Detroit Free Press Marathon 4:15 pace chart
A 4:15:00 finish at the Detroit Free Press Marathon averages 9:44 per mile (6:03 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 8:59/mi and the hardest around 15:42/mi — about 403 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 2:12:19 — a 9:38 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 11:15/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 4:15:00
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 4:15:00. Uphill sections get more time, downhills less, at one constant effort throughout.
| Mile | Target /mi | Target /km | Elev Δ | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9:15 | 5:45 | -12 ft (-4 m) | 9:15 |
| 2 | 9:23 | 5:50 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 18:38 |
| 3 | 9:18 | 5:47 | -7 ft (-2 m) | 27:57 |
| 4 | 10:38 | 6:36 | -585 ft (-178 m) | 38:34 |
| 5 | 9:22 | 5:49 | 0 ft (0 m) | 47:56 |
| 6 | 9:22 | 5:49 | 0 ft (0 m) | 57:18 |
| 7 | 9:22 | 5:49 | 0 ft (0 m) | 1:06:40 |
| 8 | 11:15 | 6:59 | +89 ft (+27 m) | 1:17:55 |
| 9 | 15:42 | 9:45 | +506 ft (+154 m) | 1:33:37 |
| 10 | 9:29 | 5:54 | +11 ft (+3 m) | 1:43:06 |
| 11 | 9:27 | 5:52 | +8 ft (+3 m) | 1:52:33 |
| 12 | 9:25 | 5:51 | +6 ft (+2 m) | 2:01:59 |
| 13 | 9:18 | 5:47 | -7 ft (-2 m) | 2:11:17 |
| 14 | 9:28 | 5:53 | +10 ft (+3 m) | 2:20:44 |
| 15 | 9:20 | 5:48 | -4 ft (-1 m) | 2:30:04 |
| 16 | 9:18 | 5:47 | -7 ft (-2 m) | 2:39:22 |
| 17 | 9:28 | 5:53 | +10 ft (+3 m) | 2:48:50 |
| 18 | 9:25 | 5:51 | +5 ft (+2 m) | 2:58:16 |
| 19 | 8:59 | 5:35 | -41 ft (-13 m) | 3:07:14 |
| 20 | 9:29 | 5:54 | +12 ft (+4 m) | 3:16:44 |
| 21 | 9:23 | 5:50 | +1 ft (0 m) | 3:26:06 |
| 22 | 9:25 | 5:51 | +5 ft (+1 m) | 3:35:31 |
| 23 | 9:21 | 5:48 | -3 ft (-1 m) | 3:44:52 |
| 24 | 9:21 | 5:48 | -2 ft (-1 m) | 3:54:12 |
| 25 | 9:23 | 5:50 | +1 ft (0 m) | 4:03:35 |
| 26 | 9:20 | 5:48 | -3 ft (-1 m) | 4:12:55 |
| 26.2 | 9:30 | 5:54 | +3 ft (+1 m) | 4:15:00 |
Frequently asked questions
What pace is a 4:15 marathon?
A 4:15:00 marathon is 9:44 per mile or 6:03 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 4:15 at the Detroit Free Press Marathon?
2:12:19. That is the grade-adjusted halfway target for this course, not simply half of 4:15:00 — 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 4:15 goal produces splits between 8:59 and 15:42 per mile — about 403 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 4:15:00. Uphill sections get more time and downhill sections less, at a constant effort throughout.
Is 4:15 a realistic marathon goal?
4:15 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.