Dublin Marathon 5:30 pace chart
A 5:30:00 finish at the Dublin Marathon averages 12:35 per mile (7:49 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 kilometre comes in around 6:53/km and the hardest around 8:26/km — about 92 seconds between the two extremes. Holding an identical number on every kilometre 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 2:45:37 — a 1:13 negative split, because the harder half comes first. The hardest kilometre on the course sits near kilometre 4; at this goal time it should take 8:26/km, and giving it that time is the difference between finishing Dublin on plan and unravelling in the last hour.
Kilometre-by-kilometre targets for 5:30:00
Grade-adjusted splits computed from the Dublin Marathon elevation profile with the Minetti gradient-cost model, scaled so the full course adds up to 5:30:00. Uphill sections get more time, downhills less, at one constant effort throughout.
| Kilometre | Target /km | Target /mi | Elev Δ | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7:47 | 12:31 | -2 ft (-1 m) | 7:47 |
| 2 | 7:40 | 12:20 | -11 ft (-3 m) | 15:27 |
| 3 | 7:26 | 11:57 | -32 ft (-10 m) | 22:53 |
| 4 | 8:19 | 13:23 | +39 ft (+12 m) | 31:12 |
| 5 | 8:26 | 13:34 | +47 ft (+14 m) | 39:37 |
| 6 | 8:11 | 13:10 | +29 ft (+9 m) | 47:48 |
| 7 | 7:42 | 12:24 | -8 ft (-2 m) | 55:31 |
| 8 | 8:15 | 13:17 | +35 ft (+11 m) | 1:03:46 |
| 9 | 8:04 | 12:59 | +20 ft (+6 m) | 1:11:50 |
| 10 | 7:56 | 12:47 | +10 ft (+3 m) | 1:19:46 |
| 11 | 8:15 | 13:16 | +33 ft (+10 m) | 1:28:01 |
| 12 | 7:48 | 12:33 | -4 ft (-1 m) | 1:35:49 |
| 13 | 6:53 | 11:05 | -84 ft (-26 m) | 1:42:42 |
| 14 | 7:52 | 12:40 | -3 ft (-1 m) | 1:50:34 |
| 15 | 7:28 | 12:01 | -32 ft (-10 m) | 1:58:02 |
| 16 | 7:08 | 11:28 | -58 ft (-18 m) | 2:05:10 |
| 17 | 8:01 | 12:54 | +15 ft (+5 m) | 2:13:11 |
| 18 | 8:11 | 13:10 | +27 ft (+8 m) | 2:21:22 |
| 19 | 7:38 | 12:17 | -14 ft (-4 m) | 2:29:00 |
| 20 | 7:53 | 12:41 | +5 ft (+2 m) | 2:36:53 |
| 21 | 7:56 | 12:45 | +10 ft (+3 m) | 2:44:48 |
| 22 | 8:15 | 13:16 | +33 ft (+10 m) | 2:53:03 |
| 23 | 8:18 | 13:21 | +37 ft (+11 m) | 3:01:21 |
| 24 | 7:47 | 12:31 | -3 ft (-1 m) | 3:09:07 |
| 25 | 7:58 | 12:49 | +12 ft (+4 m) | 3:17:05 |
| 26 | 7:48 | 12:33 | 0 ft (0 m) | 3:24:53 |
| 27 | 7:45 | 12:29 | -4 ft (-1 m) | 3:32:38 |
| 28 | 8:04 | 12:59 | +21 ft (+6 m) | 3:40:42 |
| 29 | 7:23 | 11:52 | -34 ft (-10 m) | 3:48:05 |
| 30 | 7:49 | 12:34 | +1 ft (0 m) | 3:55:54 |
| 31 | 7:34 | 12:11 | -19 ft (-6 m) | 4:03:28 |
| 32 | 7:14 | 11:39 | -47 ft (-14 m) | 4:10:42 |
| 33 | 7:43 | 12:25 | -8 ft (-2 m) | 4:18:25 |
| 34 | 7:56 | 12:47 | +10 ft (+3 m) | 4:26:22 |
| 35 | 8:16 | 13:19 | +36 ft (+11 m) | 4:34:38 |
| 36 | 8:04 | 12:58 | +19 ft (+6 m) | 4:42:42 |
| 37 | 7:14 | 11:38 | -49 ft (-15 m) | 4:49:55 |
| 38 | 7:23 | 11:53 | -33 ft (-10 m) | 4:57:19 |
| 39 | 7:31 | 12:05 | -23 ft (-7 m) | 5:04:49 |
| 40 | 7:44 | 12:27 | -5 ft (-2 m) | 5:12:33 |
| 41 | 7:47 | 12:32 | -2 ft (0 m) | 5:20:20 |
| 42 | 7:55 | 12:45 | +9 ft (+3 m) | 5:28:16 |
| 42.2 | 8:54 | 14:20 | +16 ft (+5 m) | 5:30:00 |
Frequently asked questions
What pace is a 5:30 marathon?
A 5:30:00 marathon is 12:35 per mile or 7:49 per kilometre held for the full 26.2 miles (42.195 km). On the Dublin Marathon specifically, the elevation profile means even effort produces uneven splits — the table on this page gives the target for every kilometre.
What should my halfway split be for a 5:30 at the Dublin Marathon?
2:45:37. That is the grade-adjusted halfway target for this course, not simply half of 5:30:00 — 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 Dublin Marathon?
Even effort at a 5:30 goal produces splits between 6:53 and 8:26 per kilometre — about 92 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 Dublin Marathon splits calculated?
Each kilometre 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 5:30:00. Uphill sections get more time and downhill sections less, at a constant effort throughout.
Is 5:30 a realistic marathon goal?
5:30 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.