Detroit Free Press Marathon 5:00 pace chart
A 5:00:00 finish at the Detroit Free Press 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 10:34/mi and the hardest around 18:28/mi — about 474 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 2:35:40 — a 11:20 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 13:14/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 5:00:00
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 5:00:00. Uphill sections get more time, downhills less, at one constant effort throughout.
| Mile | Target /mi | Target /km | Elev Δ | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10:53 | 6:46 | -12 ft (-4 m) | 10:53 |
| 2 | 11:03 | 6:52 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 21:56 |
| 3 | 10:57 | 6:48 | -7 ft (-2 m) | 32:53 |
| 4 | 12:30 | 7:46 | -585 ft (-178 m) | 45:23 |
| 5 | 11:01 | 6:51 | 0 ft (0 m) | 56:24 |
| 6 | 11:01 | 6:51 | 0 ft (0 m) | 1:07:25 |
| 7 | 11:01 | 6:51 | 0 ft (0 m) | 1:18:26 |
| 8 | 13:14 | 8:13 | +89 ft (+27 m) | 1:31:40 |
| 9 | 18:28 | 11:29 | +506 ft (+154 m) | 1:50:09 |
| 10 | 11:09 | 6:56 | +11 ft (+3 m) | 2:01:18 |
| 11 | 11:07 | 6:55 | +8 ft (+3 m) | 2:12:25 |
| 12 | 11:05 | 6:53 | +6 ft (+2 m) | 2:23:31 |
| 13 | 10:56 | 6:48 | -7 ft (-2 m) | 2:34:27 |
| 14 | 11:08 | 6:55 | +10 ft (+3 m) | 2:45:35 |
| 15 | 10:59 | 6:49 | -4 ft (-1 m) | 2:56:33 |
| 16 | 10:56 | 6:48 | -7 ft (-2 m) | 3:07:30 |
| 17 | 11:08 | 6:55 | +10 ft (+3 m) | 3:18:38 |
| 18 | 11:05 | 6:53 | +5 ft (+2 m) | 3:29:43 |
| 19 | 10:34 | 6:34 | -41 ft (-13 m) | 3:40:17 |
| 20 | 11:10 | 6:56 | +12 ft (+4 m) | 3:51:27 |
| 21 | 11:02 | 6:51 | +1 ft (0 m) | 4:02:28 |
| 22 | 11:04 | 6:53 | +5 ft (+1 m) | 4:13:33 |
| 23 | 11:00 | 6:50 | -3 ft (-1 m) | 4:24:32 |
| 24 | 11:00 | 6:50 | -2 ft (-1 m) | 4:35:32 |
| 25 | 11:02 | 6:51 | +1 ft (0 m) | 4:46:34 |
| 26 | 10:59 | 6:50 | -3 ft (-1 m) | 4:57:33 |
| 26.2 | 11:10 | 6:57 | +3 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 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 5:00 at the Detroit Free Press Marathon?
2:35:40. 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 Detroit Free Press Marathon?
Even effort at a 5:00 goal produces splits between 10:34 and 18:28 per mile — about 474 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 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.