Charlotte Marathon 4:00 pace chart
A 4:00:00 finish at the Charlotte 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 8:42/mi and the hardest around 9:50/mi — about 68 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 2:01:10 — a 2:19 negative split, because the harder half comes first. The hardest mile on the course sits near kilometre 13; at this goal time it should take 9:42/mi, and giving it that time is the difference between finishing Charlotte on plan and unravelling in the last hour.
Mile-by-mile targets for 4:00:00
Grade-adjusted splits computed from the Charlotte 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 | 9:08 | 5:40 | -15 ft (-4 m) | 9:08 |
| 2 | 8:58 | 5:34 | -30 ft (-9 m) | 18:06 |
| 3 | 9:14 | 5:44 | -2 ft (-1 m) | 27:20 |
| 4 | 8:49 | 5:29 | -44 ft (-13 m) | 36:09 |
| 5 | 9:41 | 6:01 | +47 ft (+14 m) | 45:50 |
| 6 | 8:50 | 5:29 | -43 ft (-13 m) | 54:40 |
| 7 | 9:34 | 5:57 | +34 ft (+10 m) | 1:04:14 |
| 8 | 8:50 | 5:29 | -42 ft (-13 m) | 1:13:03 |
| 9 | 9:42 | 6:02 | +48 ft (+15 m) | 1:22:45 |
| 10 | 9:14 | 5:44 | 0 ft (0 m) | 1:31:59 |
| 11 | 9:50 | 6:07 | +64 ft (+19 m) | 1:41:49 |
| 12 | 8:57 | 5:34 | -30 ft (-9 m) | 1:50:46 |
| 13 | 9:24 | 5:50 | +21 ft (+6 m) | 2:00:10 |
| 14 | 9:05 | 5:39 | -15 ft (-5 m) | 2:09:15 |
| 15 | 8:42 | 5:24 | -61 ft (-19 m) | 2:17:57 |
| 16 | 9:27 | 5:52 | +26 ft (+8 m) | 2:27:24 |
| 17 | 9:40 | 6:00 | +48 ft (+15 m) | 2:37:04 |
| 18 | 9:33 | 5:56 | +36 ft (+11 m) | 2:46:36 |
| 19 | 8:58 | 5:34 | -25 ft (-7 m) | 2:55:34 |
| 20 | 9:20 | 5:48 | +13 ft (+4 m) | 3:04:54 |
| 21 | 9:06 | 5:39 | -11 ft (-3 m) | 3:14:00 |
| 22 | 8:45 | 5:26 | -50 ft (-15 m) | 3:22:45 |
| 23 | 9:12 | 5:43 | -5 ft (-2 m) | 3:31:57 |
| 24 | 8:58 | 5:34 | -31 ft (-9 m) | 3:40:55 |
| 25 | 9:39 | 6:00 | +45 ft (+14 m) | 3:50:34 |
| 26 | 9:25 | 5:51 | +18 ft (+5 m) | 3:59:58 |
| 26.0 | 13:17 | 8:15 | +1 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 Charlotte 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 Charlotte Marathon?
2:01:10. 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 Charlotte Marathon?
Even effort at a 4:00 goal produces splits between 8:42 and 9:50 per mile — about 68 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 Charlotte 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.