New York City Marathon 6:00 pace chart
A 6:00:00 finish at the New York City Marathon averages 13:44 per mile (8:32 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 12:31/mi and the hardest around 14:44/mi — about 133 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 2:59:01 — a 1:57 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 14:44/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 6:00:00
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 6:00:00. Uphill sections get more time, downhills less, at one constant effort throughout.
| Mile | Target /mi | Target /km | Elev Δ | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12:31 | 7:47 | -117 ft (-36 m) | 12:31 |
| 2 | 14:37 | 9:05 | +58 ft (+18 m) | 27:08 |
| 3 | 14:04 | 8:44 | +24 ft (+7 m) | 41:12 |
| 4 | 13:49 | 8:35 | +7 ft (+2 m) | 55:01 |
| 5 | 13:24 | 8:19 | -23 ft (-7 m) | 1:08:25 |
| 6 | 13:25 | 8:20 | -23 ft (-7 m) | 1:21:50 |
| 7 | 13:33 | 8:25 | -12 ft (-4 m) | 1:35:23 |
| 8 | 13:53 | 8:38 | +13 ft (+4 m) | 1:49:16 |
| 9 | 14:13 | 8:50 | +32 ft (+10 m) | 2:03:29 |
| 10 | 12:56 | 8:02 | -57 ft (-17 m) | 2:16:25 |
| 11 | 14:17 | 8:52 | +39 ft (+12 m) | 2:30:41 |
| 12 | 13:11 | 8:12 | -38 ft (-12 m) | 2:43:53 |
| 13 | 13:39 | 8:29 | -5 ft (-2 m) | 2:57:31 |
| 14 | 13:43 | 8:32 | +1 ft (0 m) | 3:11:15 |
| 15 | 13:47 | 8:34 | +6 ft (+2 m) | 3:25:02 |
| 16 | 14:29 | 9:00 | +45 ft (+14 m) | 3:39:31 |
| 17 | 13:22 | 8:18 | -25 ft (-8 m) | 3:52:53 |
| 18 | 13:21 | 8:18 | -28 ft (-9 m) | 4:06:14 |
| 19 | 13:46 | 8:33 | +4 ft (+1 m) | 4:19:59 |
| 20 | 13:59 | 8:41 | +18 ft (+5 m) | 4:33:58 |
| 21 | 13:21 | 8:18 | -27 ft (-8 m) | 4:47:19 |
| 22 | 14:00 | 8:42 | +20 ft (+6 m) | 5:01:19 |
| 23 | 13:49 | 8:35 | +7 ft (+2 m) | 5:15:08 |
| 24 | 14:44 | 9:09 | +69 ft (+21 m) | 5:29:52 |
| 25 | 13:26 | 8:21 | -27 ft (-8 m) | 5:43:18 |
| 26 | 13:44 | 8:32 | -1 ft (0 m) | 5:57:02 |
| 26.2 | 13:36 | 8:27 | -2 ft (-1 m) | 6:00:00 |
Frequently asked questions
What pace is a 6:00 marathon?
A 6:00:00 marathon is 13:44 per mile or 8:32 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 6:00 at the New York City Marathon?
2:59:01. That is the grade-adjusted halfway target for this course, not simply half of 6:00:00 — 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 New York City Marathon?
Even effort at a 6:00 goal produces splits between 12:31 and 14:44 per mile — about 133 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 6:00:00. Uphill sections get more time and downhill sections less, at a constant effort throughout.
Is 6:00 a realistic marathon goal?
6:00 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.