Twin Cities Marathon 5:30 pace chart
A 5:30:00 finish at the Twin Cities Marathon averages 12:35 per mile (7:49 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 mile comes in around 11:40/mi and the hardest around 13:41/mi — about 121 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 2:44:21 — a 1:18 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 13:29/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 5:30:00
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 5:30:00. Uphill sections get more time, downhills less, at one constant effort throughout.
| Mile | Target /mi | Target /km | Elev Δ | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12:34 | 7:49 | +3 ft (+1 m) | 12:34 |
| 2 | 13:29 | 8:23 | +66 ft (+20 m) | 26:04 |
| 3 | 11:50 | 7:21 | -58 ft (-18 m) | 37:54 |
| 4 | 12:33 | 7:48 | +1 ft (0 m) | 50:27 |
| 5 | 12:32 | 7:47 | 0 ft (0 m) | 1:02:59 |
| 6 | 12:30 | 7:46 | -4 ft (-1 m) | 1:15:29 |
| 7 | 12:30 | 7:46 | -3 ft (-1 m) | 1:27:59 |
| 8 | 12:36 | 7:50 | +5 ft (+1 m) | 1:40:35 |
| 9 | 12:28 | 7:45 | -13 ft (-4 m) | 1:53:03 |
| 10 | 12:18 | 7:38 | -20 ft (-6 m) | 2:05:21 |
| 11 | 12:39 | 7:52 | +9 ft (+3 m) | 2:18:00 |
| 12 | 12:23 | 7:42 | -12 ft (-4 m) | 2:30:24 |
| 13 | 12:33 | 7:48 | +1 ft (0 m) | 2:42:56 |
| 14 | 12:53 | 8:00 | +25 ft (+8 m) | 2:55:49 |
| 15 | 12:11 | 7:34 | -29 ft (-9 m) | 3:08:00 |
| 16 | 12:29 | 7:45 | -5 ft (-2 m) | 3:20:29 |
| 17 | 12:21 | 7:41 | -15 ft (-4 m) | 3:32:50 |
| 18 | 12:51 | 7:59 | +24 ft (+7 m) | 3:45:41 |
| 19 | 11:40 | 7:15 | -97 ft (-29 m) | 3:57:21 |
| 20 | 13:41 | 8:30 | +68 ft (+21 m) | 4:11:02 |
| 21 | 12:56 | 8:02 | +28 ft (+8 m) | 4:23:57 |
| 22 | 13:32 | 8:25 | +74 ft (+23 m) | 4:37:30 |
| 23 | 13:12 | 8:12 | +49 ft (+15 m) | 4:50:42 |
| 24 | 12:12 | 7:35 | -28 ft (-8 m) | 5:02:54 |
| 25 | 12:40 | 7:52 | +9 ft (+3 m) | 5:15:33 |
| 26 | 11:40 | 7:15 | -74 ft (-23 m) | 5:27:13 |
| 26.2 | 12:43 | 7:54 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 5:30:00 |
Frequently asked questions
What pace is a 5:30 marathon?
A 5:30:00 marathon is 12:35 per mile or 7:49 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 5:30 at the Twin Cities Marathon?
2:44:21. That is the grade-adjusted halfway target for this course, not simply half of 5:30:00 — 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 5:30 goal produces splits between 11:40 and 13:41 per mile — about 121 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 5:30:00. Uphill sections get more time and downhill sections less, at a constant effort throughout.
Is 5:30 a realistic marathon goal?
5:30 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.