Charlotte Marathon 4:15 pace chart
A 4:15:00 finish at the Charlotte 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 9:14/mi and the hardest around 10:27/mi — about 72 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 2:08:44 — a 2:28 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 10:18/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 4:15:00
Grade-adjusted splits computed from the Charlotte Marathon elevation profile with the Minetti gradient-cost model, scaled so the full course adds up to 4:15:00. Uphill sections get more time, downhills less, at one constant effort throughout.
| Mile | Target /mi | Target /km | Elev Δ | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9:42 | 6:01 | -15 ft (-4 m) | 9:42 |
| 2 | 9:32 | 5:55 | -30 ft (-9 m) | 19:14 |
| 3 | 9:49 | 6:06 | -2 ft (-1 m) | 29:03 |
| 4 | 9:22 | 5:49 | -44 ft (-13 m) | 38:25 |
| 5 | 10:17 | 6:24 | +47 ft (+14 m) | 48:42 |
| 6 | 9:23 | 5:50 | -43 ft (-13 m) | 58:05 |
| 7 | 10:10 | 6:19 | +34 ft (+10 m) | 1:08:14 |
| 8 | 9:23 | 5:50 | -42 ft (-13 m) | 1:17:37 |
| 9 | 10:18 | 6:24 | +48 ft (+15 m) | 1:27:56 |
| 10 | 9:48 | 6:06 | 0 ft (0 m) | 1:37:44 |
| 11 | 10:27 | 6:29 | +64 ft (+19 m) | 1:48:11 |
| 12 | 9:30 | 5:54 | -30 ft (-9 m) | 1:57:41 |
| 13 | 9:59 | 6:12 | +21 ft (+6 m) | 2:07:41 |
| 14 | 9:39 | 6:00 | -15 ft (-5 m) | 2:17:20 |
| 15 | 9:14 | 5:45 | -61 ft (-19 m) | 2:26:34 |
| 16 | 10:03 | 6:14 | +26 ft (+8 m) | 2:36:37 |
| 17 | 10:16 | 6:23 | +48 ft (+15 m) | 2:46:53 |
| 18 | 10:08 | 6:18 | +36 ft (+11 m) | 2:57:01 |
| 19 | 9:32 | 5:55 | -25 ft (-7 m) | 3:06:33 |
| 20 | 9:55 | 6:10 | +13 ft (+4 m) | 3:16:28 |
| 21 | 9:40 | 6:01 | -11 ft (-3 m) | 3:26:08 |
| 22 | 9:18 | 5:47 | -50 ft (-15 m) | 3:35:26 |
| 23 | 9:46 | 6:04 | -5 ft (-2 m) | 3:45:12 |
| 24 | 9:31 | 5:55 | -31 ft (-9 m) | 3:54:43 |
| 25 | 10:15 | 6:22 | +45 ft (+14 m) | 4:04:58 |
| 26 | 10:00 | 6:13 | +18 ft (+5 m) | 4:14:58 |
| 26.0 | 14:07 | 8:46 | +1 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 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 4:15 at the Charlotte Marathon?
2:08:44. 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 Charlotte Marathon?
Even effort at a 4:15 goal produces splits between 9:14 and 10:27 per mile — about 72 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 4:15:00. 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.