# Sub-5:00 marathon pace

> The pace for a sub-5:00 marathon is 7:07 per km (11:27 per mile). Full split table, equivalent race times, and how to hold it. Free, no sign-up.

Hold 7:07 per kilometre, or 11:27 per mile, for the whole marathon, and you finish in 5:00:00. Here are the splits, the equivalents, and how to hold it.

7:07

per kilometre

11:27

per mile

8.4

km/h

5.2

mph

## What pace is a sub-5:00 marathon?

To run a sub-5:00 marathon, you need to hold **7:07 per kilometre**. That is
**11:27 per mile**, or 8.4 km/h (5.2 mph), held for the whole
marathon. Hold that pace evenly from start to finish and you cross the line right on 5:00:00.
The table below shows the clock at every checkpoint if you run it even. Training indoors, dial the
belt to 8.4 km/h (5.2 mph) directly, or use the [treadmill
pace calculator](https://steadypace.ca/treadmill-pace-calculator) to convert any other pace to a belt speed.

## Sub-5:00 marathon splits

| Distance | Target elapsed time |
| --- | --- |
| 5 km | 35:33 |
| 10 km | 1:11:06 |
| 15 km | 1:46:39 |
| 20 km | 2:22:12 |
| 21.0975 km (halfway) | 2:30:00 |
| 25 km | 2:57:45 |
| 30 km | 3:33:18 |
| 35 km | 4:08:51 |
| 40 km | 4:44:24 |
| 42.195 km (finish) | 5:00:00 |

Even-pace splits for 5:00:00 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-5:00 marathon a realistic goal?

It depends on where you are now, but the honest test is whether you can already hold close to
7:07 per kilometre for a shorter effort. A sub-5:00 marathon is a common and realistic first-marathon goal. Most training plans built for new marathoners are aimed squarely at this pace or a little slower.

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-5:00 marathon pace predict at other distances?

If you can run a sub-5:00 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 | 31:17 | 6:15 |
| 10K | 1:05:13 | 6:31 |
| Half marathon | 2:23:53 | 6:49 |
| Marathon (this goal) | 5:00:00 | 7:07 |
| Mile | 9:24 | 5:51 |

## How do you hold sub-5:00 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 **7:07/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-5:00 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-4:00 marathon pace](https://steadypace.ca/pace/sub-4-hour-marathon): 5:41 per km · 9:09 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-5:00 marathon?**

7:07 per kilometre, or 11:27 per mile, held for the full marathon (42.195 km). At that pace you finish in 5:00:00.

**How do I convert sub-5:00 marathon pace to miles?**

7:07 per kilometre is 11:27 per mile. Multiply the per-km pace by 1.609. Over the marathon that adds up to a 5:00:00 finish.

**Should I run a sub-5:00 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 7:07/km almost always costs you more time later than it saves early.


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Source: https://steadypace.ca/pace/sub-5-hour-marathon
App Store: https://apps.apple.com/app/steady-pace/id6773682525