Chicago Marathon 5:00 pace chart
A 5:00:00 finish at the Chicago 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 11:16/mi and the hardest around 11:34/mi — about 18 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 2:29:50 — an almost exactly even split. The hardest mile on the course sits near kilometre 28; at this goal time it should take 11:28/mi, and giving it that time is the difference between finishing Chicago on plan and unravelling in the last hour.
Mile-by-mile targets for 5:00:00
Grade-adjusted splits computed from the Chicago 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 | 11:19 | 7:02 | -12 ft (-4 m) | 11:19 |
| 2 | 11:34 | 7:12 | +10 ft (+3 m) | 22:53 |
| 3 | 11:16 | 7:00 | -16 ft (-5 m) | 34:09 |
| 4 | 11:33 | 7:11 | +9 ft (+3 m) | 45:43 |
| 5 | 11:32 | 7:10 | +8 ft (+2 m) | 57:15 |
| 6 | 11:19 | 7:02 | -11 ft (-3 m) | 1:08:33 |
| 7 | 11:27 | 7:07 | +1 ft (0 m) | 1:20:01 |
| 8 | 11:28 | 7:07 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 1:31:28 |
| 9 | 11:28 | 7:07 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 1:42:56 |
| 10 | 11:33 | 7:10 | +8 ft (+3 m) | 1:54:29 |
| 11 | 11:23 | 7:05 | -5 ft (-1 m) | 2:05:52 |
| 12 | 11:23 | 7:04 | -5 ft (-2 m) | 2:17:15 |
| 13 | 11:20 | 7:02 | -10 ft (-3 m) | 2:28:34 |
| 14 | 11:33 | 7:11 | +9 ft (+3 m) | 2:40:08 |
| 15 | 11:30 | 7:09 | +5 ft (+2 m) | 2:51:38 |
| 16 | 11:20 | 7:03 | -9 ft (-3 m) | 3:02:59 |
| 17 | 11:29 | 7:08 | +4 ft (+1 m) | 3:14:28 |
| 18 | 11:28 | 7:08 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 3:25:57 |
| 19 | 11:26 | 7:07 | 0 ft (0 m) | 3:37:23 |
| 20 | 11:30 | 7:09 | +5 ft (+1 m) | 3:48:53 |
| 21 | 11:21 | 7:03 | -7 ft (-2 m) | 4:00:14 |
| 22 | 11:24 | 7:05 | -5 ft (-1 m) | 4:11:38 |
| 23 | 11:33 | 7:11 | +9 ft (+3 m) | 4:23:12 |
| 24 | 11:28 | 7:07 | +1 ft (0 m) | 4:34:39 |
| 25 | 11:22 | 7:04 | -7 ft (-2 m) | 4:46:01 |
| 26 | 11:32 | 7:10 | +7 ft (+2 m) | 4:57:33 |
| 26.2 | 11:13 | 6:58 | -4 ft (-1 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 Chicago 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 Chicago Marathon?
2:29:50. 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 Chicago Marathon?
Even effort at a 5:00 goal produces splits between 11:16 and 11:34 per mile — about 18 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 Chicago 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.