Detroit Free Press Marathon 6:00 pace chart
A 6:00:00 finish at the Detroit Free Press 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 12:41/mi and the hardest around 22:10/mi — about 569 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 3:06:48 — a 13:36 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 15:53/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 6:00:00
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 6:00:00. Uphill sections get more time, downhills less, at one constant effort throughout.
| Mile | Target /mi | Target /km | Elev Δ | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13:04 | 8:07 | -12 ft (-4 m) | 13:04 |
| 2 | 13:15 | 8:14 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 26:19 |
| 3 | 13:08 | 8:10 | -7 ft (-2 m) | 39:27 |
| 4 | 15:00 | 9:19 | -585 ft (-178 m) | 54:27 |
| 5 | 13:13 | 8:13 | 0 ft (0 m) | 1:07:41 |
| 6 | 13:13 | 8:13 | 0 ft (0 m) | 1:20:54 |
| 7 | 13:13 | 8:13 | 0 ft (0 m) | 1:34:08 |
| 8 | 15:53 | 9:52 | +89 ft (+27 m) | 1:50:01 |
| 9 | 22:10 | 13:46 | +506 ft (+154 m) | 2:12:10 |
| 10 | 13:23 | 8:19 | +11 ft (+3 m) | 2:25:34 |
| 11 | 13:21 | 8:18 | +8 ft (+3 m) | 2:38:54 |
| 12 | 13:18 | 8:16 | +6 ft (+2 m) | 2:52:13 |
| 13 | 13:08 | 8:09 | -7 ft (-2 m) | 3:05:20 |
| 14 | 13:21 | 8:18 | +10 ft (+3 m) | 3:18:42 |
| 15 | 13:11 | 8:11 | -4 ft (-1 m) | 3:31:52 |
| 16 | 13:08 | 8:09 | -7 ft (-2 m) | 3:45:00 |
| 17 | 13:22 | 8:18 | +10 ft (+3 m) | 3:58:22 |
| 18 | 13:18 | 8:16 | +5 ft (+2 m) | 4:11:40 |
| 19 | 12:41 | 7:53 | -41 ft (-13 m) | 4:24:20 |
| 20 | 13:24 | 8:19 | +12 ft (+4 m) | 4:37:44 |
| 21 | 13:14 | 8:14 | +1 ft (0 m) | 4:50:58 |
| 22 | 13:17 | 8:15 | +5 ft (+1 m) | 5:04:15 |
| 23 | 13:12 | 8:12 | -3 ft (-1 m) | 5:17:27 |
| 24 | 13:12 | 8:12 | -2 ft (-1 m) | 5:30:39 |
| 25 | 13:14 | 8:14 | +1 ft (0 m) | 5:43:53 |
| 26 | 13:11 | 8:12 | -3 ft (-1 m) | 5:57:04 |
| 26.2 | 13:24 | 8:20 | +3 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 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 6:00 at the Detroit Free Press Marathon?
3:06:48. 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 Detroit Free Press Marathon?
Even effort at a 6:00 goal produces splits between 12:41 and 22:10 per mile — about 569 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 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.