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 8:37/mi and the hardest around 9:40/mi — about 63 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 2:00:06 — an almost exactly even split. The hardest mile on the course sits near kilometre 13; at this goal time it should take 9:35/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 | 9:04 | 5:38 | -13 ft (-4 m) | 9:04 |
| 2 | 8:52 | 5:31 | -33 ft (-10 m) | 17:56 |
| 3 | 9:12 | 5:43 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 27:08 |
| 4 | 8:45 | 5:26 | -44 ft (-14 m) | 35:52 |
| 5 | 9:33 | 5:56 | +42 ft (+13 m) | 45:25 |
| 6 | 8:49 | 5:29 | -37 ft (-11 m) | 54:14 |
| 7 | 9:26 | 5:52 | +28 ft (+9 m) | 1:03:40 |
| 8 | 8:47 | 5:27 | -39 ft (-12 m) | 1:12:27 |
| 9 | 9:35 | 5:57 | +45 ft (+14 m) | 1:22:02 |
| 10 | 9:18 | 5:47 | +16 ft (+5 m) | 1:31:20 |
| 11 | 9:40 | 6:00 | +54 ft (+17 m) | 1:41:00 |
| 12 | 8:40 | 5:23 | -52 ft (-16 m) | 1:49:40 |
| 13 | 9:27 | 5:52 | +33 ft (+10 m) | 1:59:07 |
| 14 | 9:04 | 5:38 | -8 ft (-3 m) | 2:08:11 |
| 15 | 8:37 | 5:21 | -63 ft (-19 m) | 2:16:48 |
| 16 | 9:26 | 5:52 | +32 ft (+10 m) | 2:26:14 |
| 17 | 9:29 | 5:54 | +38 ft (+11 m) | 2:35:43 |
| 18 | 9:30 | 5:54 | +40 ft (+12 m) | 2:45:14 |
| 19 | 8:56 | 5:33 | -20 ft (-6 m) | 2:54:10 |
| 20 | 9:05 | 5:39 | -5 ft (-1 m) | 3:03:15 |
| 21 | 9:12 | 5:43 | +8 ft (+2 m) | 3:12:28 |
| 22 | 8:42 | 5:24 | -47 ft (-14 m) | 3:21:09 |
| 23 | 9:00 | 5:36 | -16 ft (-5 m) | 3:30:10 |
| 24 | 9:03 | 5:37 | -13 ft (-4 m) | 3:39:13 |
| 25 | 9:15 | 5:45 | +10 ft (+3 m) | 3:48:28 |
| 26 | 9:27 | 5:52 | +32 ft (+10 m) | 3:57:56 |
| 26.2 | 9:29 | 5:53 | +6 ft (+2 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?
2:00:06. 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 8:37 and 9:40 per mile — about 63 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.
Other goal times at the Charlotte Marathon
Plan your Charlotte race
- Charlotte Marathon in 3:45
- Charlotte Marathon in 4:15
- Charlotte Marathon elevation profile and course map
- 4:00 marathon pace on a flat course — even splits and equivalent race times
- Race time predictor — check whether 4:00 is realistic from a recent result
- Marathon training plan generator
- How to pace a hilly marathon