What is a good marathon pace for a beginner?

A typical first-marathon finish time is 4:30 to 5:30 hours, which is a pace of about 6:24 to 7:50 per kilometer (10:18 to 12:36 per mile). The exact target depends on your weekly mileage, longest training run, and race-day temperature. A reasonable rule of thumb is to take your half marathon time, double it, and add 10 to 15 minutes; that gives you a realistic marathon pace target for your first attempt.

How do I convert pace per kilometer to pace per mile?

Multiply your pace per kilometer by 1.609344 to get pace per mile. For example, a pace of 5:00 per km is 5:00 multiplied by 1.609344 = 8:03 per mile. The reverse: divide pace per mile by 1.609344 to get pace per km. This calculator does both conversions automatically when you enter a target time or pace.

Should I run an even pace or negative splits?

For a first marathon, an even pace is the safer strategy: it minimizes the risk of blowing up in the final 10 km. For an experienced runner targeting a personal best, a negative split (running the second half slightly faster than the first) is the gold standard. The world marathon records are almost always set with negative splits. Avoid positive splits (slowing down significantly in the second half) since they usually mean you went out too fast.

How accurate is a pace calculator for predicting my real race time?

A pace calculator gives you the exact pace required to hit a finish time, but does not predict whether you can actually hold that pace. For a race-time prediction from a recent time at a different distance, use the Riegel formula: finish_2 = finish_1 multiplied by (distance_2 / distance_1) raised to 1.06. A 20:00 5K predicts roughly a 1:32 half marathon. Predictions are most accurate within similar distance ranges and degrade as the distance gap widens.

What is the difference between average pace and current pace?

Average pace is total time divided by total distance. Current pace, also called instant pace, is your pace right now derived from a short rolling window of GPS readings. On race day, GPS watches show both: average pace stays steady, current pace fluctuates with terrain and effort. For race-day pacing, watch the average. It tells you whether you are on target for the finish time, regardless of momentary speed changes.

Tools · Marathon pace calculator

Marathon pace calculator: required pace and splits.

Updated 2026-05-21 · 7 min read

Enter a target finish time and a race distance. The calculator tells you the pace per kilometer and per mile you need to hold, the equivalent speed in kph and mph, and the split times you should hit at each marker. Reverse the calculation to predict finish times from a known training pace.

How marathon pacing works

Marathon pace is the speed you need to hold for the entire 42.195 kilometers without slowing in the final 10 km. The first half should feel easier than your perceived race effort; the second half is where actual race effort kicks in. Most first-time marathoners burn through their pace budget in the first 21 km and walk-jog the last 10. That is the wall, and the cure is pacing.

The most reliable strategy for a first marathon is even pacing: run the second half at the same pace as the first. Watch your average pace on the watch, ignore your current pace except for gross overshoots. For experienced runners with a target time they have trained for, a negative split (second half 1 to 3 percent faster than the first) yields the fastest finish for the same total effort.

Split times

Marker	Cumulative time

Common race pace benchmarks

Goal	Pace per km	Pace per mile
Sub-25 5K	5:00	8:03
Sub-40 10K	4:00	6:26
Sub-1:30 half marathon	4:16	6:52
Sub-3 marathon	4:16	6:52
Boston Qualifier (M, 18-34)	4:14	6:49
Boston Qualifier (F, 18-34)	4:44	7:37
World record marathon (men, 2:00:35)	2:51	4:36

Related tools

Multipoint pace calculator — analyze your splits after the race; segment-by-segment pace breakdown.
Pace converter — translate min/km, min/mile, mph, and kph in any direction.
Heart rate zones calculator — pair pace targets with training intensity zones.
Speed, distance, time calculator — for steady-pace travel calculations.
Live GPS speedometer — measure your actual pace and speed in the browser.

← Back to the speedometer