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Marathon Pace Chart
Every common finish-time band, one table.
Pace Chart
Every common finish-time band for your distance, with the pace and checkpoint splits it takes to hit it.
| Finish Time | Pace / mi | Pace / km | 5K | 10K | Half Marathon | 30K | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3:00:00 | 6:52 | 4:16 | 21:20 | 42:40 | 1:30:00 | 2:07:59 | 3:00:00 |
| 3:15:00 | 7:26 | 4:37 | 23:06 | 46:13 | 1:37:30 | 2:18:39 | 3:15:00 |
| 3:30:00 | 8:01 | 4:59 | 24:53 | 49:46 | 1:45:00 | 2:29:18 | 3:30:00 |
| 3:45:00 | 8:35 | 5:20 | 26:40 | 53:19 | 1:52:30 | 2:39:58 | 3:45:00 |
| 4:00:00 | 9:09 | 5:41 | 28:26 | 56:53 | 2:00:00 | 2:50:38 | 4:00:00 |
| 4:15:00 | 9:44 | 6:03 | 30:13 | 1:00:26 | 2:07:30 | 3:01:18 | 4:15:00 |
| 4:30:00 | 10:18 | 6:24 | 32:00 | 1:03:59 | 2:15:00 | 3:11:58 | 4:30:00 |
| 4:45:00 | 10:52 | 6:45 | 33:46 | 1:07:33 | 2:22:30 | 3:22:38 | 4:45:00 |
| 5:00:00 | 11:27 | 7:07 | 35:33 | 1:11:06 | 2:30:00 | 3:33:18 | 5:00:00 |
| 5:30:00 | 12:35 | 7:49 | 39:06 | 1:18:12 | 2:45:00 | 3:54:37 | 5:30:00 |
| 6:00:00 | 13:44 | 8:32 | 42:40 | 1:25:19 | 3:00:00 | 4:15:57 | 6:00:00 |
| 6:30:00 | 14:52 | 9:15 | 46:13 | 1:32:26 | 3:15:00 | 4:37:17 | 6:30:00 |
| 7:00:00 | 16:01 | 9:57 | 49:46 | 1:39:32 | 3:30:00 | 4:58:37 | 7:00:00 |
Use It On A Real Race
About This Tool
This is the chart most runners end up screenshotting before race day — every common finish-time target for your distance, with the exact pace and checkpoint splits it takes to hit it. Switch between 5K, 10K, half marathon and marathon to see the full band of times, from sub-3-hour marathon pace right down to a 7-hour finish.
How To Use It
- Select your race distance.
- Find the finish time you're targeting in the left column.
- Read across for your required pace per mile, per km, and your split at each checkpoint distance.
- Use it alongside the Race Time Predictor to sanity-check a target time against a recent result.
Why you want the splits, not just the pace
Knowing that a four-hour marathon is 9:09 per mile is necessary and not sufficient. In the race you will not be computing cumulative time in your head at mile seventeen with a heart rate of 165 — you need the checkpoint already known, so that all you have to do is read your watch and compare.
That is what a pace chart is for. It converts a target into the elapsed time you should see at each marker, so the decision at every checkpoint becomes a comparison rather than a calculation.
The anchor points that matter
Most runners cannot hold twenty-six numbers in their head, and do not need to. Four or five anchor points do almost all the work. For a four-hour marathon at even pace:
| Checkpoint | Elapsed time |
|---|---|
| 10K | 56:53 |
| Half marathon | 2:00:00 |
| 30K | 2:50:38 |
| 20 miles | 3:03:04 |
| Finish | 4:00:00 |
Halfway is the one to internalise above all others. Going through in 1:57 feels like insurance and is usually the opposite — three minutes banked before mile thirteen is three minutes borrowed from mile twenty-three at a punitive rate of interest.
Even splits, or something cleverer?
The chart gives you even splits, which is the right default for almost everybody. The two alternatives worth knowing about:
- A mild negative split — second half slightly faster than the first — is what most well-run marathons actually look like, and what most experienced runners aim for. In practice it means running the first three miles 10-15 seconds per mile slower than the chart says.
- A positive split, running the first half faster, is not a strategy. It is what happens by accident on race-day adrenaline, and the fade is rarely gentle: a few minutes of free speed early routinely costs ten or twenty later.
- On a hilly course, run by effort rather than to the chart. Forcing chart pace up a climb overworks you for a number that means nothing.
How to actually use it on the day
Print it, or write four checkpoints on your arm. Do not plan to look at a phone. And expect your watch to read long — GPS routinely measures more than the certified distance because you do not run the racing line, so trust the course markers rather than your watch's lap alerts.
Why your watch will disagree with the chart
This surprises people every single year. Marathon courses are certified by measuring the shortest legal route; you will not run it, because of corners, other runners, water stations and drifting across the road. Recording 26.4 or 26.5 miles is entirely normal.
The consequence is that if you run exactly your goal pace according to your watch, you will finish slower than your goal, because you ran further than 26.2 miles at that pace. Pace to the course markers, not to the watch's automatic laps, and build a small cushion into the plan.
Want the full picture?
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Frequently Asked Questions
What pace do I need for a 4-hour marathon?
Roughly 9:09/mile or 5:41/km — you can see the exact figure and full checkpoint splits in the chart above by selecting Marathon and finding the 4:00 row.
What pace do I need for a sub-2-hour half marathon?
Roughly 9:09/mile or 5:41/km, the same per-mile pace as 4-hour marathon pace (a half marathon is almost exactly half the distance) — select Half Marathon above and check the 2:00 row for exact splits.
How is a pace chart different from a pace calculator?
A pace chart shows every common finish time at once for quick reference. The Running Pace Calculator is for a single specific target time or pace, with more flexibility on distance.
What splits should I aim for in a 4 hour marathon?
At even pace: 56:53 at 10K, 2:00:00 at halfway, 2:50:38 at 30K and 3:03:04 at 20 miles. Halfway is the number to internalise — going through in 1:57 feels like insurance and is usually three minutes borrowed from mile twenty-three at a punitive rate.
Should I run even splits or negative splits in a marathon?
Even splits are the right default and the easiest to execute. A mild negative split — running the first three miles 10 to 15 seconds per mile slower than target, then settling in — is what most well-run marathons actually look like. A positive split is not a strategy; it is what happens by accident on race-day adrenaline.
How do I carry a pace chart during a race?
Print it, use a paper pace band, or write four checkpoints on your arm. Do not plan on looking at a phone. Pace to the course markers rather than your watch's automatic laps, because GPS reads long and your watch will disagree with the chart by the end.