Boston Marathon 4:15 pace chart
A 4:15:00 finish at the Boston 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 8:53/mi and the hardest around 10:50/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 2:06:29 — a 2:03 positive split, which is what the terrain costs you rather than a pacing error. The hardest mile on the course sits near kilometre 33; at this goal time it should take 10:50/mi, and giving it that time is the difference between finishing Boston on plan and unravelling in the last hour.
Mile-by-mile targets for 4:15:00
Grade-adjusted splits computed from the Boston 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 | 8:58 | 5:34 | -107 ft (-33 m) | 8:58 |
| 2 | 9:19 | 5:48 | -57 ft (-17 m) | 18:18 |
| 3 | 9:21 | 5:49 | -56 ft (-17 m) | 27:39 |
| 4 | 9:17 | 5:46 | -59 ft (-18 m) | 36:56 |
| 5 | 10:00 | 6:13 | +11 ft (+3 m) | 46:56 |
| 6 | 9:37 | 5:59 | -25 ft (-8 m) | 56:34 |
| 7 | 9:44 | 6:03 | -12 ft (-4 m) | 1:06:18 |
| 8 | 9:53 | 6:09 | -1 ft (0 m) | 1:16:11 |
| 9 | 9:47 | 6:05 | -8 ft (-2 m) | 1:25:59 |
| 10 | 10:02 | 6:14 | +16 ft (+5 m) | 1:36:00 |
| 11 | 10:07 | 6:17 | +26 ft (+8 m) | 1:46:08 |
| 12 | 9:21 | 5:49 | -54 ft (-16 m) | 1:55:29 |
| 13 | 9:55 | 6:10 | +5 ft (+1 m) | 2:05:24 |
| 14 | 9:49 | 6:06 | -5 ft (-2 m) | 2:15:14 |
| 15 | 10:05 | 6:16 | +22 ft (+7 m) | 2:25:19 |
| 16 | 8:53 | 5:31 | -110 ft (-33 m) | 2:34:11 |
| 17 | 10:30 | 6:31 | +57 ft (+17 m) | 2:44:41 |
| 18 | 10:21 | 6:26 | +41 ft (+13 m) | 2:55:02 |
| 19 | 9:34 | 5:56 | -31 ft (-9 m) | 3:04:36 |
| 20 | 10:10 | 6:19 | +25 ft (+7 m) | 3:14:45 |
| 21 | 10:50 | 6:44 | +88 ft (+27 m) | 3:25:36 |
| 22 | 9:09 | 5:41 | -78 ft (-24 m) | 3:34:45 |
| 23 | 9:27 | 5:52 | -44 ft (-14 m) | 3:44:11 |
| 24 | 9:21 | 5:48 | -54 ft (-17 m) | 3:53:32 |
| 25 | 9:29 | 5:54 | -39 ft (-12 m) | 4:03:01 |
| 26 | 9:53 | 6:08 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 4:12:54 |
| 26.2 | 9:37 | 5:58 | -5 ft (-2 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 Boston 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 Boston Marathon?
2:06:29. 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 Boston Marathon?
Even effort at a 4:15 goal produces splits between 8:53 and 10:50 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 Boston 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.