New York City Marathon 5:30 pace chart
A 5:30:00 finish at the New York City 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 mile comes in around 11:28/mi and the hardest around 13:31/mi — about 122 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 2:44:06 — a 1:47 positive split, which is what the terrain costs you rather than a pacing error. The hardest mile on the course sits near kilometre 37; at this goal time it should take 13:31/mi, and giving it that time is the difference between finishing New York on plan and unravelling in the last hour.
Mile-by-mile targets for 5:30:00
Grade-adjusted splits computed from the New York City 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.
| Mile | Target /mi | Target /km | Elev Δ | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11:28 | 7:08 | -117 ft (-36 m) | 11:28 |
| 2 | 13:24 | 8:19 | +58 ft (+18 m) | 24:52 |
| 3 | 12:54 | 8:01 | +24 ft (+7 m) | 37:46 |
| 4 | 12:40 | 7:52 | +7 ft (+2 m) | 50:26 |
| 5 | 12:17 | 7:38 | -23 ft (-7 m) | 1:02:43 |
| 6 | 12:18 | 7:39 | -23 ft (-7 m) | 1:15:01 |
| 7 | 12:26 | 7:43 | -12 ft (-4 m) | 1:27:26 |
| 8 | 12:44 | 7:55 | +13 ft (+4 m) | 1:40:10 |
| 9 | 13:02 | 8:06 | +32 ft (+10 m) | 1:53:12 |
| 10 | 11:51 | 7:22 | -57 ft (-17 m) | 2:05:03 |
| 11 | 13:05 | 8:08 | +39 ft (+12 m) | 2:18:08 |
| 12 | 12:05 | 7:31 | -38 ft (-12 m) | 2:30:13 |
| 13 | 12:31 | 7:46 | -5 ft (-2 m) | 2:42:44 |
| 14 | 12:35 | 7:49 | +1 ft (0 m) | 2:55:19 |
| 15 | 12:38 | 7:51 | +6 ft (+2 m) | 3:07:57 |
| 16 | 13:16 | 8:15 | +45 ft (+14 m) | 3:21:13 |
| 17 | 12:15 | 7:37 | -25 ft (-8 m) | 3:33:28 |
| 18 | 12:14 | 7:36 | -28 ft (-9 m) | 3:45:42 |
| 19 | 12:37 | 7:50 | +4 ft (+1 m) | 3:58:19 |
| 20 | 12:49 | 7:58 | +18 ft (+5 m) | 4:11:08 |
| 21 | 12:14 | 7:36 | -27 ft (-8 m) | 4:23:22 |
| 22 | 12:50 | 7:58 | +20 ft (+6 m) | 4:36:12 |
| 23 | 12:40 | 7:52 | +7 ft (+2 m) | 4:48:52 |
| 24 | 13:31 | 8:24 | +69 ft (+21 m) | 5:02:23 |
| 25 | 12:19 | 7:39 | -27 ft (-8 m) | 5:14:41 |
| 26 | 12:35 | 7:49 | -1 ft (0 m) | 5:27:16 |
| 26.2 | 12:28 | 7:45 | -2 ft (-1 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 New York City 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 5:30 at the New York City Marathon?
2:44:06. 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 New York City Marathon?
Even effort at a 5:30 goal produces splits between 11:28 and 13:31 per mile — about 122 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 New York City 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 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.