Rome Marathon: Elevation Profile, Course Map & Pace Calculator
A loop from the Fori Imperiali past St Peter's, Piazza Navona and the Colosseum — no marathon packs more antiquity per kilometre. The profile is mostly flat, but the sampietrini cobbles punish legs that haven't practised on them, and the small rises in the final quarter feel bigger than the numbers suggest. Mid-March air is usually cool and dry: good racing weather.
The Rome Marathon is fast, with only modest elevation change — rated 2/5 on our difficulty scale. Over the official 42.195 km (26.2 mi) the course gains about 1240 ft (380 m) and loses 1240 ft (380 m), with roughly level start to finish. Grade-adjusted pace says the toughest stretch arrives at kilometre 30 (near mile 18.5), demanding about 11% more effort than the same distance on flat ground. The steepest pitch on course reaches 8.1%.
Course stats
| Distance | 26.2 mi (42.195 km) |
|---|---|
| Location | Rome, IT |
| Total ascent | 1240 ft (380 m) |
| Total descent | 1240 ft (380 m) |
| Net elevation | -3 ft (-1 m) |
| Steepest grade | 8.1% |
| Difficulty | 2/5 |
| Field size | ≈30,000 runners |
| Race day | Mid-March |
Kilometre-by-kilometre 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 kilometres 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.
| Kilometre | GAP pace /km | GAP pace /mi | Elev Δ | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5:19 | 8:33 | -47 ft (-14 m) | 5:19 |
| 2 | 5:57 | 9:35 | +30 ft (+9 m) | 11:16 |
| 3 | 5:23 | 8:40 | -34 ft (-10 m) | 16:39 |
| 4 | 6:05 | 9:47 | +39 ft (+12 m) | 22:44 |
| 5 | 5:16 | 8:29 | -45 ft (-14 m) | 28:00 |
| 6 | 5:41 | 9:09 | -10 ft (-3 m) | 33:41 |
| 7 | 5:49 | 9:21 | +17 ft (+5 m) | 39:30 |
| 8 | 5:36 | 9:00 | -6 ft (-2 m) | 45:05 |
| 9 | 5:25 | 8:43 | -29 ft (-9 m) | 50:30 |
| 10 | 5:50 | 9:23 | +18 ft (+6 m) | 56:20 |
| 11 | 5:55 | 9:32 | +27 ft (+8 m) | 1:02:15 |
| 12 | 5:35 | 8:59 | -12 ft (-4 m) | 1:07:50 |
| 13 | 6:06 | 9:50 | +41 ft (+12 m) | 1:13:57 |
| 14 | 5:14 | 8:26 | -59 ft (-18 m) | 1:19:11 |
| 15 | 5:54 | 9:30 | +23 ft (+7 m) | 1:25:06 |
| 16 | 5:23 | 8:39 | -33 ft (-10 m) | 1:30:28 |
| 17 | 6:07 | 9:50 | +42 ft (+13 m) | 1:36:35 |
| 18 | 5:48 | 9:20 | +15 ft (+5 m) | 1:42:23 |
| 19 | 5:25 | 8:44 | -43 ft (-13 m) | 1:47:48 |
| 20 | 6:10 | 9:55 | +49 ft (+15 m) | 1:53:58 |
| 21 | 5:41 | 9:09 | +3 ft (+1 m) | 1:59:39 |
| 22 | 5:35 | 8:59 | -9 ft (-3 m) | 2:05:14 |
| 23 | 5:45 | 9:16 | +11 ft (+3 m) | 2:10:59 |
| 24 | 5:33 | 8:56 | -12 ft (-4 m) | 2:16:32 |
| 25 | 5:22 | 8:38 | -33 ft (-10 m) | 2:21:54 |
| 26 | 5:41 | 9:08 | +3 ft (+1 m) | 2:27:35 |
| 27 | 5:31 | 8:53 | -17 ft (-5 m) | 2:33:06 |
| 28 | 5:45 | 9:15 | +9 ft (+3 m) | 2:38:51 |
| 29 | 6:02 | 9:42 | +38 ft (+12 m) | 2:44:53 |
| 30 | 5:30 | 8:51 | -19 ft (-6 m) | 2:50:23 |
| 31 | 6:18 | 10:08 | +59 ft (+18 m) | 2:56:40 |
| 32 | 5:02 | 8:06 | -75 ft (-23 m) | 3:01:42 |
| 33 | 5:50 | 9:23 | +19 ft (+6 m) | 3:07:32 |
| 34 | 5:50 | 9:24 | +19 ft (+6 m) | 3:13:23 |
| 35 | 5:23 | 8:40 | -30 ft (-9 m) | 3:18:46 |
| 36 | 5:34 | 8:57 | -10 ft (-3 m) | 3:24:20 |
| 37 | 5:57 | 9:34 | +30 ft (+9 m) | 3:30:16 |
| 38 | 5:49 | 9:22 | +15 ft (+5 m) | 3:36:06 |
| 39 | 5:45 | 9:15 | +10 ft (+3 m) | 3:41:51 |
| 40 | 5:39 | 9:06 | -1 ft (0 m) | 3:47:30 |
| 41 | 5:29 | 8:49 | -21 ft (-6 m) | 3:52:59 |
| 42 | 5:43 | 9:12 | +6 ft (+2 m) | 3:58:42 |
| 42.2 | 6:40 | 10:44 | +20 ft (+6 m) | 4:00:00 |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Rome Marathon flat or hilly?
The Rome Marathon is fast, with only modest elevation change (2/5 difficulty). Total ascent is about 1240 ft (380 m) over 26.2 miles.
How much elevation gain does the Rome Marathon have?
About 1240 ft (380 m) of total ascent and 1240 ft (380 m) of descent, for a net change of -3 ft (-1 m). Figures come from a digital elevation model, so very flat courses can read 20–30 ft high.
What is the hardest part of the Rome Marathon course?
Kilometre 30 (near mile 18.5) is the toughest split on the course by grade-adjusted effort. Grade-adjusted pace puts it at roughly 11% more effort than flat running. The steepest grade on course is 8.1%.
When is the Rome Marathon?
The Rome Marathon is typically held in mid-March. The next edition is expected around March 15, 2027. Confirm the exact date on the official race website.
How many runners take part in the Rome Marathon?
The field is roughly 30,000 runners.
What pace do I need to run the Rome 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 Rome race
Marathons with a similar profile
- Osaka Marathon — 1250 ft (380 m) ascent
- Athens Marathon — 1260 ft (380 m) ascent
- Mexico City Marathon — 1360 ft (410 m) ascent
- Austin Marathon — 1070 ft (330 m) ascent
Official race site: https://www.runromethemarathon.com/