Chicago Marathon 5:30 pace chart
A 5:30:00 finish at the Chicago Marathon averages 12:35 per mile (7:49 per kilometre) — a steady, sustainable finish, and the pace most first-time marathoners should actually target. Run at even effort rather than even pace, the easiest mile comes in around 12:24/mi and the hardest around 12:44/mi — about 20 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 2:44:49 — an almost exactly even split. The hardest mile on the course sits near kilometre 28; at this goal time it should take 12:37/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 5:30:00
Grade-adjusted splits computed from the Chicago Marathon elevation profile with the Minetti gradient-cost model, scaled so the full course adds up to 5:30:00. Uphill sections get more time, downhills less, at one constant effort throughout.
| Mile | Target /mi | Target /km | Elev Δ | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12:27 | 7:44 | -12 ft (-4 m) | 12:27 |
| 2 | 12:44 | 7:55 | +10 ft (+3 m) | 25:11 |
| 3 | 12:24 | 7:42 | -16 ft (-5 m) | 37:34 |
| 4 | 12:43 | 7:54 | +9 ft (+3 m) | 50:17 |
| 5 | 12:41 | 7:53 | +8 ft (+2 m) | 1:02:58 |
| 6 | 12:27 | 7:44 | -11 ft (-3 m) | 1:15:25 |
| 7 | 12:36 | 7:50 | +1 ft (0 m) | 1:28:01 |
| 8 | 12:37 | 7:50 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 1:40:37 |
| 9 | 12:37 | 7:50 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 1:53:14 |
| 10 | 12:42 | 7:53 | +8 ft (+3 m) | 2:05:56 |
| 11 | 12:32 | 7:47 | -5 ft (-1 m) | 2:18:27 |
| 12 | 12:31 | 7:47 | -5 ft (-2 m) | 2:30:58 |
| 13 | 12:28 | 7:45 | -10 ft (-3 m) | 2:43:26 |
| 14 | 12:43 | 7:54 | +9 ft (+3 m) | 2:56:09 |
| 15 | 12:39 | 7:52 | +5 ft (+2 m) | 3:08:48 |
| 16 | 12:29 | 7:45 | -9 ft (-3 m) | 3:21:17 |
| 17 | 12:38 | 7:51 | +4 ft (+1 m) | 3:33:55 |
| 18 | 12:37 | 7:51 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 3:46:32 |
| 19 | 12:35 | 7:49 | 0 ft (0 m) | 3:59:07 |
| 20 | 12:39 | 7:52 | +5 ft (+1 m) | 4:11:46 |
| 21 | 12:30 | 7:46 | -7 ft (-2 m) | 4:24:16 |
| 22 | 12:33 | 7:48 | -5 ft (-1 m) | 4:36:48 |
| 23 | 12:43 | 7:54 | +9 ft (+3 m) | 4:49:31 |
| 24 | 12:36 | 7:50 | +1 ft (0 m) | 5:02:07 |
| 25 | 12:30 | 7:46 | -7 ft (-2 m) | 5:14:37 |
| 26 | 12:41 | 7:53 | +7 ft (+2 m) | 5:27:18 |
| 26.2 | 12:20 | 7:40 | -4 ft (-1 m) | 5:30:00 |
Frequently asked questions
What pace is a 5:30 marathon?
A 5:30:00 marathon is 12:35 per mile or 7:49 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 5:30 at the Chicago Marathon?
2:44:49. That is the grade-adjusted halfway target for this course, not simply half of 5:30:00 — 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 5:30 goal produces splits between 12:24 and 12:44 per mile — about 20 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 5:30:00. Uphill sections get more time and downhill sections less, at a constant effort throughout.
Is 5:30 a realistic marathon goal?
5:30 is a steady, sustainable finish, and the pace most first-time marathoners should actually target. 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.