Valencia Marathon 4:15 pace chart
A 4:15:00 finish at the Valencia 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 5:46/km and the hardest around 6:19/km — about 33 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 2:07:23 — an almost exactly even split. The hardest kilometre on the course sits near kilometre 27; at this goal time it should take 6:19/km, and giving it that time is the difference between finishing Valencia on plan and unravelling in the last hour.
Kilometre-by-kilometre targets for 4:15:00
Grade-adjusted splits computed from the Valencia 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.
| Kilometre | Target /km | Target /mi | Elev Δ | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6:04 | 9:45 | +3 ft (+1 m) | 6:04 |
| 2 | 6:07 | 9:50 | +4 ft (+1 m) | 12:10 |
| 3 | 5:55 | 9:31 | -12 ft (-4 m) | 18:05 |
| 4 | 5:58 | 9:37 | -6 ft (-2 m) | 24:03 |
| 5 | 5:59 | 9:37 | -5 ft (-2 m) | 30:02 |
| 6 | 6:07 | 9:51 | +9 ft (+3 m) | 36:09 |
| 7 | 6:03 | 9:43 | +1 ft (0 m) | 42:12 |
| 8 | 6:05 | 9:47 | +5 ft (+2 m) | 48:16 |
| 9 | 5:58 | 9:36 | -7 ft (-2 m) | 54:14 |
| 10 | 6:07 | 9:50 | +8 ft (+2 m) | 1:00:21 |
| 11 | 6:06 | 9:49 | +6 ft (+2 m) | 1:06:27 |
| 12 | 6:13 | 10:00 | +17 ft (+5 m) | 1:12:40 |
| 13 | 5:57 | 9:34 | -13 ft (-4 m) | 1:18:36 |
| 14 | 5:54 | 9:30 | -13 ft (-4 m) | 1:24:30 |
| 15 | 6:10 | 9:56 | +14 ft (+4 m) | 1:30:41 |
| 16 | 6:09 | 9:54 | +8 ft (+2 m) | 1:36:50 |
| 17 | 5:58 | 9:36 | -7 ft (-2 m) | 1:42:48 |
| 18 | 6:12 | 9:59 | +16 ft (+5 m) | 1:49:00 |
| 19 | 5:59 | 9:38 | -7 ft (-2 m) | 1:54:59 |
| 20 | 5:56 | 9:33 | -11 ft (-3 m) | 2:00:55 |
| 21 | 5:53 | 9:28 | -17 ft (-5 m) | 2:06:48 |
| 22 | 6:01 | 9:41 | -1 ft (0 m) | 2:12:49 |
| 23 | 6:03 | 9:44 | +1 ft (0 m) | 2:18:52 |
| 24 | 6:12 | 9:58 | +16 ft (+5 m) | 2:25:03 |
| 25 | 6:09 | 9:54 | +12 ft (+4 m) | 2:31:12 |
| 26 | 5:50 | 9:23 | -23 ft (-7 m) | 2:37:02 |
| 27 | 6:10 | 9:56 | +14 ft (+4 m) | 2:43:12 |
| 28 | 6:19 | 10:10 | +27 ft (+8 m) | 2:49:31 |
| 29 | 6:18 | 10:09 | +25 ft (+8 m) | 2:55:49 |
| 30 | 6:05 | 9:47 | +4 ft (+1 m) | 3:01:54 |
| 31 | 5:56 | 9:33 | -11 ft (-3 m) | 3:07:50 |
| 32 | 5:59 | 9:38 | -7 ft (-2 m) | 3:13:49 |
| 33 | 6:03 | 9:45 | +3 ft (+1 m) | 3:19:53 |
| 34 | 6:05 | 9:47 | +4 ft (+1 m) | 3:25:57 |
| 35 | 6:14 | 10:02 | +18 ft (+5 m) | 3:32:11 |
| 36 | 5:48 | 9:20 | -25 ft (-7 m) | 3:37:59 |
| 37 | 6:16 | 10:05 | +23 ft (+7 m) | 3:44:15 |
| 38 | 5:59 | 9:38 | -7 ft (-2 m) | 3:50:14 |
| 39 | 5:55 | 9:31 | -12 ft (-4 m) | 3:56:09 |
| 40 | 5:52 | 9:26 | -19 ft (-6 m) | 4:02:01 |
| 41 | 5:56 | 9:34 | -10 ft (-3 m) | 4:07:57 |
| 42 | 5:46 | 9:17 | -27 ft (-8 m) | 4:13:43 |
| 42.2 | 6:33 | 10:32 | +9 ft (+3 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 Valencia 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 Valencia Marathon?
2:07:23. 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 Valencia Marathon?
Even effort at a 4:15 goal produces splits between 5:46 and 6:19 per kilometre — about 33 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 Valencia 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.