Charlotte Marathon 5:00 pace chart
A 5:00:00 finish at the Charlotte Marathon averages 11:27 per mile (7:07 per kilometre) — a solid finish for a first marathon or a runner building back up. Run at even effort rather than even pace, the easiest mile comes in around 10:52/mi and the hardest around 12:17/mi — about 85 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 2:31:27 — a 2:54 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 12:08/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 5:00:00
Grade-adjusted splits computed from the Charlotte Marathon elevation profile with the Minetti gradient-cost model, scaled so the full course adds up to 5:00:00. Uphill sections get more time, downhills less, at one constant effort throughout.
| Mile | Target /mi | Target /km | Elev Δ | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11:24 | 7:05 | -15 ft (-4 m) | 11:24 |
| 2 | 11:13 | 6:58 | -30 ft (-9 m) | 22:37 |
| 3 | 11:33 | 7:10 | -2 ft (-1 m) | 34:10 |
| 4 | 11:02 | 6:51 | -44 ft (-13 m) | 45:12 |
| 5 | 12:06 | 7:31 | +47 ft (+14 m) | 57:18 |
| 6 | 11:02 | 6:51 | -43 ft (-13 m) | 1:08:20 |
| 7 | 11:57 | 7:26 | +34 ft (+10 m) | 1:20:17 |
| 8 | 11:02 | 6:51 | -42 ft (-13 m) | 1:31:19 |
| 9 | 12:08 | 7:32 | +48 ft (+15 m) | 1:43:27 |
| 10 | 11:32 | 7:10 | 0 ft (0 m) | 1:54:59 |
| 11 | 12:17 | 7:38 | +64 ft (+19 m) | 2:07:16 |
| 12 | 11:11 | 6:57 | -30 ft (-9 m) | 2:18:28 |
| 13 | 11:45 | 7:18 | +21 ft (+6 m) | 2:30:13 |
| 14 | 11:21 | 7:03 | -15 ft (-5 m) | 2:41:34 |
| 15 | 10:52 | 6:45 | -61 ft (-19 m) | 2:52:26 |
| 16 | 11:49 | 7:21 | +26 ft (+8 m) | 3:04:15 |
| 17 | 12:05 | 7:30 | +48 ft (+15 m) | 3:16:20 |
| 18 | 11:56 | 7:25 | +36 ft (+11 m) | 3:28:16 |
| 19 | 11:13 | 6:58 | -25 ft (-7 m) | 3:39:28 |
| 20 | 11:40 | 7:15 | +13 ft (+4 m) | 3:51:08 |
| 21 | 11:23 | 7:04 | -11 ft (-3 m) | 4:02:31 |
| 22 | 10:56 | 6:48 | -50 ft (-15 m) | 4:13:27 |
| 23 | 11:29 | 7:08 | -5 ft (-2 m) | 4:24:56 |
| 24 | 11:12 | 6:58 | -31 ft (-9 m) | 4:36:08 |
| 25 | 12:04 | 7:30 | +45 ft (+14 m) | 4:48:12 |
| 26 | 11:46 | 7:19 | +18 ft (+5 m) | 4:59:58 |
| 26.0 | 16:36 | 10:19 | +1 ft (0 m) | 5:00:00 |
Frequently asked questions
What pace is a 5:00 marathon?
A 5:00:00 marathon is 11:27 per mile or 7:07 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 5:00 at the Charlotte Marathon?
2:31:27. That is the grade-adjusted halfway target for this course, not simply half of 5:00:00 — 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 5:00 goal produces splits between 10:52 and 12:17 per mile — about 85 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 5:00:00. Uphill sections get more time and downhill sections less, at a constant effort throughout.
Is 5:00 a realistic marathon goal?
5:00 is a solid finish for a first marathon or a runner building back up. 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.