Amsterdam Marathon 5:30 pace chart
A 5:30:00 finish at the Amsterdam Marathon averages 12:35 per mile (7:49 per kilometre) — a steady, sustainable finish, and the pace most first-time marathoners should actually target. Run at even effort rather than even pace, the easiest kilometre comes in around 7:41/km and the hardest around 8:13/km — about 32 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 2:46:27 — a 2:54 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 8:13/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 5:30:00
Grade-adjusted splits computed from the Amsterdam Marathon elevation profile with the Minetti gradient-cost model, scaled so the full course adds up to 5:30:00. Uphill sections get more time, downhills less, at one constant effort throughout.
| Kilometre | Target /km | Target /mi | Elev Δ | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7:56 | 12:46 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 7:56 |
| 2 | 7:50 | 12:37 | -5 ft (-1 m) | 15:46 |
| 3 | 7:55 | 12:45 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 23:42 |
| 4 | 8:06 | 13:02 | +16 ft (+5 m) | 31:48 |
| 5 | 7:45 | 12:29 | -12 ft (-4 m) | 39:33 |
| 6 | 7:57 | 12:47 | +4 ft (+1 m) | 47:30 |
| 7 | 7:53 | 12:42 | -2 ft (-1 m) | 55:23 |
| 8 | 7:53 | 12:40 | -3 ft (-1 m) | 1:03:16 |
| 9 | 7:58 | 12:50 | +5 ft (+2 m) | 1:11:14 |
| 10 | 7:53 | 12:42 | -1 ft (0 m) | 1:19:07 |
| 11 | 7:50 | 12:37 | -4 ft (-1 m) | 1:26:57 |
| 12 | 7:55 | 12:45 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 1:34:52 |
| 13 | 7:49 | 12:35 | -6 ft (-2 m) | 1:42:42 |
| 14 | 7:47 | 12:32 | -8 ft (-3 m) | 1:50:29 |
| 15 | 7:55 | 12:44 | +2 ft (0 m) | 1:58:24 |
| 16 | 7:49 | 12:34 | -6 ft (-2 m) | 2:06:12 |
| 17 | 7:53 | 12:40 | -1 ft (0 m) | 2:14:05 |
| 18 | 7:55 | 12:44 | +1 ft (0 m) | 2:21:59 |
| 19 | 7:56 | 12:46 | +3 ft (+1 m) | 2:29:55 |
| 20 | 7:53 | 12:41 | 0 ft (0 m) | 2:37:48 |
| 21 | 7:53 | 12:41 | -1 ft (0 m) | 2:45:41 |
| 22 | 7:55 | 12:44 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 2:53:36 |
| 23 | 7:49 | 12:35 | -6 ft (-2 m) | 3:01:25 |
| 24 | 8:02 | 12:56 | +11 ft (+3 m) | 3:09:27 |
| 25 | 7:55 | 12:44 | +2 ft (0 m) | 3:17:22 |
| 26 | 7:51 | 12:39 | -4 ft (-1 m) | 3:25:14 |
| 27 | 7:54 | 12:43 | 0 ft (0 m) | 3:33:08 |
| 28 | 7:56 | 12:46 | +3 ft (+1 m) | 3:41:04 |
| 29 | 7:49 | 12:36 | -5 ft (-2 m) | 3:48:54 |
| 30 | 7:58 | 12:49 | +5 ft (+2 m) | 3:56:51 |
| 31 | 7:51 | 12:38 | -4 ft (-1 m) | 4:04:43 |
| 32 | 7:50 | 12:36 | -5 ft (-2 m) | 4:12:32 |
| 33 | 7:53 | 12:42 | 0 ft (0 m) | 4:20:26 |
| 34 | 8:13 | 13:13 | +24 ft (+7 m) | 4:28:38 |
| 35 | 7:55 | 12:44 | +1 ft (0 m) | 4:36:33 |
| 36 | 7:46 | 12:30 | -10 ft (-3 m) | 4:44:19 |
| 37 | 8:02 | 12:55 | +8 ft (+2 m) | 4:52:21 |
| 38 | 7:56 | 12:46 | +3 ft (+1 m) | 5:00:17 |
| 39 | 7:41 | 12:22 | -16 ft (-5 m) | 5:07:58 |
| 40 | 7:53 | 12:41 | -2 ft (0 m) | 5:15:51 |
| 41 | 7:57 | 12:48 | +4 ft (+1 m) | 5:23:48 |
| 41.8 | 7:55 | 12:45 | +1 ft (0 m) | 5:30:00 |
Frequently asked questions
What pace is a 5:30 marathon?
A 5:30:00 marathon is 12:35 per mile or 7:49 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 5:30 at the Amsterdam Marathon?
2:46:27. That is the grade-adjusted halfway target for this course, not simply half of 5:30:00 — 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 5:30 goal produces splits between 7:41 and 8:13 per kilometre — about 32 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 5:30:00. Uphill sections get more time and downhill sections less, at a constant effort throughout.
Is 5:30 a realistic marathon goal?
5:30 is a steady, sustainable finish, and the pace most first-time marathoners should actually target. 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.