Marathon pace chart
Every finish time from 2:00 to 6:30 in five-minute steps, with the pace per mile and per kilometre and where you should be at each checkpoint.
- Per mile
- 9:09
- Per km
- 5:41
- mph
- 6.55
- km/h
- 10.55
Marathon pace chart
| Finish | Per mile | Per km | 5K | 10K | Half | 20 mi | 35K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2:00:00 | 4:35 | 2:51 | 14:13 | 28:26 | 1:00:00 | 1:31:32 | 1:39:32 |
| 2:05:00 | 4:46 | 2:58 | 14:49 | 29:37 | 1:02:30 | 1:35:21 | 1:43:41 |
| 2:10:00 | 4:57 | 3:05 | 15:24 | 30:49 | 1:05:00 | 1:39:10 | 1:47:50 |
| 2:15:00 | 5:09 | 3:12 | 16:00 | 32:00 | 1:07:30 | 1:42:59 | 1:51:59 |
| 2:20:00 | 5:20 | 3:19 | 16:35 | 33:11 | 1:10:00 | 1:46:48 | 1:56:08 |
| 2:25:00 | 5:32 | 3:26 | 17:11 | 34:22 | 1:12:30 | 1:50:36 | 2:00:16 |
| 2:30:00 | 5:43 | 3:33 | 17:46 | 35:33 | 1:15:00 | 1:54:25 | 2:04:25 |
| 2:35:00 | 5:55 | 3:40 | 18:22 | 36:44 | 1:17:30 | 1:58:14 | 2:08:34 |
| 2:40:00 | 6:06 | 3:48 | 18:58 | 37:55 | 1:20:00 | 2:02:03 | 2:12:43 |
| 2:45:00 | 6:18 | 3:55 | 19:33 | 39:06 | 1:22:30 | 2:05:52 | 2:16:52 |
| 2:50:00 | 6:29 | 4:02 | 20:09 | 40:17 | 1:25:00 | 2:09:41 | 2:21:01 |
| 2:55:00 | 6:40 | 4:09 | 20:44 | 41:28 | 1:27:30 | 2:13:30 | 2:25:10 |
| 3:00:00 | 6:52 | 4:16 | 21:20 | 42:40 | 1:30:00 | 2:17:18 | 2:29:18 |
| 3:05:00 | 7:03 | 4:23 | 21:55 | 43:51 | 1:32:30 | 2:21:07 | 2:33:27 |
| 3:10:00 | 7:15 | 4:30 | 22:31 | 45:02 | 1:35:00 | 2:24:56 | 2:37:36 |
| 3:15:00 | 7:26 | 4:37 | 23:06 | 46:13 | 1:37:30 | 2:28:45 | 2:41:45 |
| 3:20:00 | 7:38 | 4:44 | 23:42 | 47:24 | 1:40:00 | 2:32:34 | 2:45:54 |
| 3:25:00 | 7:49 | 4:52 | 24:18 | 48:35 | 1:42:30 | 2:36:23 | 2:50:03 |
| 3:30:00 | 8:01 | 4:59 | 24:53 | 49:46 | 1:45:00 | 2:40:11 | 2:54:11 |
| 3:35:00 | 8:12 | 5:06 | 25:29 | 50:57 | 1:47:30 | 2:44:00 | 2:58:20 |
| 3:40:00 | 8:23 | 5:13 | 26:04 | 52:08 | 1:50:00 | 2:47:49 | 3:02:29 |
| 3:45:00 | 8:35 | 5:20 | 26:40 | 53:19 | 1:52:30 | 2:51:38 | 3:06:38 |
| 3:50:00 | 8:46 | 5:27 | 27:15 | 54:31 | 1:55:00 | 2:55:27 | 3:10:47 |
| 3:55:00 | 8:58 | 5:34 | 27:51 | 55:42 | 1:57:30 | 2:59:16 | 3:14:56 |
| 4:00:00 | 9:09 | 5:41 | 28:26 | 56:53 | 2:00:00 | 3:03:05 | 3:19:05 |
| 4:05:00 | 9:21 | 5:48 | 29:02 | 58:04 | 2:02:30 | 3:06:53 | 3:23:13 |
| 4:10:00 | 9:32 | 5:55 | 29:37 | 59:15 | 2:05:00 | 3:10:42 | 3:27:22 |
| 4:15:00 | 9:44 | 6:03 | 30:13 | 1:00:26 | 2:07:30 | 3:14:31 | 3:31:31 |
| 4:20:00 | 9:55 | 6:10 | 30:49 | 1:01:37 | 2:10:00 | 3:18:20 | 3:35:40 |
| 4:25:00 | 10:06 | 6:17 | 31:24 | 1:02:48 | 2:12:30 | 3:22:09 | 3:39:49 |
| 4:30:00 | 10:18 | 6:24 | 32:00 | 1:03:59 | 2:15:00 | 3:25:58 | 3:43:58 |
| 4:35:00 | 10:29 | 6:31 | 32:35 | 1:05:10 | 2:17:30 | 3:29:46 | 3:48:06 |
| 4:40:00 | 10:41 | 6:38 | 33:11 | 1:06:22 | 2:20:00 | 3:33:35 | 3:52:15 |
| 4:45:00 | 10:52 | 6:45 | 33:46 | 1:07:33 | 2:22:30 | 3:37:24 | 3:56:24 |
| 4:50:00 | 11:04 | 6:52 | 34:22 | 1:08:44 | 2:25:00 | 3:41:13 | 4:00:33 |
| 4:55:00 | 11:15 | 6:59 | 34:57 | 1:09:55 | 2:27:30 | 3:45:02 | 4:04:42 |
| 5:00:00 | 11:27 | 7:07 | 35:33 | 1:11:06 | 2:30:00 | 3:48:51 | 4:08:51 |
| 5:05:00 | 11:38 | 7:14 | 36:09 | 1:12:17 | 2:32:30 | 3:52:39 | 4:13:00 |
| 5:10:00 | 11:49 | 7:21 | 36:44 | 1:13:28 | 2:35:00 | 3:56:28 | 4:17:08 |
| 5:15:00 | 12:01 | 7:28 | 37:20 | 1:14:39 | 2:37:30 | 4:00:17 | 4:21:17 |
| 5:20:00 | 12:12 | 7:35 | 37:55 | 1:15:50 | 2:40:00 | 4:04:06 | 4:25:26 |
| 5:25:00 | 12:24 | 7:42 | 38:31 | 1:17:01 | 2:42:30 | 4:07:55 | 4:29:35 |
| 5:30:00 | 12:35 | 7:49 | 39:06 | 1:18:12 | 2:45:00 | 4:11:44 | 4:33:44 |
| 5:35:00 | 12:47 | 7:56 | 39:42 | 1:19:24 | 2:47:30 | 4:15:33 | 4:37:53 |
| 5:40:00 | 12:58 | 8:03 | 40:17 | 1:20:35 | 2:50:00 | 4:19:21 | 4:42:01 |
| 5:45:00 | 13:10 | 8:11 | 40:53 | 1:21:46 | 2:52:30 | 4:23:10 | 4:46:10 |
| 5:50:00 | 13:21 | 8:18 | 41:28 | 1:22:57 | 2:55:00 | 4:26:59 | 4:50:19 |
| 5:55:00 | 13:32 | 8:25 | 42:04 | 1:24:08 | 2:57:30 | 4:30:48 | 4:54:28 |
| 6:00:00 | 13:44 | 8:32 | 42:40 | 1:25:19 | 3:00:00 | 4:34:37 | 4:58:37 |
| 6:05:00 | 13:55 | 8:39 | 43:15 | 1:26:30 | 3:02:30 | 4:38:26 | 5:02:46 |
| 6:10:00 | 14:07 | 8:46 | 43:51 | 1:27:41 | 3:05:00 | 4:42:14 | 5:06:55 |
| 6:15:00 | 14:18 | 8:53 | 44:26 | 1:28:52 | 3:07:30 | 4:46:03 | 5:11:03 |
| 6:20:00 | 14:30 | 9:00 | 45:02 | 1:30:03 | 3:10:00 | 4:49:52 | 5:15:12 |
| 6:25:00 | 14:41 | 9:07 | 45:37 | 1:31:15 | 3:12:30 | 4:53:41 | 5:19:21 |
| 6:30:00 | 14:52 | 9:15 | 46:13 | 1:32:26 | 3:15:00 | 4:57:30 | 5:23:30 |
Reading the chart on race day
The marathon is 42.195 km, or 26.2188 miles. Each row assumes you run the whole distance at one steady pace. The split columns are the elapsed time you should see on the clock as you pass that marker, which makes them easy to check without doing mental arithmetic at mile 19.
Two practical adjustments: start the first 5K 5–10 seconds per mile slower than goal while the field thins out, and expect your watch to read 0.2–0.5 miles long by the finish. Pace off the course markers, not the watch.
Picking a realistic goal
A goal time should come from recent evidence, not hope. Put a recent half marathon or 10K into the race time predictor; if your weekly mileage is modest, add a few minutes to its marathon figure. The split calculator then builds a printable pace band with an optional negative split.
Questions runners ask
What pace is a 4-hour marathon?
9:09 per mile, or 5:41 per kilometre, held evenly for 26.2 miles. You would pass halfway in 2:00:00 and 20 miles in 3:03:05.
What pace is a sub-3 marathon?
6:52 per mile (4:16 per km) gives 2:59:59. Most runners aim a couple of seconds per mile faster to allow for weaving and a slightly long GPS trace.
What is a respectable marathon pace?
Any finish is respectable. As a reference point, sub-4:00 (9:09 per mile) is a common first big goal and puts runners ahead of roughly half of finishers in large city marathons; sub-3:00 (6:52 per mile) is a club-level milestone.
Is 2 hours 30 a good marathon time?
Yes — a 2:30 marathon requires 5:43 per mile (3:33 per km) and is an excellent amateur time, typically in the top 1–2% of finishers at major marathons.
What is an average marathon finish time?
Large analyses of results, such as RunRepeat’s study of millions of finishes, put the global average around 4:20–4:30, with men averaging a little over 4:10 and women a little under 4:45.
Should I run even splits in a marathon?
Even or slightly negative splits are the most efficient strategy for nearly everyone. Running the first half fast banks time that you usually repay with interest after 30 km as glycogen runs low.
How do I use a marathon pace band?
Pick your goal time, print the split table for every mile or kilometre, trim it and tape it around your wrist. The split calculator on PaceCalc Pro produces a band sized for this, with optional negative split.
More race-day tools
- 1Running pace calculatorSolve pace, finish time or distance.
- 2Race time predictorTurn one race into times for every distance.
- 3VDOT calculatorDaniels VDOT and your five training paces.
- 4VO2 max calculatorEstimate VO2max from a race or your heart rate.
- 5Split calculatorEven or negative splits and a printable pace band.
- 6Pace convertermin/km, min/mile, mph and km/h.
- 7Treadmill pace chartBelt speed to pace, with incline.
- 8Heart rate zonesFive zones by %HRmax or Karvonen.
- 10Half marathon pace chart1:00 to 3:15 finish times with splits.
- 1110K pace chart27:00 to 1:30:00 with per-km splits.
- 125K pace chart13:00 to 45:00 with per-km splits.
- 13Cooper test calculator12-minute run to VO2max and rating.
- 14Running calorie calculatorEnergy burned by weight, distance and hills.