Marathon pace chart
Find the pace behind your marathon goal.
Compare mile pace, kilometre pace, halfway and 30K splits for marathon finish times from two to seven hours.
| Finish goal | Pace / mile | Pace / km | Halfway | 30K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2:00:00 | 4:35 | 2:51 | 1:00:00 | 1:25:19 |
| 2:05:00 | 4:46 | 2:58 | 1:02:30 | 1:28:52 |
| 2:10:00 | 4:57 | 3:05 | 1:05:00 | 1:32:26 |
| 2:15:00 | 5:09 | 3:12 | 1:07:30 | 1:35:59 |
| 2:20:00 | 5:20 | 3:19 | 1:10:00 | 1:39:32 |
| 2:25:00 | 5:32 | 3:26 | 1:12:30 | 1:43:06 |
| 2:30:00 | 5:43 | 3:33 | 1:15:00 | 1:46:39 |
| 2:35:00 | 5:55 | 3:40 | 1:17:30 | 1:50:12 |
| 2:40:00 | 6:06 | 3:48 | 1:20:00 | 1:53:45 |
| 2:45:00 | 6:18 | 3:55 | 1:22:30 | 1:57:19 |
| 2:50:00 | 6:29 | 4:02 | 1:25:00 | 2:00:52 |
| 2:55:00 | 6:40 | 4:09 | 1:27:30 | 2:04:25 |
| 3:00:00 | 6:52 | 4:16 | 1:30:00 | 2:07:59 |
| 3:05:00 | 7:03 | 4:23 | 1:32:30 | 2:11:32 |
| 3:10:00 | 7:15 | 4:30 | 1:35:00 | 2:15:05 |
| 3:15:00 | 7:26 | 4:37 | 1:37:30 | 2:18:39 |
| 3:20:00 | 7:38 | 4:44 | 1:40:00 | 2:22:12 |
| 3:25:00 | 7:49 | 4:52 | 1:42:30 | 2:25:45 |
| 3:30:00 | 8:01 | 4:59 | 1:45:00 | 2:29:18 |
| 3:35:00 | 8:12 | 5:06 | 1:47:30 | 2:32:52 |
| 3:40:00 | 8:23 | 5:13 | 1:50:00 | 2:36:25 |
| 3:45:00 | 8:35 | 5:20 | 1:52:30 | 2:39:58 |
| 3:50:00 | 8:46 | 5:27 | 1:55:00 | 2:43:32 |
| 3:55:00 | 8:58 | 5:34 | 1:57:30 | 2:47:05 |
| 4:00:00 | 9:09 | 5:41 | 2:00:00 | 2:50:38 |
| 4:05:00 | 9:21 | 5:48 | 2:02:30 | 2:54:11 |
| 4:10:00 | 9:32 | 5:55 | 2:05:00 | 2:57:45 |
| 4:15:00 | 9:44 | 6:03 | 2:07:30 | 3:01:18 |
| 4:20:00 | 9:55 | 6:10 | 2:10:00 | 3:04:51 |
| 4:25:00 | 10:06 | 6:17 | 2:12:30 | 3:08:25 |
| 4:30:00 | 10:18 | 6:24 | 2:15:00 | 3:11:58 |
| 4:35:00 | 10:29 | 6:31 | 2:17:30 | 3:15:31 |
| 4:40:00 | 10:41 | 6:38 | 2:20:00 | 3:19:05 |
| 4:45:00 | 10:52 | 6:45 | 2:22:30 | 3:22:38 |
| 4:50:00 | 11:04 | 6:52 | 2:25:00 | 3:26:11 |
| 4:55:00 | 11:15 | 6:59 | 2:27:30 | 3:29:44 |
| 5:00:00 | 11:27 | 7:07 | 2:30:00 | 3:33:18 |
| 5:05:00 | 11:38 | 7:14 | 2:32:30 | 3:36:51 |
| 5:10:00 | 11:49 | 7:21 | 2:35:00 | 3:40:24 |
| 5:15:00 | 12:01 | 7:28 | 2:37:30 | 3:43:58 |
| 5:20:00 | 12:12 | 7:35 | 2:40:00 | 3:47:31 |
| 5:25:00 | 12:24 | 7:42 | 2:42:30 | 3:51:04 |
| 5:30:00 | 12:35 | 7:49 | 2:45:00 | 3:54:37 |
| 5:35:00 | 12:47 | 7:56 | 2:47:30 | 3:58:11 |
| 5:40:00 | 12:58 | 8:03 | 2:50:00 | 4:01:44 |
| 5:45:00 | 13:10 | 8:11 | 2:52:30 | 4:05:17 |
| 5:50:00 | 13:21 | 8:18 | 2:55:00 | 4:08:51 |
| 5:55:00 | 13:32 | 8:25 | 2:57:30 | 4:12:24 |
| 6:00:00 | 13:44 | 8:32 | 3:00:00 | 4:15:57 |
| 6:05:00 | 13:55 | 8:39 | 3:02:30 | 4:19:31 |
| 6:10:00 | 14:07 | 8:46 | 3:05:00 | 4:23:04 |
| 6:15:00 | 14:18 | 8:53 | 3:07:30 | 4:26:37 |
| 6:20:00 | 14:30 | 9:00 | 3:10:00 | 4:30:10 |
| 6:25:00 | 14:41 | 9:07 | 3:12:30 | 4:33:44 |
| 6:30:00 | 14:52 | 9:15 | 3:15:00 | 4:37:17 |
| 6:35:00 | 15:04 | 9:22 | 3:17:30 | 4:40:50 |
| 6:40:00 | 15:15 | 9:29 | 3:20:00 | 4:44:24 |
| 6:45:00 | 15:27 | 9:36 | 3:22:30 | 4:47:57 |
| 6:50:00 | 15:38 | 9:43 | 3:25:00 | 4:51:30 |
| 6:55:00 | 15:50 | 9:50 | 3:27:30 | 4:55:04 |
| 7:00:00 | 16:01 | 9:57 | 3:30:00 | 4:58:37 |
All rows assume even elapsed pace over 42.195 km and round to the nearest second. Calculate a custom marathon goal →
Pacing method
Use checkpoints to control the opening, not predict the finish.
Choose the finish-time row
Start with a goal supported by recent training, course profile and expected conditions. A four-hour marathon requires about 9:09 per mile or 5:41 per kilometre. A 3:30 goal requires about 8:01 per mile or 4:59 per kilometre. The chart exposes the pace implied by the goal; it does not prove that the goal is achievable.
Protect the first half
The halfway split is an even-pace reference. Early congestion, hills and aid stations may move individual kilometres, so judge the plan across several checkpoints rather than reacting to one GPS reading. A large time gain in the first 10K usually costs more energy than the clock suggests.
Use 30K as a decision point
The 30K column makes the late-race budget visible. Arriving close to the target with controlled effort preserves options. Arriving early because the opening pace was forced is not a buffer; it is energy already spent.
Adjust for a negative split
For a deliberate negative split, use the even halfway time as the centre point, then make the first half modestly slower and the second half equally faster. The negative split calculator handles that trade-off directly.
Common marathon targets
Three reference points.
8:01 / mile
4:59 / km · 1:45:00 halfway
9:09 / mile
5:41 / km · 2:00:00 halfway
11:27 / mile
7:07 / km · 2:30:00 halfway