Twin Cities Marathon 5:00 pace chart
A 5:00:00 finish at the Twin Cities Marathon averages 11:27 per mile (7:07 per kilometre) — a solid finish for a first marathon or a runner building back up. Run at even effort rather than even pace, the easiest mile comes in around 10:36/mi and the hardest around 12:26/mi — about 110 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 2:29:24 — a 1:11 positive split, which is what the terrain costs you rather than a pacing error. The hardest mile on the course sits near kilometre 2; at this goal time it should take 12:16/mi, and giving it that time is the difference between finishing Minneapolis on plan and unravelling in the last hour.
Mile-by-mile targets for 5:00:00
Grade-adjusted splits computed from the Twin Cities Marathon elevation profile with the Minetti gradient-cost model, scaled so the full course adds up to 5:00:00. Uphill sections get more time, downhills less, at one constant effort throughout.
| Mile | Target /mi | Target /km | Elev Δ | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11:26 | 7:06 | +3 ft (+1 m) | 11:26 |
| 2 | 12:16 | 7:37 | +66 ft (+20 m) | 23:42 |
| 3 | 10:46 | 6:41 | -58 ft (-18 m) | 34:27 |
| 4 | 11:25 | 7:05 | +1 ft (0 m) | 45:52 |
| 5 | 11:23 | 7:05 | 0 ft (0 m) | 57:16 |
| 6 | 11:22 | 7:04 | -4 ft (-1 m) | 1:08:37 |
| 7 | 11:22 | 7:04 | -3 ft (-1 m) | 1:19:59 |
| 8 | 11:27 | 7:07 | +5 ft (+1 m) | 1:31:26 |
| 9 | 11:20 | 7:03 | -13 ft (-4 m) | 1:42:47 |
| 10 | 11:11 | 6:57 | -20 ft (-6 m) | 1:53:58 |
| 11 | 11:30 | 7:09 | +9 ft (+3 m) | 2:05:28 |
| 12 | 11:16 | 7:00 | -12 ft (-4 m) | 2:16:44 |
| 13 | 11:24 | 7:05 | +1 ft (0 m) | 2:28:08 |
| 14 | 11:42 | 7:16 | +25 ft (+8 m) | 2:39:50 |
| 15 | 11:05 | 6:53 | -29 ft (-9 m) | 2:50:55 |
| 16 | 11:21 | 7:03 | -5 ft (-2 m) | 3:02:15 |
| 17 | 11:14 | 6:59 | -15 ft (-4 m) | 3:13:29 |
| 18 | 11:41 | 7:16 | +24 ft (+7 m) | 3:25:10 |
| 19 | 10:36 | 6:35 | -97 ft (-29 m) | 3:35:46 |
| 20 | 12:26 | 7:44 | +68 ft (+21 m) | 3:48:12 |
| 21 | 11:45 | 7:18 | +28 ft (+8 m) | 3:59:58 |
| 22 | 12:18 | 7:39 | +74 ft (+23 m) | 4:12:16 |
| 23 | 12:00 | 7:27 | +49 ft (+15 m) | 4:24:16 |
| 24 | 11:06 | 6:54 | -28 ft (-8 m) | 4:35:22 |
| 25 | 11:31 | 7:09 | +9 ft (+3 m) | 4:46:52 |
| 26 | 10:36 | 6:35 | -74 ft (-23 m) | 4:57:28 |
| 26.2 | 11:34 | 7:11 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 5:00:00 |
Frequently asked questions
What pace is a 5:00 marathon?
A 5:00:00 marathon is 11:27 per mile or 7:07 per kilometre held for the full 26.2 miles (42.195 km). On the Twin Cities 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 5:00 at the Twin Cities Marathon?
2:29:24. That is the grade-adjusted halfway target for this course, not simply half of 5:00:00 — 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 Twin Cities Marathon?
Even effort at a 5:00 goal produces splits between 10:36 and 12:26 per mile — about 110 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 Twin Cities 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 5:00:00. Uphill sections get more time and downhill sections less, at a constant effort throughout.
Is 5:00 a realistic marathon goal?
5:00 is a solid finish for a first marathon or a runner building back up. 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.