Austin Marathon 4:00 pace chart
A 4:00:00 finish at the Austin 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 mile comes in around 8:10/mi and the hardest around 10:08/mi — about 118 seconds between the two extremes. Holding an identical number on every mile 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 2:01:01 — a 2:03 negative split, because the harder half comes first. The hardest mile on the course sits near kilometre 1; at this goal time it should take 9:36/mi, and giving it that time is the difference between finishing Austin on plan and unravelling in the last hour.
Mile-by-mile targets for 4:00:00
Grade-adjusted splits computed from the Austin 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.
| Mile | Target /mi | Target /km | Elev Δ | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9:36 | 5:58 | +40 ft (+12 m) | 9:36 |
| 2 | 10:05 | 6:16 | +101 ft (+31 m) | 19:40 |
| 3 | 9:30 | 5:54 | +42 ft (+13 m) | 29:10 |
| 4 | 8:56 | 5:33 | -24 ft (-7 m) | 38:05 |
| 5 | 8:10 | 5:04 | -105 ft (-32 m) | 46:16 |
| 6 | 8:26 | 5:14 | -77 ft (-24 m) | 54:42 |
| 7 | 9:04 | 5:38 | -6 ft (-2 m) | 1:03:46 |
| 8 | 9:10 | 5:42 | +8 ft (+3 m) | 1:12:56 |
| 9 | 9:40 | 6:00 | +57 ft (+17 m) | 1:22:36 |
| 10 | 9:27 | 5:53 | +35 ft (+11 m) | 1:32:03 |
| 11 | 9:00 | 5:35 | -16 ft (-5 m) | 1:41:02 |
| 12 | 8:50 | 5:30 | -43 ft (-13 m) | 1:49:53 |
| 13 | 10:08 | 6:18 | +96 ft (+29 m) | 2:00:00 |
| 14 | 9:18 | 5:47 | +22 ft (+7 m) | 2:09:18 |
| 15 | 9:18 | 5:47 | +23 ft (+7 m) | 2:18:37 |
| 16 | 9:08 | 5:40 | +3 ft (+1 m) | 2:27:44 |
| 17 | 8:52 | 5:30 | -30 ft (-9 m) | 2:36:36 |
| 18 | 9:06 | 5:40 | -8 ft (-2 m) | 2:45:42 |
| 19 | 8:45 | 5:26 | -42 ft (-13 m) | 2:54:28 |
| 20 | 8:41 | 5:23 | -49 ft (-15 m) | 3:03:08 |
| 21 | 8:45 | 5:26 | -39 ft (-12 m) | 3:11:53 |
| 22 | 9:04 | 5:38 | -2 ft (-1 m) | 3:20:57 |
| 23 | 9:06 | 5:39 | +1 ft (0 m) | 3:30:03 |
| 24 | 9:06 | 5:40 | +3 ft (+1 m) | 3:39:10 |
| 25 | 9:08 | 5:41 | +6 ft (+2 m) | 3:48:18 |
| 26 | 9:39 | 6:00 | +51 ft (+16 m) | 3:57:56 |
| 26.2 | 9:25 | 5:51 | +2 ft (+1 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 Austin Marathon specifically, the elevation profile means even effort produces uneven splits — the table on this page gives the target for every mile.
What should my halfway split be for a 4:00 at the Austin Marathon?
2:01:01. 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 Austin Marathon?
Even effort at a 4:00 goal produces splits between 8:10 and 10:08 per mile — about 118 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 Austin Marathon splits calculated?
Each mile 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.