Chicago Marathon 6:00 pace chart
A 6:00:00 finish at the Chicago Marathon averages 13:44 per mile (8:32 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 13:31/mi and the hardest around 13:53/mi — about 22 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 2:59:48 — an almost exactly even split. The hardest mile on the course sits near kilometre 28; at this goal time it should take 13:46/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 6:00:00
Grade-adjusted splits computed from the Chicago Marathon elevation profile with the Minetti gradient-cost model, scaled so the full course adds up to 6:00:00. Uphill sections get more time, downhills less, at one constant effort throughout.
| Mile | Target /mi | Target /km | Elev Δ | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13:34 | 8:26 | -12 ft (-4 m) | 13:34 |
| 2 | 13:53 | 8:38 | +10 ft (+3 m) | 27:28 |
| 3 | 13:31 | 8:24 | -16 ft (-5 m) | 40:59 |
| 4 | 13:52 | 8:37 | +9 ft (+3 m) | 54:51 |
| 5 | 13:50 | 8:36 | +8 ft (+2 m) | 1:08:42 |
| 6 | 13:35 | 8:26 | -11 ft (-3 m) | 1:22:16 |
| 7 | 13:45 | 8:32 | +1 ft (0 m) | 1:36:01 |
| 8 | 13:45 | 8:33 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 1:49:46 |
| 9 | 13:45 | 8:33 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 2:03:31 |
| 10 | 13:51 | 8:36 | +8 ft (+3 m) | 2:17:22 |
| 11 | 13:40 | 8:29 | -5 ft (-1 m) | 2:31:02 |
| 12 | 13:39 | 8:29 | -5 ft (-2 m) | 2:44:42 |
| 13 | 13:36 | 8:27 | -10 ft (-3 m) | 2:58:17 |
| 14 | 13:52 | 8:37 | +9 ft (+3 m) | 3:12:09 |
| 15 | 13:49 | 8:35 | +5 ft (+2 m) | 3:25:58 |
| 16 | 13:37 | 8:27 | -9 ft (-3 m) | 3:39:34 |
| 17 | 13:47 | 8:34 | +4 ft (+1 m) | 3:53:22 |
| 18 | 13:46 | 8:33 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 4:07:08 |
| 19 | 13:44 | 8:32 | 0 ft (0 m) | 4:20:52 |
| 20 | 13:48 | 8:34 | +5 ft (+1 m) | 4:34:40 |
| 21 | 13:38 | 8:28 | -7 ft (-2 m) | 4:48:17 |
| 22 | 13:41 | 8:30 | -5 ft (-1 m) | 5:01:58 |
| 23 | 13:52 | 8:37 | +9 ft (+3 m) | 5:15:50 |
| 24 | 13:45 | 8:33 | +1 ft (0 m) | 5:29:35 |
| 25 | 13:38 | 8:29 | -7 ft (-2 m) | 5:43:13 |
| 26 | 13:50 | 8:36 | +7 ft (+2 m) | 5:57:03 |
| 26.2 | 13:27 | 8:22 | -4 ft (-1 m) | 6:00:00 |
Frequently asked questions
What pace is a 6:00 marathon?
A 6:00:00 marathon is 13:44 per mile or 8:32 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 6:00 at the Chicago Marathon?
2:59:48. That is the grade-adjusted halfway target for this course, not simply half of 6:00:00 — 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 6:00 goal produces splits between 13:31 and 13:53 per mile — about 22 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 6:00:00. Uphill sections get more time and downhill sections less, at a constant effort throughout.
Is 6:00 a realistic marathon goal?
6:00 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.