Toronto Marathon 6:00 pace chart
A 6:00:00 finish at the Toronto 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 kilometre comes in around 7:52/km and the hardest around 8:55/km — about 63 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 2:59:22 — a 1:16 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 8:55/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 6:00:00
Grade-adjusted splits computed from the Toronto Marathon elevation profile with the Minetti gradient-cost model, scaled so the full course adds up to 6:00:00. Uphill sections get more time, downhills less, at one constant effort throughout.
| Kilometre | Target /km | Target /mi | Elev Δ | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8:55 | 14:21 | +25 ft (+8 m) | 8:55 |
| 2 | 8:47 | 14:08 | +17 ft (+5 m) | 17:42 |
| 3 | 8:37 | 13:51 | +5 ft (+2 m) | 26:19 |
| 4 | 8:13 | 13:13 | -24 ft (-7 m) | 34:31 |
| 5 | 8:01 | 12:54 | -38 ft (-12 m) | 42:32 |
| 6 | 7:52 | 12:40 | -49 ft (-15 m) | 50:24 |
| 7 | 8:32 | 13:44 | -2 ft (-1 m) | 58:57 |
| 8 | 8:32 | 13:44 | -1 ft (0 m) | 1:07:28 |
| 9 | 8:35 | 13:49 | +3 ft (+1 m) | 1:16:04 |
| 10 | 8:29 | 13:39 | -4 ft (-1 m) | 1:24:32 |
| 11 | 8:35 | 13:49 | +3 ft (+1 m) | 1:33:08 |
| 12 | 8:29 | 13:40 | -4 ft (-1 m) | 1:41:37 |
| 13 | 8:32 | 13:44 | 0 ft (0 m) | 1:50:09 |
| 14 | 8:29 | 13:40 | -4 ft (-1 m) | 1:58:38 |
| 15 | 8:39 | 13:55 | +8 ft (+2 m) | 2:07:17 |
| 16 | 8:31 | 13:42 | -2 ft (-1 m) | 2:15:48 |
| 17 | 8:29 | 13:39 | -4 ft (-1 m) | 2:24:17 |
| 18 | 8:40 | 13:58 | +9 ft (+3 m) | 2:32:58 |
| 19 | 8:30 | 13:41 | -3 ft (-1 m) | 2:41:27 |
| 20 | 8:34 | 13:47 | +2 ft (0 m) | 2:50:01 |
| 21 | 8:31 | 13:43 | -1 ft (0 m) | 2:58:32 |
| 22 | 8:28 | 13:37 | -5 ft (-2 m) | 3:07:00 |
| 23 | 8:30 | 13:41 | -3 ft (-1 m) | 3:15:31 |
| 24 | 8:34 | 13:47 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 3:24:05 |
| 25 | 8:31 | 13:42 | -2 ft (-1 m) | 3:32:35 |
| 26 | 8:31 | 13:42 | -2 ft (-1 m) | 3:41:06 |
| 27 | 8:40 | 13:57 | +9 ft (+3 m) | 3:49:47 |
| 28 | 8:24 | 13:31 | -10 ft (-3 m) | 3:58:11 |
| 29 | 8:33 | 13:46 | +1 ft (0 m) | 4:06:44 |
| 30 | 8:39 | 13:56 | +8 ft (+2 m) | 4:15:24 |
| 31 | 8:28 | 13:38 | -6 ft (-2 m) | 4:23:52 |
| 32 | 8:41 | 13:59 | +10 ft (+3 m) | 4:32:33 |
| 33 | 8:55 | 14:21 | +26 ft (+8 m) | 4:41:28 |
| 34 | 8:16 | 13:18 | -21 ft (-6 m) | 4:49:43 |
| 35 | 8:21 | 13:26 | -14 ft (-4 m) | 4:58:05 |
| 36 | 8:33 | 13:46 | +1 ft (0 m) | 5:06:38 |
| 37 | 8:29 | 13:39 | -4 ft (-1 m) | 5:15:07 |
| 38 | 8:30 | 13:41 | -2 ft (-1 m) | 5:23:37 |
| 39 | 8:43 | 14:02 | +12 ft (+4 m) | 5:32:20 |
| 40 | 8:31 | 13:43 | -1 ft (0 m) | 5:40:52 |
| 41 | 8:34 | 13:47 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 5:49:26 |
| 42 | 8:49 | 14:12 | +19 ft (+6 m) | 5:58:15 |
| 42.2 | 9:00 | 14:29 | +6 ft (+2 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 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 6:00 at the Toronto Marathon?
2:59:22. 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 Toronto Marathon?
Even effort at a 6:00 goal produces splits between 7:52 and 8:55 per kilometre — about 63 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 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.