A marathon is 26.2 miles of math you don't want to do mid race. This marathon pace chart does it for you. Pick your goal finish time, read across, and you have your pace per mile, your pace per kilometer, and the halfway split that tells you whether your day is on track.
Marathon Pace Chart: Finish Times From 3:00 to 7:00
Find your goal finish time on the left. The pace columns show what you need to hold for all 26.2 miles (42.2 km).
| Finish time | Pace per mile | Pace per km | Halfway split |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3:00:00 | 6:52 | 4:16 | 1:30:00 |
| 3:15:00 | 7:26 | 4:37 | 1:37:30 |
| 3:30:00 | 8:01 | 4:59 | 1:45:00 |
| 3:45:00 | 8:35 | 5:20 | 1:52:30 |
| 4:00:00 | 9:09 | 5:41 | 2:00:00 |
| 4:15:00 | 9:44 | 6:03 | 2:07:30 |
| 4:30:00 | 10:18 | 6:24 | 2:15:00 |
| 4:45:00 | 10:52 | 6:45 | 2:22:30 |
| 5:00:00 | 11:27 | 7:07 | 2:30:00 |
| 5:15:00 | 12:01 | 7:28 | 2:37:30 |
| 5:30:00 | 12:35 | 7:49 | 2:45:00 |
| 5:45:00 | 13:10 | 8:11 | 2:52:30 |
| 6:00:00 | 13:44 | 8:32 | 3:00:00 |
| 6:15:00 | 14:18 | 8:53 | 3:07:30 |
| 6:30:00 | 14:52 | 9:15 | 3:15:00 |
| 6:45:00 | 15:27 | 9:36 | 3:22:30 |
| 7:00:00 | 16:01 | 9:57 | 3:30:00 |
Here's a fun bit of symmetry: a 4:00 marathon takes the exact same 9:09 per mile as a sub 2 hour half marathon, and a 5:00 marathon matches the 11:27 pace of a sub 2:30 half. If you've raced 13.1, you already know what these paces feel like. The half marathon pace chart is the companion to this one.
Marathon Splits: 5K, 10K, and Halfway Checkpoints
Most big marathons have timing mats at 5K, 10K, halfway, and 20 miles. Here's when you should cross each one if you're pacing evenly.
| Finish time | 5K | 10K | Halfway | 20 miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3:00:00 | 21:20 | 42:40 | 1:30:00 | 2:17:18 |
| 3:30:00 | 24:53 | 49:46 | 1:45:00 | 2:40:11 |
| 4:00:00 | 28:26 | 56:53 | 2:00:00 | 3:03:05 |
| 4:30:00 | 32:00 | 1:03:59 | 2:15:00 | 3:25:58 |
| 5:00:00 | 35:33 | 1:11:06 | 2:30:00 | 3:48:51 |
| 5:30:00 | 39:06 | 1:18:12 | 2:45:00 | 4:11:44 |
| 6:00:00 | 42:40 | 1:25:19 | 3:00:00 | 4:34:37 |
| 6:30:00 | 46:13 | 1:32:26 | 3:15:00 | 4:57:30 |
| 7:00:00 | 49:46 | 1:39:32 | 3:30:00 | 5:20:23 |
If your 5K split comes up more than a minute faster than the chart says, you are not "banking time." You are borrowing it at a brutal interest rate. More on that below.
Average Marathon Pace Per Mile for Women
Before you pick a goal, it helps to know what real women actually run. These are typical finish times by age group:
| Age group | Average finish time | Average pace |
|---|---|---|
| 20 to 29 | 4:49 | 11:01/mi |
| 30 to 39 | 4:52 | 11:08/mi |
| 40 to 49 | 4:58 | 11:22/mi |
| 50 to 59 | 5:12 | 11:54/mi |
| 60+ | 5:30 | 12:35/mi |
The overall average marathon time for women sits around 4 hours 56 minutes, roughly 11:17 per mile. Half the field finishes slower than that. If your goal lives in the 5:00 to 6:30 range, you are not at the back of some imaginary pack. You are the pack. We break the numbers down further in average marathon time for women.
How to Pick a Realistic Goal Time
You don't need a marathon pace calculator, just a recent race and some honest multiplication:
From a half marathon: Multiply your half time by 2.1 if you've been training 35+ miles a week, or by 2.2 for your first marathon. A 2:20 half predicts somewhere between 4:54 and 5:08. From a 10K: Multiply your 10K time by 4.76. A 65 minute 10K predicts about a 5:09 marathon.Now the honest part. These formulas assume you've done the long runs. If your longest run so far is 14 miles, the prediction will flatter you. And if you're over 50 or newer to running, add 15 to 25 minutes of cushion to whatever the math says for your first marathon. Recovery is slower, race day heat hits harder, and a goal you beat feels a lot better than a goal that beats you. Your second marathon is the one for chasing numbers.
First timers: your real goal is finishing upright and smiling. Pick the pace one row slower than your prediction and let the last 10K be a happy surprise. A structured marathon training plan matters far more than the number you circle today.
How to Use Your Marathon Pacing Chart on Race Day
Write your splits down. Put your 5K, 10K, halfway, and 20 mile times from the chart on your arm or a pace band. At mile 20 your brain will not do arithmetic. Trust me on this. Expect your watch to read long. You won't run perfect tangents, so your GPS will show 26.4 to 26.6 miles by the finish. Lap your watch manually at the course mile markers, or aim about 5 seconds per mile faster than chart pace to cover the difference. Check yourself at halfway. Your halfway split should be within a minute or two of the chart. If you're 5+ minutes fast, ease off now, not at mile 18 when it's already too late. Walk the aid stations. Ten seconds of walking to actually drink costs you almost nothing against a 5 or 6 hour finish and can save your entire second half.Tip: Whatever your goal pace is, the first 3 miles should feel almost insultingly easy. If you feel comfortable at mile 3, you paced it right. If you feel great and fast, you're in trouble and don't know it yet.
Why Even Pacing Beats a Fast Start
The marathon punishes early enthusiasm like no other distance. Run the first 10 miles a minute too fast in total and you'll typically give back two to three times that after mile 20, because you burn through stored carbohydrate faster and hit the wall sooner.
Nearly every marathon world record was set with even or negative splits, meaning the second half was as fast as or faster than the first. And analyses of big city marathons keep finding the same thing: women slow down in the second half far less than men do. Patience is a competitive advantage, and statistically, you already have it.
The practical version: run the first half 10 to 15 seconds per mile slower than chart pace, hit halfway just behind schedule, and spend the last 10K passing everyone who "banked time." It is the most fun you can legally have at mile 23.
Common Questions
What pace is a 4:30 marathon?
10:18 per mile, or 6:24 per kilometer. Your halfway split should read close to 2:15:00.
What is a good marathon pace for a beginner woman?
For most first timers, somewhere between 11:30 and 14:30 per mile, which lands you between roughly 5:00 and 6:20. Over 50 or starting from a walking base? The 6:00 to 7:00 range is a genuine achievement, not a consolation prize.
How do I calculate my marathon pace without a chart?
Convert your goal time to minutes and divide by 26.2 for pace per mile, or by 42.2 for pace per kilometer. A 5:00 goal is 300 minutes, and 300 divided by 26.2 gives about 11.45 minutes, or 11:27 per mile.
Can I use a run/walk strategy and still hit these times?
Absolutely. Run/walk intervals (like 4 minutes running, 1 minute walking) simply mean your running segments go slightly faster than chart pace so your average lands on it. Plenty of 5:30 and 6:00 finishers run/walk the whole way.
Do marathons have time limits?
Most big races allow 6:30 to 7:00, and many allow more. Check your race's cutoff before you pick a goal row, especially if you plan to run/walk.
Print this chart, circle your row, and stop doing math at mile 20. Your only job on race day is to run the pace you already chose.
If you want a training plan built around your goal pace, your schedule, and your body, your coach is ready. Take the quiz and get a marathon plan that meets you where you are.