Mexico City Marathon 4:15 pace chart
A 4:15:00 finish at the Mexico City 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 kilometre comes in around 5:35/km and the hardest around 6:59/km — about 85 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 2:07:41 — an almost exactly even split. The hardest kilometre on the course sits near kilometre 31; at this goal time it should take 6:59/km, and giving it that time is the difference between finishing Mexico City on plan and unravelling in the last hour.
Kilometre-by-kilometre targets for 4:15:00
Grade-adjusted splits computed from the Mexico City 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.
| Kilometre | Target /km | Target /mi | Elev Δ | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6:09 | 9:54 | +10 ft (+3 m) | 6:09 |
| 2 | 5:35 | 8:58 | -51 ft (-15 m) | 11:44 |
| 3 | 6:15 | 10:04 | +6 ft (+2 m) | 17:59 |
| 4 | 5:45 | 9:15 | -35 ft (-11 m) | 23:44 |
| 5 | 6:05 | 9:47 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 29:48 |
| 6 | 5:50 | 9:24 | -26 ft (-8 m) | 35:39 |
| 7 | 6:04 | 9:46 | -25 ft (-8 m) | 41:43 |
| 8 | 6:05 | 9:47 | +3 ft (+1 m) | 47:48 |
| 9 | 5:45 | 9:15 | -29 ft (-9 m) | 53:33 |
| 10 | 6:12 | 9:58 | +15 ft (+5 m) | 59:44 |
| 11 | 5:53 | 9:28 | -18 ft (-6 m) | 1:05:37 |
| 12 | 6:09 | 9:54 | +6 ft (+2 m) | 1:11:46 |
| 13 | 6:03 | 9:45 | +3 ft (+1 m) | 1:17:50 |
| 14 | 6:02 | 9:42 | -1 ft (0 m) | 1:23:51 |
| 15 | 5:58 | 9:36 | -6 ft (-2 m) | 1:29:49 |
| 16 | 6:23 | 10:17 | +34 ft (+10 m) | 1:36:12 |
| 17 | 6:01 | 9:41 | -7 ft (-2 m) | 1:42:13 |
| 18 | 6:06 | 9:49 | +6 ft (+2 m) | 1:48:19 |
| 19 | 6:22 | 10:15 | +31 ft (+10 m) | 1:54:41 |
| 20 | 6:11 | 9:57 | +16 ft (+5 m) | 2:00:52 |
| 21 | 6:14 | 10:01 | +17 ft (+5 m) | 2:07:06 |
| 22 | 6:00 | 9:39 | -11 ft (-3 m) | 2:13:06 |
| 23 | 5:51 | 9:25 | -20 ft (-6 m) | 2:18:57 |
| 24 | 6:03 | 9:45 | -3 ft (-1 m) | 2:25:01 |
| 25 | 6:09 | 9:54 | +11 ft (+3 m) | 2:31:10 |
| 26 | 6:22 | 10:15 | +33 ft (+10 m) | 2:37:32 |
| 27 | 5:52 | 9:26 | -22 ft (-7 m) | 2:43:24 |
| 28 | 5:53 | 9:29 | -14 ft (-4 m) | 2:49:17 |
| 29 | 6:00 | 9:40 | -3 ft (-1 m) | 2:55:17 |
| 30 | 5:43 | 9:11 | -34 ft (-10 m) | 3:01:00 |
| 31 | 5:57 | 9:35 | -7 ft (-2 m) | 3:06:57 |
| 32 | 6:59 | 11:15 | +83 ft (+25 m) | 3:13:57 |
| 33 | 5:49 | 9:22 | -35 ft (-11 m) | 3:19:46 |
| 34 | 5:41 | 9:08 | -37 ft (-11 m) | 3:25:26 |
| 35 | 6:11 | 9:58 | +8 ft (+3 m) | 3:31:38 |
| 36 | 5:44 | 9:14 | -37 ft (-11 m) | 3:37:22 |
| 37 | 6:21 | 10:12 | +26 ft (+8 m) | 3:43:42 |
| 38 | 5:52 | 9:26 | -22 ft (-7 m) | 3:49:34 |
| 39 | 5:53 | 9:28 | -17 ft (-5 m) | 3:55:27 |
| 40 | 6:10 | 9:56 | +9 ft (+3 m) | 4:01:37 |
| 41 | 6:10 | 9:55 | +10 ft (+3 m) | 4:07:47 |
| 42 | 6:02 | 9:43 | -1 ft (0 m) | 4:13:49 |
| 42.2 | 6:02 | 9:42 | -1 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 Mexico City 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 4:15 at the Mexico City Marathon?
2:07:41. 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 Mexico City Marathon?
Even effort at a 4:15 goal produces splits between 5:35 and 6:59 per kilometre — about 85 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 Mexico City 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 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.