Pace Chart

3 Hour Marathon Pace

A 3-hour marathon means averaging 6:52 per mile, or 4:16 per kilometer, for 26.2 miles. At even pace you pass halfway in 1:30:00. The splits and the printable pace band below are set to this goal — change the time or switch to a negative split if you like.

6:52per mile
4:16per km
1:30:00at halfway
3 Hour Marathon Pace – printable pace band preview

The PDF has several bands to cut out plus a full splits table. Print at 100% / Actual size.

Marathon splits for 3:00:00

MileSplit paceElapsed time
16:526:52
26:5213:44
36:5220:36
46:5227:28
56:5234:20
66:5241:12
76:5248:03
86:5254:55
96:521:01:47
106:521:08:39
116:521:15:31
126:521:22:23
136:521:29:15
13.1 (half)1:30:00
146:521:36:07
156:521:42:59
166:521:49:51
176:521:56:43
186:522:03:35
196:522:10:26
206:522:17:18
216:522:24:10
226:522:31:02
236:522:37:54
246:522:44:46
256:522:51:38
266:522:58:30
26.2 (finish)6:523:00:00

Breaking 3 hours means holding under 6:52 per mile for the whole race. For a sub-3 attempt, many runners aim a few seconds per mile faster — set the calculator to 2:58 or 2:59 to see the splits.

Marathon pace chart

Even pace. Tap a row to load that finish time into the calculator and print a pace band.

Finish timePace /milePace /km5K10KHalf20 mi
2:30:005:433:3317:4635:331:15:001:54:25
2:35:005:553:4018:2236:441:17:301:58:14
2:40:006:063:4818:5837:551:20:002:02:03
2:45:006:183:5519:3339:061:22:302:05:52
2:50:006:294:0220:0940:171:25:002:09:41
2:55:006:404:0920:4441:281:27:302:13:30
3:00:006:524:1621:2042:401:30:002:17:18
3:05:007:034:2321:5543:511:32:302:21:07
3:10:007:154:3022:3145:021:35:002:24:56
3:15:007:264:3723:0646:131:37:302:28:45
3:20:007:384:4423:4247:241:40:002:32:34
3:25:007:494:5224:1848:351:42:302:36:23
3:30:008:014:5924:5349:461:45:002:40:11
3:35:008:125:0625:2950:571:47:302:44:00
3:40:008:235:1326:0452:081:50:002:47:49
3:45:008:355:2026:4053:191:52:302:51:38
3:50:008:465:2727:1554:311:55:002:55:27
3:55:008:585:3427:5155:421:57:302:59:16
4:00:009:095:4128:2656:532:00:003:03:05
4:05:009:215:4829:0258:042:02:303:06:53
4:10:009:325:5529:3759:152:05:003:10:42
4:15:009:446:0330:131:00:262:07:303:14:31
4:20:009:556:1030:491:01:372:10:003:18:20
4:25:0010:066:1731:241:02:482:12:303:22:09
4:30:0010:186:2432:001:03:592:15:003:25:58
4:35:0010:296:3132:351:05:102:17:303:29:46
4:40:0010:416:3833:111:06:222:20:003:33:35
4:45:0010:526:4533:461:07:332:22:303:37:24
4:50:0011:046:5234:221:08:442:25:003:41:13
4:55:0011:156:5934:571:09:552:27:303:45:02
5:00:0011:277:0735:331:11:062:30:003:48:51
5:05:0011:387:1436:091:12:172:32:303:52:39
5:10:0011:497:2136:441:13:282:35:003:56:28
5:15:0012:017:2837:201:14:392:37:304:00:17
5:20:0012:127:3537:551:15:502:40:004:04:06
5:25:0012:247:4238:311:17:012:42:304:07:55
5:30:0012:357:4939:061:18:122:45:004:11:44
5:35:0012:477:5639:421:19:242:47:304:15:33
5:40:0012:588:0340:171:20:352:50:004:19:21
5:45:0013:108:1140:531:21:462:52:304:23:10
5:50:0013:218:1841:281:22:572:55:004:26:59
5:55:0013:328:2542:041:24:082:57:304:30:48
6:00:0013:448:3242:401:25:193:00:004:34:37
6:05:0013:558:3943:151:26:303:02:304:38:26
6:10:0014:078:4643:511:27:413:05:004:42:14
6:15:0014:188:5344:261:28:523:07:304:46:03
6:20:0014:309:0045:021:30:033:10:004:49:52
6:25:0014:419:0745:371:31:153:12:304:53:41
6:30:0014:529:1546:131:32:263:15:004:57:30

How to use a pace band

Print the PDF at 100%, cut out one band and wrap it around your wrist with the times facing you. A strip of clear packing tape over the top keeps it readable in rain and sweat.

At each mile marker on the course, glance at your watch’s elapsed time and compare it with the band. Use the course markers rather than your GPS distance: race courses are measured along the shortest possible line, so most watches read a little long by the finish.

More pace charts and tools

Frequently asked questions

What pace per kilometer is a 3-hour marathon?

4:16 per km. In miles it is 6:52 per mile.

What is that on a treadmill?

About 8.7 mph (14.0 km/h). Many runners set a 1% incline to make treadmill running feel closer to running outside.

What should my halfway split be for a 3-hour marathon?

At even pace, 1:30:00. With a 1% negative split you would reach halfway in 1:30:27 and run the second half a little faster.