Marathon Pace Chart
Complete pace chart for the marathon (26.2 miles / 42.195 km) — find your target pace for any finish time from 2:30 to 6:00.
Marathon Finish Time to Pace Conversion
Every finish time from 2:30 to 6:00 with pace per mile, pace per km, and speed. Click any row to highlight it.
| Finish Time | Pace /Mile | Pace /KM | Speed (mph) | Speed (km/h) |
|---|
Marathon Mile Splits for Popular Goal Times
Even-split targets per mile for common marathon goals. Use these as your watch alerts during the race.
| Split | Split Time | Cumulative |
|---|
What Your Marathon Time Predicts for Shorter Races
Based on a 4:00:00 marathon using the Riegel formula. Use the pace calculator for custom predictions.
| Race | Predicted Time | Pace |
|---|
More Pace Charts
5K Pace Chart
Finish times from 15:00 to 45:00 with per-km and per-mile splits.
10K Pace Chart
Finish times from 30:00 to 1:30:00 with detailed split breakdowns.
Half Marathon Pace Chart
Finish times from 1:10 to 3:00 with mile and km pace targets.
Pace Calculator
Calculate pace, time, or distance for any custom distance.
Marathon Pace Chart FAQ
The average US marathon finish time is approximately 4:21. A sub-4:00 marathon (9:09/mile) is a common aspirational goal. Competitive club runners target sub-3:00 (6:52/mile), and qualifying for the Boston Marathon requires times ranging from 3:00 to 3:50 depending on age and gender.
Boston qualifying times vary by age and gender. For males 18–34, the standard is 3:00:00 (6:52/mile). For females 18–34, it's 3:30:00 (8:01/mile). Each 5-year age group adds 5 minutes. In practice, you often need to beat the standard by 5–7 minutes due to the cutoff buffer.
To break 4 hours, you need to average 9:09 per mile (5:41 per km). This means running every mile just under 9:10. It's the most popular marathon goal — roughly 40% of marathon finishers achieve it.
A sub-3:00 marathon requires an average pace of 6:52 per mile (4:16 per km). This is an elite-level goal — fewer than 5% of all marathon finishers break 3 hours. It requires years of dedicated training and high weekly mileage (50+ miles/week).
A marathon is exactly 42.195 kilometers, which equals 26.2188 miles (commonly rounded to 26.2 miles). The distance was standardized at the 1908 London Olympics to cover the route from Windsor Castle to the Olympic stadium.
"The wall" typically hits around mile 18–22 when your body's glycogen stores are depleted. Starting too fast is the primary cause — going out even 10 seconds/mile too fast in the first half can cost you minutes in the second half. The even-split targets in the splits table above help you avoid this by maintaining a sustainable pace from the start.
Understanding the Marathon Pace Chart
This marathon pace chart covers every realistic finish time from 2:30 (world-class) to 6:00 (walk-jog) with the corresponding pace per mile, pace per kilometer, and speed. Whether you're chasing a Boston qualifier or completing your first 26.2 miles, this chart helps you set a realistic pace target.
Marathon Pacing Strategy
Pacing is critical in the marathon. Unlike shorter races where you can recover from a fast start, the marathon punishes overconfidence in the early miles. The best strategy for most runners is to run the first half 1–2 minutes slower than goal pace, then run the second half at or slightly faster than goal pace (negative splitting). At minimum, aim for even splits.
Marathon Pace Zones
- Elite (2:30–3:00) — Sub-6:52/mile. Professional and sub-elite runners.
- BQ Chasers (3:00–3:30) — 6:52–8:01/mile. Boston-qualifying territory for younger age groups.
- Competitive (3:30–4:00) — 8:01–9:09/mile. Experienced runners with structured training.
- Recreational (4:00–5:00) — 9:09–11:27/mile. Average finishers.
- Completer (5:00–6:00) — 11:27–13:44/mile. Run-walk approach, first-timers, back of pack.
From Pace Chart to Race Day
Find your goal time in the chart, note the pace, and practice running at that pace during long runs. For example, if you're targeting a 4:00:00 marathon, your long runs should include segments at 9:09/mile pace. On race day, use the mile splits table to check your progress at each mile marker and make small adjustments rather than large surges.