Toronto Marathon 4:15 pace chart

A 4:15:00 finish at the Toronto 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 5:34/km and the hardest around 6:19/km — about 44 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 2:07:03 — a 0:54 positive split, which is what the terrain costs you rather than a pacing error. The hardest kilometre on the course sits near kilometre 32; at this goal time it should take 6:19/km, and giving it that time is the difference between finishing Toronto on plan and unravelling in the last hour.

Kilometre-by-kilometre targets for 4:15:00

Grade-adjusted splits computed from the Toronto 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.

KilometreTarget /kmTarget /miElev ΔElapsed
16:1910:10+25 ft (+8 m)6:19
26:1310:01+17 ft (+5 m)12:32
36:069:49+5 ft (+2 m)18:38
45:499:21-24 ft (-7 m)24:27
55:419:08-38 ft (-12 m)30:08
65:348:58-49 ft (-15 m)35:42
76:039:44-2 ft (-1 m)41:45
86:039:44-1 ft (0 m)47:48
96:059:47+3 ft (+1 m)53:53
106:009:40-4 ft (-1 m)59:53
116:059:47+3 ft (+1 m)1:05:58
126:019:41-4 ft (-1 m)1:11:59
136:039:440 ft (0 m)1:18:01
146:019:41-4 ft (-1 m)1:24:02
156:079:51+8 ft (+2 m)1:30:10
166:029:42-2 ft (-1 m)1:36:12
176:019:40-4 ft (-1 m)1:42:12
186:099:53+9 ft (+3 m)1:48:21
196:019:41-3 ft (-1 m)1:54:22
206:049:46+2 ft (0 m)2:00:26
216:029:43-1 ft (0 m)2:06:28
226:009:39-5 ft (-2 m)2:12:28
236:029:42-3 ft (-1 m)2:18:29
246:049:46+2 ft (+1 m)2:24:33
256:029:42-2 ft (-1 m)2:30:35
266:029:42-2 ft (-1 m)2:36:37
276:099:53+9 ft (+3 m)2:42:46
285:579:35-10 ft (-3 m)2:48:43
296:049:45+1 ft (0 m)2:54:46
306:089:52+8 ft (+2 m)3:00:54
316:009:39-6 ft (-2 m)3:06:54
326:099:54+10 ft (+3 m)3:13:03
336:1910:10+26 ft (+8 m)3:19:22
345:519:25-21 ft (-6 m)3:25:13
355:559:31-14 ft (-4 m)3:31:08
366:049:45+1 ft (0 m)3:37:12
376:019:40-4 ft (-1 m)3:43:12
386:019:42-2 ft (-1 m)3:49:14
396:109:56+12 ft (+4 m)3:55:24
406:029:43-1 ft (0 m)4:01:27
416:049:46+2 ft (+1 m)4:07:31
426:1510:03+19 ft (+6 m)4:13:45
42.26:2210:15+6 ft (+2 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 Toronto 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 Toronto Marathon?

2:07:03. 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 Toronto Marathon?

Even effort at a 4:15 goal produces splits between 5:34 and 6:19 per kilometre — about 44 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 Toronto 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.

Other goal times at the Toronto Marathon

Plan your Toronto race