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Marathon Pace Calculator
What pace do you need to hit your marathon goal time? Enter your target finish time over the 42.195 km (26.219 mi) marathon distance and this calculator shows the exact pace per km and per mile you must hold — and turns it into even splits. A 4-hour marathon is 4:00:00 ÷ 42.195 km = 5:41/km, or about 9:09/mi; a sub-3:30 needs roughly 4:58/km (8:00/mi). Switch the "Solve for" toggle to Pace, enter your goal time and the marathon distance, and choose km or mi. You can also work backwards from a recent shorter race using the built-in Riegel predictor to see whether your marathon goal is realistic — remembering that Riegel is optimistic beyond the half-marathon and assumes you have done the endurance training. This is a fitness estimate, not a guaranteed race time.
Marathon = 42.195 km (26.219 mi); pace = goal time ÷ distance
- Example: 4:00:00 marathon → 5:41/km ≈ 9:09/mi (even splits)
- Riegel projects a marathon from a recent race — optimistic beyond the half
Frequently asked questions
What pace is a 4-hour marathon?
A 4-hour marathon is 4:00:00 ÷ 42.195 km = about 5:41 per km, or roughly 9:09 per mile, held evenly for the whole distance. Small slow-downs late in the race mean most runners aim to be a little ahead of that pace through halfway.
Can I predict my marathon time from a half or a 10K?
Yes — the Riegel predictor uses T2 = T1 × (D2/D1)^1.06. A recent half-marathon gives a much more trustworthy marathon estimate than a 5K, because Riegel is reliable up to the half and gets optimistic beyond it. Whatever the input, treat the marathon number as a target that assumes proper endurance training, not a promise.