Austin Marathon 4:15 pace chart
A 4:15:00 finish at the Austin Marathon averages 9:44 per mile (6:03 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 8:41/mi and the hardest around 10:46/mi — about 125 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 2:08:35 — a 2:11 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 10:12/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 4:15:00
Grade-adjusted splits computed from the Austin Marathon elevation profile with the Minetti gradient-cost model, scaled so the full course adds up to 4:15:00. Uphill sections get more time, downhills less, at one constant effort throughout.
| Mile | Target /mi | Target /km | Elev Δ | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10:12 | 6:20 | +40 ft (+12 m) | 10:12 |
| 2 | 10:42 | 6:39 | +101 ft (+31 m) | 20:54 |
| 3 | 10:05 | 6:16 | +42 ft (+13 m) | 30:59 |
| 4 | 9:29 | 5:54 | -24 ft (-7 m) | 40:28 |
| 5 | 8:41 | 5:24 | -105 ft (-32 m) | 49:09 |
| 6 | 8:58 | 5:34 | -77 ft (-24 m) | 58:07 |
| 7 | 9:38 | 5:59 | -6 ft (-2 m) | 1:07:45 |
| 8 | 9:44 | 6:03 | +8 ft (+3 m) | 1:17:29 |
| 9 | 10:16 | 6:23 | +57 ft (+17 m) | 1:27:45 |
| 10 | 10:03 | 6:15 | +35 ft (+11 m) | 1:37:48 |
| 11 | 9:33 | 5:56 | -16 ft (-5 m) | 1:47:21 |
| 12 | 9:24 | 5:50 | -43 ft (-13 m) | 1:56:45 |
| 13 | 10:46 | 6:41 | +96 ft (+29 m) | 2:07:30 |
| 14 | 9:53 | 6:08 | +22 ft (+7 m) | 2:17:23 |
| 15 | 9:53 | 6:08 | +23 ft (+7 m) | 2:27:16 |
| 16 | 9:42 | 6:02 | +3 ft (+1 m) | 2:36:58 |
| 17 | 9:25 | 5:51 | -30 ft (-9 m) | 2:46:23 |
| 18 | 9:41 | 6:01 | -8 ft (-2 m) | 2:56:04 |
| 19 | 9:18 | 5:47 | -42 ft (-13 m) | 3:05:22 |
| 20 | 9:13 | 5:44 | -49 ft (-15 m) | 3:14:35 |
| 21 | 9:18 | 5:47 | -39 ft (-12 m) | 3:23:53 |
| 22 | 9:38 | 5:59 | -2 ft (-1 m) | 3:33:31 |
| 23 | 9:40 | 6:00 | +1 ft (0 m) | 3:43:11 |
| 24 | 9:41 | 6:01 | +3 ft (+1 m) | 3:52:51 |
| 25 | 9:42 | 6:02 | +6 ft (+2 m) | 4:02:34 |
| 26 | 10:15 | 6:22 | +51 ft (+16 m) | 4:12:49 |
| 26.2 | 10:00 | 6:13 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 4:15:00 |
Frequently asked questions
What pace is a 4:15 marathon?
A 4:15:00 marathon is 9:44 per mile or 6:03 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 4:15 at the Austin Marathon?
2:08:35. That is the grade-adjusted halfway target for this course, not simply half of 4:15:00 — 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 4:15 goal produces splits between 8:41 and 10:46 per mile — about 125 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 4:15:00. Uphill sections get more time and downhill sections less, at a constant effort throughout.
Is 4:15 a realistic marathon goal?
4:15 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.