California Marathon 4:00 pace chart
A 4:00:00 finish at the California 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 8:39/mi and the hardest around 9:35/mi — about 55 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 1:59:41 — an almost exactly even split. The hardest mile on the course sits near kilometre 18; at this goal time it should take 9:15/mi, and giving it that time is the difference between finishing Sacramento on plan and unravelling in the last hour.
Mile-by-mile targets for 4:00:00
Grade-adjusted splits computed from the California 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 | 8:39 | 5:23 | -67 ft (-20 m) | 8:39 |
| 2 | 9:25 | 5:51 | +3 ft (+1 m) | 18:05 |
| 3 | 8:48 | 5:28 | -52 ft (-16 m) | 26:52 |
| 4 | 9:04 | 5:38 | -22 ft (-7 m) | 35:56 |
| 5 | 9:08 | 5:40 | -15 ft (-5 m) | 45:04 |
| 6 | 9:11 | 5:42 | -9 ft (-3 m) | 54:15 |
| 7 | 9:15 | 5:45 | -5 ft (-1 m) | 1:03:30 |
| 8 | 9:15 | 5:45 | -4 ft (-1 m) | 1:12:45 |
| 9 | 9:35 | 5:57 | +33 ft (+10 m) | 1:22:20 |
| 10 | 8:59 | 5:35 | -31 ft (-10 m) | 1:31:18 |
| 11 | 8:53 | 5:31 | -52 ft (-16 m) | 1:40:11 |
| 12 | 9:15 | 5:45 | -8 ft (-3 m) | 1:49:26 |
| 13 | 9:15 | 5:45 | -3 ft (-1 m) | 1:58:41 |
| 14 | 9:07 | 5:40 | -15 ft (-5 m) | 2:07:48 |
| 15 | 9:22 | 5:49 | +12 ft (+4 m) | 2:17:10 |
| 16 | 9:06 | 5:39 | -17 ft (-5 m) | 2:26:16 |
| 17 | 8:57 | 5:34 | -32 ft (-10 m) | 2:35:13 |
| 18 | 9:10 | 5:42 | -11 ft (-3 m) | 2:44:23 |
| 19 | 9:13 | 5:43 | -6 ft (-2 m) | 2:53:36 |
| 20 | 9:07 | 5:40 | -15 ft (-5 m) | 3:02:42 |
| 21 | 9:11 | 5:42 | -8 ft (-2 m) | 3:11:53 |
| 22 | 9:15 | 5:45 | -2 ft (-1 m) | 3:21:08 |
| 23 | 9:14 | 5:44 | -2 ft (-1 m) | 3:30:21 |
| 24 | 9:11 | 5:42 | -7 ft (-2 m) | 3:39:32 |
| 25 | 9:11 | 5:43 | -6 ft (-2 m) | 3:48:44 |
| 26 | 9:15 | 5:45 | 0 ft (0 m) | 3:57:59 |
| 26.2 | 9:15 | 5:45 | 0 ft (0 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 California 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 California Marathon?
1:59:41. 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 California Marathon?
Even effort at a 4:00 goal produces splits between 8:39 and 9:35 per mile — about 55 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 California 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.