# Sub-4:00 marathon pace

> The pace for a sub-4:00 marathon is 5:41 per km (9:09 per mile). Full split table, equivalent race times, and how to hold it. Free, no sign-up.

Hold 5:41 per kilometre, or 9:09 per mile, for the whole marathon, and you finish in 4:00:00. Here are the splits, the equivalents, and how to hold it.

5:41

per kilometre

9:09

per mile

10.5

km/h

6.6

mph

## What pace is a sub-4:00 marathon?

To run a sub-4:00 marathon, you need to hold **5:41 per kilometre**. That is
**9:09 per mile**, or 10.5 km/h (6.6 mph), held for the whole
marathon. Hold that pace evenly from start to finish and you cross the line right on 4:00:00.
The table below shows the clock at every checkpoint if you run it even. Training indoors, dial the
belt to 10.5 km/h (6.6 mph) directly, or use the [treadmill
pace calculator](https://steadypace.ca/treadmill-pace-calculator) to convert any other pace to a belt speed.

## Sub-4:00 marathon splits

| Distance | Target elapsed time |
| --- | --- |
| 5 km | 28:26 |
| 10 km | 56:53 |
| 15 km | 1:25:19 |
| 20 km | 1:53:45 |
| 21.0975 km (halfway) | 2:00:00 |
| 25 km | 2:22:12 |
| 30 km | 2:50:38 |
| 35 km | 3:19:05 |
| 40 km | 3:47:31 |
| 42.195 km (finish) | 4:00:00 |

Even-pace splits for 4:00:00 over the marathon. Aim to reach halfway a few
seconds behind these and finish a few ahead. A slight [negative
split](https://steadypace.ca/guides/negative-splits) is safer than banking time early.

## Is a sub-4:00 marathon a realistic goal?

It depends on where you are now, but the honest test is whether you can already hold close to
5:41 per kilometre for a shorter effort. Breaking four hours is the most talked-about marathon benchmark there is. It's often the first marathon goal people train for specifically, rather than just aiming to finish.

The marathon is an eating-and-pacing test as much as a fitness one. Long runs, some at goal pace, and a rehearsed fuelling plan matter most. Run the first half so easy it feels like a mistake. That is how you avoid the wall.

## What times does sub-4:00 marathon pace predict at other distances?

If you can run a sub-4:00 marathon, you're roughly capable of these times at other distances, estimated
with the Riegel formula, which scales a known time by distance. Real results vary with training and
terrain, but it's a useful reality check.

| Distance | Equivalent time | Pace / km |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 5K | 25:01 | 5:00 |
| 10K | 52:10 | 5:13 |
| Half marathon | 1:55:07 | 5:27 |
| Marathon (this goal) | 4:00:00 | 5:41 |
| Mile | 7:31 | 4:41 |

## How do you hold sub-4:00 marathon pace on the day?

Know the number, then hold it evenly. Most people miss a goal like this by starting too fast and
fading late, when they still had the fitness to finish. Read the full [marathon pacing guide](https://steadypace.ca/guides/how-to-pace-a-marathon),
work splits with the [pace calculator](https://steadypace.ca/pace-calculator), and see how this pace compares
on the [pace charts](https://steadypace.ca/pace-chart).

Set **5:41/km** as your target in
[Steady Pace](https://apps.apple.com/app/steady-pace/id6773682525) and hold it by ear:
a tone rises the moment you slow below sub-4:00 marathon pace and falls when you drift too fast, so you catch the
surge in the first kilometre instead of the last.

- [sub-4:30 marathon pace](https://steadypace.ca/pace/sub-4-30-marathon): 6:24 per km · 10:18 per mile.
- [sub-3:45 marathon pace](https://steadypace.ca/pace/sub-3-45-marathon): 5:20 per km · 8:35 per mile.
- [How to pace a marathon](https://steadypace.ca/guides/how-to-pace-a-marathon): Strategy, mistakes, and how to hold marathon goal pace.

**What pace do I need for a sub-4:00 marathon?**

5:41 per kilometre, or 9:09 per mile, held for the full marathon (42.195 km). At that pace you finish in 4:00:00.

**How do I convert sub-4:00 marathon pace to miles?**

5:41 per kilometre is 9:09 per mile. Multiply the per-km pace by 1.609. Over the marathon that adds up to a 4:00:00 finish.

**Should I run a sub-4:00 marathon as an even or negative split?**

Even, or a slight negative split. Reach halfway just behind goal pace and finish just ahead. Going out faster than 5:41/km almost always costs you more time later than it saves early.


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Source: https://steadypace.ca/pace/sub-4-hour-marathon
App Store: https://apps.apple.com/app/steady-pace/id6773682525