Detroit Free Press Marathon 4:00 pace chart
A 4:00:00 finish at the Detroit Free Press Marathon averages 9:09 per mile (5:41 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 8:27/mi and the hardest around 14:47/mi — about 379 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 2:04:32 — a 9:04 negative split, because the harder half comes first. The hardest mile on the course sits near kilometre 12; at this goal time it should take 10:35/mi, and giving it that time is the difference between finishing Detroit on plan and unravelling in the last hour.
Mile-by-mile targets for 4:00:00
Grade-adjusted splits computed from the Detroit Free Press Marathon elevation profile with the Minetti gradient-cost model, scaled so the full course adds up to 4:00:00. Uphill sections get more time, downhills less, at one constant effort throughout.
| Mile | Target /mi | Target /km | Elev Δ | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8:43 | 5:25 | -12 ft (-4 m) | 8:43 |
| 2 | 8:50 | 5:29 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 17:33 |
| 3 | 8:46 | 5:27 | -7 ft (-2 m) | 26:18 |
| 4 | 10:00 | 6:13 | -585 ft (-178 m) | 36:18 |
| 5 | 8:49 | 5:29 | 0 ft (0 m) | 45:07 |
| 6 | 8:49 | 5:29 | 0 ft (0 m) | 53:56 |
| 7 | 8:49 | 5:29 | 0 ft (0 m) | 1:02:45 |
| 8 | 10:35 | 6:35 | +89 ft (+27 m) | 1:13:20 |
| 9 | 14:47 | 9:11 | +506 ft (+154 m) | 1:28:07 |
| 10 | 8:55 | 5:33 | +11 ft (+3 m) | 1:37:02 |
| 11 | 8:54 | 5:32 | +8 ft (+3 m) | 1:45:56 |
| 12 | 8:52 | 5:31 | +6 ft (+2 m) | 1:54:48 |
| 13 | 8:45 | 5:26 | -7 ft (-2 m) | 2:03:33 |
| 14 | 8:54 | 5:32 | +10 ft (+3 m) | 2:12:28 |
| 15 | 8:47 | 5:27 | -4 ft (-1 m) | 2:21:15 |
| 16 | 8:45 | 5:26 | -7 ft (-2 m) | 2:30:00 |
| 17 | 8:55 | 5:32 | +10 ft (+3 m) | 2:38:55 |
| 18 | 8:52 | 5:30 | +5 ft (+2 m) | 2:47:46 |
| 19 | 8:27 | 5:15 | -41 ft (-13 m) | 2:56:13 |
| 20 | 8:56 | 5:33 | +12 ft (+4 m) | 3:05:09 |
| 21 | 8:49 | 5:29 | +1 ft (0 m) | 3:13:59 |
| 22 | 8:51 | 5:30 | +5 ft (+1 m) | 3:22:50 |
| 23 | 8:48 | 5:28 | -3 ft (-1 m) | 3:31:38 |
| 24 | 8:48 | 5:28 | -2 ft (-1 m) | 3:40:26 |
| 25 | 8:50 | 5:29 | +1 ft (0 m) | 3:49:15 |
| 26 | 8:47 | 5:28 | -3 ft (-1 m) | 3:58:03 |
| 26.2 | 8:56 | 5:33 | +3 ft (+1 m) | 4:00:00 |
Frequently asked questions
What pace is a 4:00 marathon?
A 4:00:00 marathon is 9:09 per mile or 5:41 per kilometre held for the full 26.2 miles (42.195 km). On the Detroit Free Press 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 4:00 at the Detroit Free Press Marathon?
2:04:32. That is the grade-adjusted halfway target for this course, not simply half of 4:00:00 — 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 Detroit Free Press Marathon?
Even effort at a 4:00 goal produces splits between 8:27 and 14:47 per mile — about 379 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 Detroit Free Press 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 4:00:00. Uphill sections get more time and downhill sections less, at a constant effort throughout.
Is 4:00 a realistic marathon goal?
4:00 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.