4:00 Marathon Pace
To finish a 4 hour marathon in 4:00:00, you need to average 5:41 per kilometer — that's 9:09 per mile, or 10.5 km/h (6.6 mph) held for the full 42.195 km.
This sits right around the global average marathon finish time, which makes it one of the most popular goals in the sport.
Split times for a 4 hour marathon
Where you need to be at each checkpoint, assuming perfectly even pacing — the strategy that works best for most runners at this distance.
| Checkpoint | Elapsed time |
|---|---|
| 5 km | 28:26 |
| 10 km | 56:53 |
| 15 km | 1:25:19 |
| 20 km | 1:53:45 |
| Halfway | 2:00:00 |
| 25 km | 2:22:12 |
| 30 km | 2:50:38 |
| 35 km | 3:19:05 |
| 40 km | 3:47:31 |
| Finish | 4:00:00 |
Want kilometer-by-kilometer splits, negative splits, or mile splits? Build a custom plan with the Split Time Generator.
Is 4:00:00 realistic for you?
Race times scale predictably across distances (we use the Riegel formula). If your recent results are close to these equivalents, a 4 hour marathon is within reach:
| Distance | Equivalent time | Pace |
|---|---|---|
| Half Marathon | 1:55:07 | 5:27 /km |
| 10K | 52:10 | 5:13 /km |
| 5K | 25:01 | 5:00 /km |
These assume similar training for each distance — check your own numbers with the Pace Calculator.
Training paces for this goal
Rules of thumb derived from your goal — most of your training should be much slower than race pace:
Make it stick on race day
🖨 Print the free pace band for this exact goal →
Practice your rhythm with the Cadence Trainer, and read our guide on pacing strategies from 5K to marathon.