Chevron Houston Marathon 4:15 pace chart
A 4:15:00 finish at the Chevron Houston 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 9:30/mi and the hardest around 9:57/mi — about 27 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 2:07:38 — an almost exactly even split. The hardest mile on the course sits near kilometre 37; at this goal time it should take 9:45/mi, and giving it that time is the difference between finishing Houston on plan and unravelling in the last hour.
Mile-by-mile targets for 4:15:00
Grade-adjusted splits computed from the Chevron Houston 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 | 9:49 | 6:06 | +8 ft (+2 m) | 9:49 |
| 2 | 9:46 | 6:04 | +5 ft (+2 m) | 19:35 |
| 3 | 9:30 | 5:54 | -23 ft (-7 m) | 29:05 |
| 4 | 9:57 | 6:11 | +22 ft (+7 m) | 39:03 |
| 5 | 9:45 | 6:03 | +3 ft (+1 m) | 48:47 |
| 6 | 9:42 | 6:02 | -1 ft (0 m) | 58:30 |
| 7 | 9:39 | 6:00 | -6 ft (-2 m) | 1:08:09 |
| 8 | 9:43 | 6:03 | +1 ft (0 m) | 1:17:53 |
| 9 | 9:42 | 6:01 | -3 ft (-1 m) | 1:27:34 |
| 10 | 9:44 | 6:03 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 1:37:18 |
| 11 | 9:44 | 6:03 | +1 ft (0 m) | 1:47:02 |
| 12 | 9:45 | 6:04 | +4 ft (+1 m) | 1:56:47 |
| 13 | 9:47 | 6:05 | +6 ft (+2 m) | 2:06:34 |
| 14 | 9:42 | 6:02 | -2 ft (-1 m) | 2:16:16 |
| 15 | 9:44 | 6:03 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 2:26:00 |
| 16 | 9:43 | 6:02 | +1 ft (0 m) | 2:35:44 |
| 17 | 9:45 | 6:03 | +3 ft (+1 m) | 2:45:29 |
| 18 | 9:40 | 6:00 | -7 ft (-2 m) | 2:55:08 |
| 19 | 9:49 | 6:06 | +10 ft (+3 m) | 3:04:58 |
| 20 | 9:40 | 6:01 | -5 ft (-1 m) | 3:14:38 |
| 21 | 9:43 | 6:02 | -2 ft (-1 m) | 3:24:21 |
| 22 | 9:40 | 6:00 | -6 ft (-2 m) | 3:34:00 |
| 23 | 9:31 | 5:55 | -21 ft (-6 m) | 3:43:31 |
| 24 | 9:45 | 6:03 | 0 ft (0 m) | 3:53:16 |
| 25 | 9:51 | 6:08 | +12 ft (+4 m) | 4:03:07 |
| 26 | 9:46 | 6:04 | +4 ft (+1 m) | 4:12:53 |
| 26.2 | 9:39 | 6:00 | -2 ft (0 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 Chevron Houston 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 Chevron Houston Marathon?
2:07:38. 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 Chevron Houston Marathon?
Even effort at a 4:15 goal produces splits between 9:30 and 9:57 per mile — about 27 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 Chevron Houston 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.