Amsterdam Marathon 4:00 pace chart
A 4:00:00 finish at the Amsterdam Marathon averages 9:09 per mile (5:41 per kilometre) — the classic sub-4 target, close to the middle of a typical big-city field. Run at even effort rather than even pace, the easiest kilometre comes in around 5:35/km and the hardest around 5:58/km — about 23 seconds between the two extremes. Holding an identical number on every kilometre of a course with this profile means running the climbs too hard and the descents too easy. Held at even effort, halfway comes up at 2:01:03 — a 2:07 negative split, because the harder half comes first. The hardest kilometre on the course sits near kilometre 33; at this goal time it should take 5:58/km, and giving it that time is the difference between finishing Amsterdam on plan and unravelling in the last hour.
Kilometre-by-kilometre targets for 4:00:00
Grade-adjusted splits computed from the Amsterdam Marathon elevation profile with the Minetti gradient-cost model, scaled so the full course adds up to 4:00:00. Uphill sections get more time, downhills less, at one constant effort throughout.
| Kilometre | Target /km | Target /mi | Elev Δ | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5:46 | 9:17 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 5:46 |
| 2 | 5:42 | 9:11 | -5 ft (-1 m) | 11:28 |
| 3 | 5:46 | 9:16 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 17:14 |
| 4 | 5:54 | 9:29 | +16 ft (+5 m) | 23:08 |
| 5 | 5:38 | 9:04 | -12 ft (-4 m) | 28:46 |
| 6 | 5:47 | 9:18 | +4 ft (+1 m) | 34:33 |
| 7 | 5:44 | 9:14 | -2 ft (-1 m) | 40:17 |
| 8 | 5:44 | 9:13 | -3 ft (-1 m) | 46:00 |
| 9 | 5:48 | 9:20 | +5 ft (+2 m) | 51:48 |
| 10 | 5:44 | 9:14 | -1 ft (0 m) | 57:32 |
| 11 | 5:42 | 9:10 | -4 ft (-1 m) | 1:03:14 |
| 12 | 5:46 | 9:16 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 1:09:00 |
| 13 | 5:41 | 9:09 | -6 ft (-2 m) | 1:14:41 |
| 14 | 5:40 | 9:07 | -8 ft (-3 m) | 1:20:21 |
| 15 | 5:45 | 9:16 | +2 ft (0 m) | 1:26:06 |
| 16 | 5:41 | 9:08 | -6 ft (-2 m) | 1:31:47 |
| 17 | 5:44 | 9:13 | -1 ft (0 m) | 1:37:31 |
| 18 | 5:45 | 9:15 | +1 ft (0 m) | 1:43:16 |
| 19 | 5:46 | 9:17 | +3 ft (+1 m) | 1:49:02 |
| 20 | 5:44 | 9:14 | 0 ft (0 m) | 1:54:46 |
| 21 | 5:44 | 9:13 | -1 ft (0 m) | 2:00:30 |
| 22 | 5:45 | 9:16 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 2:06:15 |
| 23 | 5:41 | 9:09 | -6 ft (-2 m) | 2:11:56 |
| 24 | 5:51 | 9:25 | +11 ft (+3 m) | 2:17:47 |
| 25 | 5:45 | 9:16 | +2 ft (0 m) | 2:23:33 |
| 26 | 5:43 | 9:12 | -4 ft (-1 m) | 2:29:15 |
| 27 | 5:45 | 9:15 | 0 ft (0 m) | 2:35:00 |
| 28 | 5:46 | 9:17 | +3 ft (+1 m) | 2:40:47 |
| 29 | 5:41 | 9:09 | -5 ft (-2 m) | 2:46:28 |
| 30 | 5:48 | 9:19 | +5 ft (+2 m) | 2:52:16 |
| 31 | 5:43 | 9:12 | -4 ft (-1 m) | 2:57:58 |
| 32 | 5:42 | 9:10 | -5 ft (-2 m) | 3:03:40 |
| 33 | 5:44 | 9:14 | 0 ft (0 m) | 3:09:24 |
| 34 | 5:58 | 9:37 | +24 ft (+7 m) | 3:15:22 |
| 35 | 5:45 | 9:16 | +1 ft (0 m) | 3:21:08 |
| 36 | 5:39 | 9:05 | -10 ft (-3 m) | 3:26:47 |
| 37 | 5:50 | 9:24 | +8 ft (+2 m) | 3:32:37 |
| 38 | 5:46 | 9:17 | +3 ft (+1 m) | 3:38:23 |
| 39 | 5:35 | 9:00 | -16 ft (-5 m) | 3:43:59 |
| 40 | 5:44 | 9:13 | -2 ft (0 m) | 3:49:43 |
| 41 | 5:47 | 9:19 | +4 ft (+1 m) | 3:55:30 |
| 41.8 | 5:46 | 9:16 | +1 ft (0 m) | 4:00:00 |
Frequently asked questions
What pace is a 4:00 marathon?
A 4:00:00 marathon is 9:09 per mile or 5:41 per kilometre held for the full 26.2 miles (42.195 km). On the Amsterdam Marathon specifically, the elevation profile means even effort produces uneven splits — the table on this page gives the target for every kilometre.
What should my halfway split be for a 4:00 at the Amsterdam Marathon?
2:01:03. That is the grade-adjusted halfway target for this course, not simply half of 4:00:00 — it accounts for where the climbing sits. Reaching the half meaningfully faster than this on this course usually means you have spent the effort you need for the closing miles.
Should I run even splits at the Amsterdam Marathon?
Even effort at a 4:00 goal produces splits between 5:35 and 5:58 per kilometre — about 23 seconds between the easiest and hardest one. Grade-adjusted pacing gives back time on the descents and spends it on the climbs, which is what running an even physiological effort actually looks like on a course with this profile.
How are these Amsterdam Marathon splits calculated?
Each kilometre is weighted by its gradient using the Minetti et al. (2002) cost-of-running polynomial, which measures the metabolic cost of running at grades from −45% to +45%. The total is then scaled so the whole course adds up to 4:00:00. Uphill sections get more time and downhill sections less, at a constant effort throughout.
Is 4:00 a realistic marathon goal?
4:00 is the classic sub-4 target, close to the middle of a typical big-city field. Whether it is realistic for you depends on your recent race results and weekly volume rather than on the number itself — the race-time predictor on this site will convert a recent 5K, 10K or half-marathon result into a marathon estimate using the Riegel power-law model.