Philadelphia Marathon: Elevation Profile, Course Map & Pace Calculator
A two-loop course tracing Old City, the Schuylkill River Trail, and a turnaround in Manayunk, finishing in front of the Art Museum's Rocky steps. The first half is genuinely flat; the second half climbs rolling river bluffs out to Manayunk and back. Mid-November weather is typically cool, sometimes cold.
The Philadelphia Marathon is moderately rolling — rated 3/5 on our difficulty scale. Over the official 42.195 km (26.2 mi) the course gains about 740 ft (230 m) and loses 720 ft (220 m), with roughly level start to finish. Grade-adjusted pace says the toughest stretch arrives at kilometre 15 (near mile 9.5), demanding about 14% more effort than the same distance on flat ground. The steepest pitch on course reaches 10.0%.
Course stats
| Distance | 26.2 mi (42.195 km) |
|---|---|
| Location | Philadelphia, PA, USA |
| Total ascent | 740 ft (230 m) |
| Total descent | 720 ft (220 m) |
| Net elevation | +23 ft (+7 m) |
| Steepest grade | 10.0% |
| Difficulty | 3/5 |
| Field size | ≈30,000 runners |
| Race day | Third Sunday of November |
| Elevation from | USGS 3DEP ned10m (US, 10 m) |
Bare-earth terrain model, smoothed over 500 m — it measures the ground, not the rooftops.
Mile-by-mile splits (grade-adjusted)
Grade-adjusted (GAP) splits for a 4:00:00 finish, computed from the course's elevation profile with the Minetti gradient-cost model: uphill miles get more time, downhills less, at even effort. Splits scale proportionally for any other goal time — the interactive pace calculator on this page computes them exactly.
| Mile | GAP pace /mi | GAP pace /km | Elev Δ | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9:11 | 5:42 | +7 ft (+2 m) | 9:11 |
| 2 | 9:07 | 5:40 | -1 ft (0 m) | 18:18 |
| 3 | 8:54 | 5:32 | -25 ft (-8 m) | 27:12 |
| 4 | 9:11 | 5:43 | +7 ft (+2 m) | 36:23 |
| 5 | 9:11 | 5:43 | +7 ft (+2 m) | 45:34 |
| 6 | 9:18 | 5:47 | +20 ft (+6 m) | 54:53 |
| 7 | 8:45 | 5:26 | -42 ft (-13 m) | 1:03:37 |
| 8 | 10:01 | 6:13 | +90 ft (+27 m) | 1:13:38 |
| 9 | 8:41 | 5:24 | -51 ft (-16 m) | 1:22:19 |
| 10 | 9:54 | 6:09 | +72 ft (+22 m) | 1:32:14 |
| 11 | 9:14 | 5:45 | +13 ft (+4 m) | 1:41:28 |
| 12 | 8:58 | 5:34 | -18 ft (-5 m) | 1:50:26 |
| 13 | 9:09 | 5:41 | -29 ft (-9 m) | 1:59:35 |
| 14 | 9:28 | 5:53 | +34 ft (+10 m) | 2:09:03 |
| 15 | 9:03 | 5:37 | -8 ft (-2 m) | 2:18:06 |
| 16 | 8:24 | 5:13 | -86 ft (-26 m) | 2:26:30 |
| 17 | 9:07 | 5:40 | 0 ft (0 m) | 2:35:37 |
| 18 | 9:08 | 5:40 | +1 ft (0 m) | 2:44:45 |
| 19 | 9:19 | 5:48 | +21 ft (+6 m) | 2:54:04 |
| 20 | 9:00 | 5:36 | -15 ft (-5 m) | 3:03:05 |
| 21 | 9:09 | 5:41 | -1 ft (0 m) | 3:12:13 |
| 22 | 9:09 | 5:41 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 3:21:22 |
| 23 | 9:04 | 5:38 | -5 ft (-2 m) | 3:30:27 |
| 24 | 9:07 | 5:40 | 0 ft (0 m) | 3:39:33 |
| 25 | 9:06 | 5:39 | -2 ft (-1 m) | 3:48:39 |
| 26 | 9:09 | 5:41 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 3:57:48 |
| 26.2 | 10:02 | 6:14 | +21 ft (+6 m) | 4:00:00 |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Philadelphia Marathon flat or hilly?
The Philadelphia Marathon is moderately rolling (3/5 difficulty). Total ascent is about 740 ft (230 m) over 26.2 miles.
How much elevation gain does the Philadelphia Marathon have?
About 740 ft (230 m) of total ascent and 720 ft (220 m) of descent, for a net change of +23 ft (7 m). Elevation is sampled from USGS 3DEP ned10m (US, 10 m) and smoothed over 500 m, so it will not match a GPS watch step for step.
What is the hardest part of the Philadelphia Marathon course?
Kilometre 15 (near mile 9.5) is the toughest split on the course by grade-adjusted effort. Grade-adjusted pace puts it at roughly 14% more effort than flat running. The steepest grade on course is 10.0%.
When is the Philadelphia Marathon?
The Philadelphia Marathon is typically held on the third Sunday of November. The next edition is expected around November 15, 2026. Confirm the exact date on the official race website.
How many runners take part in the Philadelphia Marathon?
The field is roughly 30,000 runners.
What pace do I need to run the Philadelphia Marathon in my goal time?
At an even pace: 3:00:00 needs 6:52/mi (4:16/km); 3:30:00 needs 8:01/mi (4:59/km); 4:00:00 needs 9:09/mi (5:41/km); 4:30:00 needs 10:18/mi (6:24/km); 5:00:00 needs 11:27/mi (7:07/km); 5:30:00 needs 12:35/mi (7:49/km). On this course, grade-adjusted pacing shifts a few seconds per mile between uphill and downhill splits — the pace calculator on this page computes those splits for any goal time.
Plan your Philadelphia race
Marathons with a similar profile
- Dublin Marathon — 760 ft (230 m) ascent
- New York City Marathon — 770 ft (230 m) ascent
- Marine Corps Marathon — 770 ft (230 m) ascent
- Boston Marathon — 770 ft (240 m) ascent
How Philadelphia Marathon ranks
- Flattest marathon courses — ranked 20 of 20 (740 ft (230 m) of climbing)
- Hilliest marathon courses — ranked 13 of 20 (740 ft (230 m) of climbing)
- Hardest marathon courses — ranked 12 of 20 (3/5 — 740 ft (230 m) up, 720 ft (220 m) down)
- Biggest marathons by field size — ranked 11 of 20 (≈30,000 runners)
Official race site: https://www.philadelphiamarathon.com