Marathon Goal Times
One page per goal time, each with the pace it needs, every kilometre and mile split, and the checkpoint times to race against.
Every marathon goal below is the goal time divided by the exact distance of 42.195 km. A 4:00:00 marathon needs 5:41 per kilometre, a 3:30:00 marathon needs 4:59, and a 3:00:00 marathon needs 4:16. Open a goal for its full split tables.
| Goal | Pace / km | Pace / mile | Speed (kph) | Halfway | Per 400 m |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2:45:00 marathon | 3:55 /km | 6:18 /mi | 15.3 | 1:22:30 | 1:34 |
| 3:00:00 marathon | 4:16 /km | 6:52 /mi | 14.1 | 1:30:00 | 1:42 |
| 3:15:00 marathon | 4:37 /km | 7:26 /mi | 13.0 | 1:37:30 | 1:51 |
| 3:30:00 marathon | 4:59 /km | 8:01 /mi | 12.1 | 1:45:00 | 1:59 |
| 3:45:00 marathon | 5:20 /km | 8:35 /mi | 11.3 | 1:52:30 | 2:08 |
| 4:00:00 marathon | 5:41 /km | 9:09 /mi | 10.5 | 2:00:00 | 2:17 |
| 4:15:00 marathon | 6:03 /km | 9:44 /mi | 9.9 | 2:07:30 | 2:25 |
| 4:30:00 marathon | 6:24 /km | 10:18 /mi | 9.4 | 2:15:00 | 2:34 |
| 5:00:00 marathon | 7:07 /km | 11:27 /mi | 8.4 | 2:30:00 | 2:51 |
| 5:30:00 marathon | 7:49 /km | 12:35 /mi | 7.7 | 2:45:00 | 3:08 |
What is on a goal page that is not on a pace chart
A pace chart answers one question: what average pace does this finish time need. A goal page answers the rest of them. Each one carries a full kilometre split table with a row for every one of the 42 markers plus the final 195 metres, a mile split table with all 26 markers plus the last fraction, a checkpoint table at 5, 10, 15, 20, halfway, 25, 30, 35 and 40 km, the equivalent race times this marathon implies at five shorter distances, and a fade table showing what the finish becomes if the second half is slower than the first.
All of it is generated from the goal time and the exact distance, so no two goal pages carry the same numbers anywhere. Where the pages differ in words rather than figures, that text is written by hand per goal.
Only marathon goals, for now
This hub covers the marathon and nothing else yet. Goal pages for the half marathon, the 10K and the 5K are a deliberate next step rather than an oversight: PaceLab publishes a page when there is evidence people are looking for it, not to make the site look larger. Until then, the pace charts cover those distances and the splits calculator will build a split table for any distance and any goal time you type in.
Frequently asked questions
What pace do I need for a sub-4 hour marathon?
A 4:00:00 marathon needs 5:41 per kilometre held across the full 42.195 km, which puts halfway at 2:00:00. The sub-4 page gives every split.
Why is halfway not simply my goal time divided by two?
For an even-split plan it is exactly that. The halfway figures on these pages are the goal time halved. What varies between plans is whether you intend to run the second half at the same pace, faster, or slower, and each goal page shows what a fade of two, five or ten percent does to the finish.
Do these pages account for the extra 195 metres?
Yes. Every split table runs to 42.195 km, including the final partial segment past the 42 km marker. Plans built on a round 42 km quietly lose the time that last stretch takes.
Which goal should I pick?
Start from a recent race rather than from ambition. Each goal page lists the equivalent 5K, 10K, 15K, 10 mile and half marathon times that this marathon implies, calculated with Riegel's formula. If your recent results are well outside those, the goal is ahead of the evidence.
Last reviewed . Formulas, constants and sources: methodology. Changes to any calculation are logged in the changelog.