Marine Corps Marathon 4:15 pace chart
A 4:15:00 finish at the Marine Corps 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 8:17/mi and the hardest around 10:34/mi — about 137 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 2:07:40 — an almost exactly even split. The hardest mile on the course sits near kilometre 3; at this goal time it should take 10:34/mi, and giving it that time is the difference between finishing Arlington on plan and unravelling in the last hour.
Mile-by-mile targets for 4:15:00
Grade-adjusted splits computed from the Marine Corps 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 | 9:51 | 6:07 | +15 ft (+4 m) | 9:51 |
| 2 | 10:23 | 6:27 | +60 ft (+18 m) | 20:14 |
| 3 | 10:34 | 6:34 | +68 ft (+21 m) | 30:48 |
| 4 | 8:17 | 5:09 | -158 ft (-48 m) | 39:05 |
| 5 | 10:29 | 6:31 | +50 ft (+15 m) | 49:34 |
| 6 | 9:17 | 5:46 | -51 ft (-15 m) | 58:50 |
| 7 | 9:47 | 6:05 | +9 ft (+3 m) | 1:08:37 |
| 8 | 9:44 | 6:03 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 1:18:21 |
| 9 | 9:39 | 6:00 | -5 ft (-1 m) | 1:28:00 |
| 10 | 9:35 | 5:57 | -12 ft (-4 m) | 1:37:35 |
| 11 | 9:42 | 6:02 | 0 ft (0 m) | 1:47:17 |
| 12 | 9:39 | 6:00 | -4 ft (-1 m) | 1:56:56 |
| 13 | 9:41 | 6:01 | -1 ft (0 m) | 2:06:37 |
| 14 | 9:39 | 6:00 | -3 ft (-1 m) | 2:16:16 |
| 15 | 9:42 | 6:02 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 2:25:59 |
| 16 | 9:43 | 6:03 | +3 ft (+1 m) | 2:35:42 |
| 17 | 9:41 | 6:01 | -4 ft (-1 m) | 2:45:23 |
| 18 | 9:47 | 6:05 | +7 ft (+2 m) | 2:55:09 |
| 19 | 9:39 | 6:00 | -4 ft (-1 m) | 3:04:49 |
| 20 | 9:59 | 6:12 | +28 ft (+9 m) | 3:14:48 |
| 21 | 9:21 | 5:48 | -38 ft (-12 m) | 3:24:08 |
| 22 | 10:11 | 6:20 | +46 ft (+14 m) | 3:34:20 |
| 23 | 9:36 | 5:58 | -10 ft (-3 m) | 3:43:56 |
| 24 | 9:33 | 5:56 | -14 ft (-4 m) | 3:53:29 |
| 25 | 9:39 | 6:00 | -5 ft (-1 m) | 4:03:08 |
| 26 | 9:54 | 6:09 | +20 ft (+6 m) | 4:13:02 |
| 26.2 | 8:59 | 5:35 | -16 ft (-5 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 Marine Corps 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 Marine Corps Marathon?
2:07:40. 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 Marine Corps Marathon?
Even effort at a 4:15 goal produces splits between 8:17 and 10:34 per mile — about 137 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 Marine Corps 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.