Berlin Marathon 4:15 pace chart

A 4:15:00 finish at the Berlin 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 kilometre comes in around 5:48/km and the hardest around 6:18/km — about 30 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 2:07:29 — an almost exactly even split. The hardest kilometre on the course sits near kilometre 27; at this goal time it should take 6:18/km, and giving it that time is the difference between finishing Berlin on plan and unravelling in the last hour.

Kilometre-by-kilometre targets for 4:15:00

Grade-adjusted splits computed from the Berlin 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.

KilometreTarget /kmTarget /miElev ΔElapsed
16:049:45+2 ft (+1 m)6:04
26:049:46+3 ft (+1 m)12:08
36:019:40-3 ft (-1 m)18:08
46:029:43-1 ft (0 m)24:10
56:019:42-2 ft (-1 m)30:12
66:069:48+5 ft (+2 m)36:18
76:049:46+1 ft (0 m)42:22
86:009:39-5 ft (-1 m)48:21
96:089:53+10 ft (+3 m)54:30
106:079:50+7 ft (+2 m)1:00:36
115:589:37-7 ft (-2 m)1:06:35
126:019:42-2 ft (-1 m)1:12:36
136:019:41-2 ft (-1 m)1:18:37
146:029:42-1 ft (0 m)1:24:39
156:019:42-2 ft (-1 m)1:30:41
166:049:45+2 ft (+1 m)1:36:44
176:059:47+4 ft (+1 m)1:42:49
186:039:45+2 ft (0 m)1:48:53
196:019:41-3 ft (-1 m)1:54:53
206:019:41-2 ft (-1 m)2:00:55
215:599:38-6 ft (-2 m)2:06:54
226:069:49+6 ft (+2 m)2:13:00
236:079:51+8 ft (+2 m)2:19:07
246:039:44+1 ft (0 m)2:25:10
256:099:54+11 ft (+3 m)2:31:19
265:599:38-6 ft (-2 m)2:37:18
276:099:54+11 ft (+3 m)2:43:27
286:1810:09+26 ft (+8 m)2:49:46
296:029:43-1 ft (0 m)2:55:48
305:579:34-10 ft (-3 m)3:01:44
315:589:37-7 ft (-2 m)3:07:43
326:029:43-1 ft (0 m)3:13:45
335:489:21-24 ft (-7 m)3:19:33
345:579:35-9 ft (-3 m)3:25:30
356:029:42-1 ft (0 m)3:31:32
366:039:44+1 ft (0 m)3:37:35
376:039:45+2 ft (0 m)3:43:38
386:009:40-4 ft (-1 m)3:49:39
396:059:47+3 ft (+1 m)3:55:44
406:029:42-1 ft (0 m)4:01:45
416:019:41-3 ft (-1 m)4:07:46
426:039:44+1 ft (0 m)4:13:49
42.26:039:440 ft (0 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 Berlin 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 4:15 at the Berlin Marathon?

2:07:29. 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 Berlin Marathon?

Even effort at a 4:15 goal produces splits between 5:48 and 6:18 per kilometre — about 30 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 Berlin 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 4:15:00. 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.

Other goal times at the Berlin Marathon

Plan your Berlin race