Marathon Pace Calculator
Marathon pace is your goal time divided by 42.195 km (26.2 miles). A 4:00:00 marathon is 5:41 per km or 9:09 per mile, which puts you through halfway in 2:00:00. Enter your goal below to get your pace, 5 km and mile splits, and a split table you can print or put on a pace band.
Every 5 km
| Point | Elapsed | 5 km split |
|---|---|---|
| 5 km | 0:28:26 | 28:26 |
| 10 km | 0:56:53 | 28:26 |
| 15 km | 1:25:19 | 28:26 |
| 20 km | 1:53:45 | 28:26 |
| Half | 2:00:00 | |
| 25 km | 2:22:12 | 28:26 |
| 30 km | 2:50:38 | 28:26 |
| 35 km | 3:19:05 | 28:26 |
| 40 km | 3:47:31 | 28:26 |
| Finish | 4:00:00 | 12:29 |
Show mile splits
| Mile | Elapsed | Lap |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0:09:09 | 9:09 |
| 2 | 0:18:18 | 9:09 |
| 3 | 0:27:28 | 9:09 |
| 4 | 0:36:37 | 9:09 |
| 5 | 0:45:46 | 9:09 |
| 6 | 0:54:55 | 9:09 |
| 7 | 1:04:05 | 9:09 |
| 8 | 1:13:14 | 9:09 |
| 9 | 1:22:23 | 9:09 |
| 10 | 1:31:32 | 9:09 |
| 11 | 1:40:41 | 9:09 |
| 12 | 1:49:51 | 9:09 |
| 13 | 1:59:00 | 9:09 |
| 14 | 2:08:09 | 9:09 |
| 15 | 2:17:18 | 9:09 |
| 16 | 2:26:28 | 9:09 |
| 17 | 2:35:37 | 9:09 |
| 18 | 2:44:46 | 9:09 |
| 19 | 2:53:55 | 9:09 |
| 20 | 3:03:05 | 9:09 |
| 21 | 3:12:14 | 9:09 |
| 22 | 3:21:23 | 9:09 |
| 23 | 3:30:32 | 9:09 |
| 24 | 3:39:41 | 9:09 |
| 25 | 3:48:51 | 9:09 |
| 26 | 3:58:00 | 9:09 |
| Finish | 4:00:00 | 2:00 |
Show every km
| Km | Elapsed | Lap |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0:05:41 | 5:41 |
| 2 | 0:11:23 | 5:41 |
| 3 | 0:17:04 | 5:41 |
| 4 | 0:22:45 | 5:41 |
| 5 | 0:28:26 | 5:41 |
| 6 | 0:34:08 | 5:41 |
| 7 | 0:39:49 | 5:41 |
| 8 | 0:45:30 | 5:41 |
| 9 | 0:51:11 | 5:41 |
| 10 | 0:56:53 | 5:41 |
| 11 | 1:02:34 | 5:41 |
| 12 | 1:08:15 | 5:41 |
| 13 | 1:13:57 | 5:41 |
| 14 | 1:19:38 | 5:41 |
| 15 | 1:25:19 | 5:41 |
| 16 | 1:31:00 | 5:41 |
| 17 | 1:36:42 | 5:41 |
| 18 | 1:42:23 | 5:41 |
| 19 | 1:48:04 | 5:41 |
| 20 | 1:53:45 | 5:41 |
| 21 | 1:59:27 | 5:41 |
| 22 | 2:05:08 | 5:41 |
| 23 | 2:10:49 | 5:41 |
| 24 | 2:16:31 | 5:41 |
| 25 | 2:22:12 | 5:41 |
| 26 | 2:27:53 | 5:41 |
| 27 | 2:33:34 | 5:41 |
| 28 | 2:39:16 | 5:41 |
| 29 | 2:44:57 | 5:41 |
| 30 | 2:50:38 | 5:41 |
| 31 | 2:56:19 | 5:41 |
| 32 | 3:02:01 | 5:41 |
| 33 | 3:07:42 | 5:41 |
| 34 | 3:13:23 | 5:41 |
| 35 | 3:19:05 | 5:41 |
| 36 | 3:24:46 | 5:41 |
| 37 | 3:30:27 | 5:41 |
| 38 | 3:36:08 | 5:41 |
| 39 | 3:41:50 | 5:41 |
| 40 | 3:47:31 | 5:41 |
| 41 | 3:53:12 | 5:41 |
| 42 | 3:58:53 | 5:41 |
| Finish | 4:00:00 | 1:07 |
Make a pace band with these splits Train for this pace Not sure about your goal?
Printable pace band
Goal: 4:00:00, even pace.
Print at 100 % (actual size).
How to use it
- Enter your goal time (for example 3:45:00), or switch to pace and enter a pace per km or per mile.
- Choose even pace or a small negative split, where the second half is a little faster than the first.
- Read your splits every 5 km and every mile. Print them, or make a wristband with RunPerform's pace band generator for the same goal.
- No goal yet? Enter a recent race and the calculator estimates a marathon time with the Riegel formula.
Worked examples
Even pace, 4:00:00. 4 hours = 14,400 seconds. 14,400 ÷ 42.195 = 341.3 seconds = 5:41 per km. Per mile: 341.3 × 1.609344 = 549.3 seconds = 9:09 per mile. Halfway: 2:00:00. 30 km: 2:50:38.
1 % negative split, 4:00:00. The first half is run at 5:43 per km (9:12 per mile) and the second at 5:40 per km (9:06 per mile). Halfway comes at 2:00:36, about 36 seconds behind even pace, and you finish in 4:00:00.
Estimate from a 10K. A 10K in 50:00 gives 50:00 × (42.195 ÷ 10)^1.06 = 3:50:01. That is an estimate that assumes you have done marathon training, especially the long runs.
5 km splits for common goal times (even pace)
| Goal | /km | /mile | 5 km | 10 km | 15 km | 20 km | Half | 25 km | 30 km | 35 km | 40 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3:00:00 | 4:16 | 6:52 | 0:21:20 | 0:42:40 | 1:03:59 | 1:25:19 | 1:30:00 | 1:46:39 | 2:07:59 | 2:29:18 | 2:50:38 |
| 3:30:00 | 4:59 | 8:01 | 0:24:53 | 0:49:46 | 1:14:39 | 1:39:32 | 1:45:00 | 2:04:25 | 2:29:18 | 2:54:11 | 3:19:05 |
| 3:45:00 | 5:20 | 8:35 | 0:26:40 | 0:53:19 | 1:19:59 | 1:46:39 | 1:52:30 | 2:13:19 | 2:39:58 | 3:06:38 | 3:33:18 |
| 4:00:00 | 5:41 | 9:09 | 0:28:26 | 0:56:53 | 1:25:19 | 1:53:45 | 2:00:00 | 2:22:12 | 2:50:38 | 3:19:05 | 3:47:31 |
| 4:30:00 | 6:24 | 10:18 | 0:32:00 | 1:03:59 | 1:35:59 | 2:07:59 | 2:15:00 | 2:39:58 | 3:11:58 | 3:43:58 | 4:15:57 |
| 5:00:00 | 7:07 | 11:27 | 0:35:33 | 1:11:06 | 1:46:39 | 2:22:12 | 2:30:00 | 2:57:45 | 3:33:18 | 4:08:51 | 4:44:24 |
The full chart from 2:30 to 6:30 is on the marathon pace chart.
Even pace or negative split?
For most runners the safest plan is close to even pace, with a slightly calmer first half. Going out too fast is a common marathon mistake, and seconds "banked" early are easy to lose again in the last 10 km. A 1 % negative split is a gentle way to build in that patience. Train the pace on your long runs first: our marathon training plans include blocks at marathon pace from the first month.
Hot weather, hills and wind all slow you down. On those days, run by effort and let the splits drift.
How accurate is the finish time estimate?
The estimate uses Riegel's formula, T2 = T1 × (D2 ÷ D1)^1.06. Riegel (1981) fitted the formula to world records, which gave exponents of about 1.08 (1.077 for men, 1.083 for women), and to age-group records of men over 40 to over 70, which gave about 1.05–1.06. He used events lasting from about 3.5 minutes to just under 4 hours. We use 1.06. Treat the result as a best case: runners who run few kilometres a week often finish slower than predicted. The marathon time predictor gives you more methods, and RunPerform's race time predictor shows Riegel and Daniels VDOT side by side.
Questions and answers
How do I calculate my marathon pace?
Divide your goal time by 42.195 km or 26.2 miles. A 3:30:00 marathon is 12,600 seconds ÷ 42.195 = 4:59 per km, or 8:01 per mile.
What pace is a 4-hour marathon?
5:41 per km or 9:09 per mile. You pass halfway in 2:00:00 and 30 km in 2:50:38 at even pace.
What pace is a sub-3:30 marathon?
Faster than 4:59 per km or 8:01 per mile. If you want a small margin for water stations and a crowded start, plan on a second or two per km faster than the exact pace.
Should I run a negative split?
A small one, or even pace, suits most runners. The key is not starting too fast. For a 4-hour runner, a 1 % negative split means a first half at 5:43 per km (5:42.99), about 1.7 seconds per km slower than even pace (5:41.28), and a second half at 5:40 per km (5:39.56), so the first half is about 3.4 seconds per km slower than the second. Per mile: 9:12 first half, 9:06 second half, against 9:09 even.
Why are my marathon splits different on my watch?
Official road courses are measured along the shortest route a runner could take, and almost nobody runs that exact line. GPS can also drift between tall buildings and under trees. Use the official kilometre or mile markers to check your splits.
Can I predict my marathon time from a half marathon?
Yes, as an estimate. With Riegel's formula, a half marathon in 1:50:00 predicts about 3:49:21. It assumes you have trained for the full distance.
Sources
- Riegel, P. S. (1981). Athletic records and human endurance. American Scientist, 69(3), 285–290. (Table 1: men 1.07732, women 1.08283; men over 40 to over 70: 1.05352–1.06370.)
- World Athletics Competition Rules, road races: marathon distance 42.195 km, courses measured along the shortest possible route. 1 mile = 1.609344 km.