To break 4 hours you need to average faster than 9:09 per mile. The calculator starts at 3:58 (9:05 per mile) to leave a little buffer for crowded water stations and the extra distance from weaving — most runners cover slightly more than 26.2 miles.
Marathon pace chart
Even pace. Tap a row to load that finish time into the calculator and print a pace band.
| Finish time | Pace /mile | Pace /km | 5K | 10K | Half | 20 mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2:30:00 | 5:43 | 3:33 | 17:46 | 35:33 | 1:15:00 | 1:54:25 |
| 2:35:00 | 5:55 | 3:40 | 18:22 | 36:44 | 1:17:30 | 1:58:14 |
| 2:40:00 | 6:06 | 3:48 | 18:58 | 37:55 | 1:20:00 | 2:02:03 |
| 2:45:00 | 6:18 | 3:55 | 19:33 | 39:06 | 1:22:30 | 2:05:52 |
| 2:50:00 | 6:29 | 4:02 | 20:09 | 40:17 | 1:25:00 | 2:09:41 |
| 2:55:00 | 6:40 | 4:09 | 20:44 | 41:28 | 1:27:30 | 2:13:30 |
| 3:00:00 | 6:52 | 4:16 | 21:20 | 42:40 | 1:30:00 | 2:17:18 |
| 3:05:00 | 7:03 | 4:23 | 21:55 | 43:51 | 1:32:30 | 2:21:07 |
| 3:10:00 | 7:15 | 4:30 | 22:31 | 45:02 | 1:35:00 | 2:24:56 |
| 3:15:00 | 7:26 | 4:37 | 23:06 | 46:13 | 1:37:30 | 2:28:45 |
| 3:20:00 | 7:38 | 4:44 | 23:42 | 47:24 | 1:40:00 | 2:32:34 |
| 3:25:00 | 7:49 | 4:52 | 24:18 | 48:35 | 1:42:30 | 2:36:23 |
| 3:30:00 | 8:01 | 4:59 | 24:53 | 49:46 | 1:45:00 | 2:40:11 |
| 3:35:00 | 8:12 | 5:06 | 25:29 | 50:57 | 1:47:30 | 2:44:00 |
| 3:40:00 | 8:23 | 5:13 | 26:04 | 52:08 | 1:50:00 | 2:47:49 |
| 3:45:00 | 8:35 | 5:20 | 26:40 | 53:19 | 1:52:30 | 2:51:38 |
| 3:50:00 | 8:46 | 5:27 | 27:15 | 54:31 | 1:55:00 | 2:55:27 |
| 3:55:00 | 8:58 | 5:34 | 27:51 | 55:42 | 1:57:30 | 2:59:16 |
| 4:00:00 | 9:09 | 5:41 | 28:26 | 56:53 | 2:00:00 | 3:03:05 |
| 4:05:00 | 9:21 | 5:48 | 29:02 | 58:04 | 2:02:30 | 3:06:53 |
| 4:10:00 | 9:32 | 5:55 | 29:37 | 59:15 | 2:05:00 | 3:10:42 |
| 4:15:00 | 9:44 | 6:03 | 30:13 | 1:00:26 | 2:07:30 | 3:14:31 |
| 4:20:00 | 9:55 | 6:10 | 30:49 | 1:01:37 | 2:10:00 | 3:18:20 |
| 4:25:00 | 10:06 | 6:17 | 31:24 | 1:02:48 | 2:12:30 | 3:22:09 |
| 4:30:00 | 10:18 | 6:24 | 32:00 | 1:03:59 | 2:15:00 | 3:25:58 |
| 4:35:00 | 10:29 | 6:31 | 32:35 | 1:05:10 | 2:17:30 | 3:29:46 |
| 4:40:00 | 10:41 | 6:38 | 33:11 | 1:06:22 | 2:20:00 | 3:33:35 |
| 4:45:00 | 10:52 | 6:45 | 33:46 | 1:07:33 | 2:22:30 | 3:37:24 |
| 4:50:00 | 11:04 | 6:52 | 34:22 | 1:08:44 | 2:25:00 | 3:41:13 |
| 4:55:00 | 11:15 | 6:59 | 34:57 | 1:09:55 | 2:27:30 | 3:45:02 |
| 5:00:00 | 11:27 | 7:07 | 35:33 | 1:11:06 | 2:30:00 | 3:48:51 |
| 5:05:00 | 11:38 | 7:14 | 36:09 | 1:12:17 | 2:32:30 | 3:52:39 |
| 5:10:00 | 11:49 | 7:21 | 36:44 | 1:13:28 | 2:35:00 | 3:56:28 |
| 5:15:00 | 12:01 | 7:28 | 37:20 | 1:14:39 | 2:37:30 | 4:00:17 |
| 5:20:00 | 12:12 | 7:35 | 37:55 | 1:15:50 | 2:40:00 | 4:04:06 |
| 5:25:00 | 12:24 | 7:42 | 38:31 | 1:17:01 | 2:42:30 | 4:07:55 |
| 5:30:00 | 12:35 | 7:49 | 39:06 | 1:18:12 | 2:45:00 | 4:11:44 |
| 5:35:00 | 12:47 | 7:56 | 39:42 | 1:19:24 | 2:47:30 | 4:15:33 |
| 5:40:00 | 12:58 | 8:03 | 40:17 | 1:20:35 | 2:50:00 | 4:19:21 |
| 5:45:00 | 13:10 | 8:11 | 40:53 | 1:21:46 | 2:52:30 | 4:23:10 |
| 5:50:00 | 13:21 | 8:18 | 41:28 | 1:22:57 | 2:55:00 | 4:26:59 |
| 5:55:00 | 13:32 | 8:25 | 42:04 | 1:24:08 | 2:57:30 | 4:30:48 |
| 6:00:00 | 13:44 | 8:32 | 42:40 | 1:25:19 | 3:00:00 | 4:34:37 |
| 6:05:00 | 13:55 | 8:39 | 43:15 | 1:26:30 | 3:02:30 | 4:38:26 |
| 6:10:00 | 14:07 | 8:46 | 43:51 | 1:27:41 | 3:05:00 | 4:42:14 |
| 6:15:00 | 14:18 | 8:53 | 44:26 | 1:28:52 | 3:07:30 | 4:46:03 |
| 6:20:00 | 14:30 | 9:00 | 45:02 | 1:30:03 | 3:10:00 | 4:49:52 |
| 6:25:00 | 14:41 | 9:07 | 45:37 | 1:31:15 | 3:12:30 | 4:53:41 |
| 6:30:00 | 14:52 | 9:15 | 46:13 | 1:32:26 | 3:15:00 | 4:57:30 |
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
- Running Pace Chart & Pace Band
- Marathon Pace Chart
- Half Marathon Pace Chart
- 5K Pace Chart
- 10K Pace Chart
- Printable Pace Band Generator
- 3 Hour Marathon Pace
- 3:30 Marathon Pace
- 5 Hour Marathon Pace
- Sub-2 Hour Half Marathon Pace
- Treadmill Pace Chart
- Min per Km to Min per Mile Converter
Frequently asked questions
What pace per kilometer is a 3:58 marathon?
5:38 per km. In miles it is 9:05 per mile.
What is that on a treadmill?
About 6.6 mph (10.6 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 3:58 marathon?
At even pace, 1:59:00. With a 1% negative split you would reach halfway in 1:59:36 and run the second half a little faster.