Los Angeles Marathon 4:00 pace chart
A 4:00:00 finish at the Los Angeles Marathon averages 9:09 per mile (5:41 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 7:53/mi and the hardest around 10:17/mi — about 144 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 2:00:34 — a 1:08 negative split, because the harder half comes first. The hardest mile on the course sits near kilometre 6; at this goal time it should take 9:55/mi, and giving it that time is the difference between finishing Los Angeles on plan and unravelling in the last hour.
Mile-by-mile targets for 4:00:00
Grade-adjusted splits computed from the Los Angeles Marathon elevation profile with the Minetti gradient-cost model, scaled so the full course adds up to 4:00:00. Uphill sections get more time, downhills less, at one constant effort throughout.
| Mile | Target /mi | Target /km | Elev Δ | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7:53 | 4:54 | -162 ft (-49 m) | 7:53 |
| 2 | 8:48 | 5:28 | -50 ft (-15 m) | 16:41 |
| 3 | 8:56 | 5:33 | -31 ft (-10 m) | 25:37 |
| 4 | 10:17 | 6:23 | +104 ft (+32 m) | 35:54 |
| 5 | 9:55 | 6:10 | +55 ft (+17 m) | 45:49 |
| 6 | 9:03 | 5:37 | -24 ft (-7 m) | 54:52 |
| 7 | 8:48 | 5:28 | -48 ft (-15 m) | 1:03:40 |
| 8 | 9:27 | 5:53 | +23 ft (+7 m) | 1:13:07 |
| 9 | 9:25 | 5:51 | +20 ft (+6 m) | 1:22:33 |
| 10 | 9:10 | 5:42 | -5 ft (-2 m) | 1:31:42 |
| 11 | 9:07 | 5:40 | -11 ft (-3 m) | 1:40:49 |
| 12 | 8:58 | 5:34 | -29 ft (-9 m) | 1:49:47 |
| 13 | 9:49 | 6:06 | +61 ft (+19 m) | 1:59:36 |
| 14 | 8:55 | 5:32 | -34 ft (-10 m) | 2:08:31 |
| 15 | 7:59 | 4:58 | -153 ft (-47 m) | 2:16:29 |
| 16 | 9:11 | 5:42 | -3 ft (-1 m) | 2:25:41 |
| 17 | 9:24 | 5:50 | +17 ft (+5 m) | 2:35:04 |
| 18 | 9:35 | 5:57 | +39 ft (+12 m) | 2:44:39 |
| 19 | 8:56 | 5:33 | -34 ft (-10 m) | 2:53:35 |
| 20 | 9:21 | 5:49 | +14 ft (+4 m) | 3:02:56 |
| 21 | 9:51 | 6:07 | +65 ft (+20 m) | 3:12:47 |
| 22 | 9:09 | 5:41 | -8 ft (-2 m) | 3:21:56 |
| 23 | 9:09 | 5:41 | -6 ft (-2 m) | 3:31:06 |
| 24 | 8:59 | 5:35 | -26 ft (-8 m) | 3:40:05 |
| 25 | 8:44 | 5:25 | -53 ft (-16 m) | 3:48:48 |
| 26 | 9:39 | 6:00 | +43 ft (+13 m) | 3:58:28 |
| 26.2 | 9:28 | 5:53 | +5 ft (+1 m) | 4:00:00 |
Frequently asked questions
What pace is a 4:00 marathon?
A 4:00:00 marathon is 9:09 per mile or 5:41 per kilometre held for the full 26.2 miles (42.195 km). On the Los Angeles 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 4:00 at the Los Angeles Marathon?
2:00:34. That is the grade-adjusted halfway target for this course, not simply half of 4:00:00 — 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 Los Angeles Marathon?
Even effort at a 4:00 goal produces splits between 7:53 and 10:17 per mile — about 144 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 Los Angeles 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 4:00:00. Uphill sections get more time and downhill sections less, at a constant effort throughout.
Is 4:00 a realistic marathon goal?
4:00 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.