Bayshore Marathon 4:00 pace chart
A 4:00:00 finish at the Bayshore 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 9:03/mi and the hardest around 9:15/mi — about 13 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 1:59:55 — an almost exactly even split. The hardest mile on the course sits near kilometre 28; at this goal time it should take 9:13/mi, and giving it that time is the difference between finishing Traverse City on plan and unravelling in the last hour.
Mile-by-mile targets for 4:00:00
Grade-adjusted splits computed from the Bayshore 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 | 9:06 | 5:40 | -5 ft (-1 m) | 9:06 |
| 2 | 9:03 | 5:37 | -11 ft (-3 m) | 18:09 |
| 3 | 9:13 | 5:43 | +6 ft (+2 m) | 27:22 |
| 4 | 9:08 | 5:41 | -1 ft (0 m) | 36:30 |
| 5 | 9:07 | 5:40 | -3 ft (-1 m) | 45:37 |
| 6 | 9:09 | 5:41 | -1 ft (0 m) | 54:46 |
| 7 | 9:13 | 5:43 | +6 ft (+2 m) | 1:03:59 |
| 8 | 9:09 | 5:41 | -1 ft (0 m) | 1:13:07 |
| 9 | 9:03 | 5:37 | -12 ft (-4 m) | 1:22:10 |
| 10 | 9:14 | 5:44 | +8 ft (+3 m) | 1:31:24 |
| 11 | 9:08 | 5:40 | -3 ft (-1 m) | 1:40:32 |
| 12 | 9:14 | 5:44 | +7 ft (+2 m) | 1:49:45 |
| 13 | 9:09 | 5:41 | +1 ft (0 m) | 1:58:54 |
| 14 | 9:11 | 5:42 | +3 ft (+1 m) | 2:08:05 |
| 15 | 9:10 | 5:41 | 0 ft (0 m) | 2:17:15 |
| 16 | 9:08 | 5:41 | -2 ft (-1 m) | 2:26:23 |
| 17 | 9:08 | 5:41 | -2 ft (-1 m) | 2:35:31 |
| 18 | 9:13 | 5:43 | +5 ft (+2 m) | 2:44:43 |
| 19 | 9:04 | 5:38 | -9 ft (-3 m) | 2:53:48 |
| 20 | 9:08 | 5:40 | -2 ft (-1 m) | 3:02:55 |
| 21 | 9:12 | 5:43 | +5 ft (+1 m) | 3:12:07 |
| 22 | 9:10 | 5:41 | +1 ft (0 m) | 3:21:16 |
| 23 | 9:10 | 5:42 | +2 ft (0 m) | 3:30:26 |
| 24 | 9:12 | 5:43 | +6 ft (+2 m) | 3:39:39 |
| 25 | 9:05 | 5:39 | -8 ft (-2 m) | 3:48:44 |
| 26 | 9:15 | 5:45 | +11 ft (+3 m) | 3:57:59 |
| 26.2 | 9:14 | 5:44 | +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 Bayshore 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 Bayshore Marathon?
1:59:55. 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 Bayshore Marathon?
Even effort at a 4:00 goal produces splits between 9:03 and 9:15 per mile — about 13 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 Bayshore 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.