' This function is working like [log_tictoc()] but differs in that it continues
+#' to count up rather than resetting the timer at every call. You can set the
+#' start time using `log_elapsed_start()`, but if that hasn't been called it
+#' will show the time since the R session started.
+#'
+#' @inheritParams log_tictoc
+#'
+#' @export
+#'
+#' @examples
+#' log_elapsed_start()
+#' Sys.sleep(0.4)
+#' log_elapsed("Tast 1")
+#' Sys.sleep(0.2)
+#' log_elapsed("Task 2")
+#'
+log_elapsed <- function(..., level = INFO, namespace = NA_character_) {
+  ns <- fallback_namespace(namespace)
+
+  start <- get0(ns, envir = elapsed, ifnotfound = 0)
+
+  time_elapsed <- as.difftime(proc.time()["elapsed"] - start, units = "secs")
+
+  log_level(
+    paste(
+      ns, "timer",
+      round(time_elapsed, 2), attr(time_elapsed, "units"), "elapsed -- "
+    ),
+    ...,
+    level = level, namespace = namespace,
+    .logcall = sys.call(),
+    .topcall = sys.call(-1),
+    .topenv = parent.frame()
+  )
+}
+#' @rdname log_elapsed
+#' @param quiet Should starting the time emit a log message
+#' @export
+log_elapsed_start <- function(level = INFO, namespace = NA_character_, quiet = FALSE) {
+  ns <- fallback_namespace(namespace)
+
+  assign(ns, proc.time()["elapsed"], envir = elapsed)
+
+  if (!quiet) {
+    log_level(
+      paste(
+        "starting", ns, "timer"
+      ),
+      level = level, namespace = namespace,
+      .logcall = sys.call(),
+      .topcall = sys.call(-1),
+      .topenv = parent.frame()
+    )
+  }
+}
+elapsed <- new.env(parent = emptyenv())
 
 #' Logs the error message to console before failing
 #' @param expression call
diff --git a/R/utils.R b/R/utils.R
index 0fe42b3..6d95615 100644
--- a/R/utils.R
+++ b/R/utils.R
@@ -119,3 +119,4 @@ needs_stdout <- function() {
 
 # allow mocking
 Sys.time <- NULL # nolint
+proc.time <- NULL # nolint
diff --git a/_pkgdown.yml b/_pkgdown.yml
index 05e5044..2c05fa6 100644
--- a/_pkgdown.yml
+++ b/_pkgdown.yml
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ reference:
   - log_eval
   - log_failure
   - log_tictoc
+  - log_elapsed
   - log_separator
   - log_with_separator
   - with_log_threshold
diff --git a/man/log_elapsed.Rd b/man/log_elapsed.Rd
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8ac47c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/man/log_elapsed.Rd
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+% Generated by roxygen2: do not edit by hand
+% Please edit documentation in R/helpers.R
+\name{log_elapsed}
+\alias{log_elapsed}
+\alias{log_elapsed_start}
+\title{Log cumulative running time}
+\usage{
+log_elapsed(..., level = INFO, namespace = NA_character_)
+
+log_elapsed_start(level = INFO, namespace = NA_character_, quiet = FALSE)
+}
+\arguments{
+\item{...}{passed to \code{\link[=log_level]{log_level()}}}
+
+\item{level}{see \code{\link[=log_levels]{log_levels()}}}
+
+\item{namespace}{x}
+
+\item{quiet}{Should starting the time emit a log message}
+}
+\description{
+This function is working like \code{\link[=log_tictoc]{log_tictoc()}} but differs in that it continues
+to count up rather than resetting the timer at every call. You can set the
+start time using \code{log_elapsed_start()}, but if that hasn't been called it
+will show the time since the R session started.
+}
+\examples{
+log_elapsed_start()
+Sys.sleep(0.4)
+log_elapsed("Tast 1")
+Sys.sleep(0.2)
+log_elapsed("Task 2")
+
+}
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-helpers.R b/tests/testthat/test-helpers.R
index 85bbc0f..7b9827a 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-helpers.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-helpers.R
@@ -17,6 +17,32 @@ test_that("tictoc", {
   expect_output(log_tictoc(), "timer toc 1 mins")
 })
 
+test_that("elapsed", {
+  local_test_logger()
+
+  proc_null <- proc.time() * 0
+
+  with_mocked_bindings(
+    expect_output(log_elapsed(), "timer 2 secs elapsed"),
+    proc.time = function() proc_null + 2
+  )
+
+  with_mocked_bindings(
+    expect_output(log_elapsed_start(), "starting global timer"),
+    proc.time = function() proc_null + 1
+  )
+
+  with_mocked_bindings(
+    expect_output(log_elapsed(), "timer 1 secs elapsed"),
+    proc.time = function() proc_null + 2
+  )
+
+  with_mocked_bindings(
+    expect_silent(log_elapsed_start(quiet = TRUE)),
+    proc.time = function() proc_null
+  )
+})
+
 test_that("log with separator", {
   local_test_logger()
   expect_output(log_with_separator(42), "===")