Vancouver Marathon 4:15 pace chart
A 4:15:00 finish at the Vancouver 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 4:48/km and the hardest around 7:44/km — about 176 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 2:06:22 — a 2:16 positive split, which is what the terrain costs you rather than a pacing error. The hardest kilometre on the course sits near kilometre 9; at this goal time it should take 7:44/km, and giving it that time is the difference between finishing Vancouver on plan and unravelling in the last hour.
Kilometre-by-kilometre targets for 4:15:00
Grade-adjusted splits computed from the Vancouver 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 | 6:43 | 10:48 | +62 ft (+19 m) | 6:43 |
| 2 | 5:53 | 9:27 | -20 ft (-6 m) | 12:35 |
| 3 | 5:56 | 9:32 | -15 ft (-5 m) | 18:31 |
| 4 | 6:13 | 10:01 | +15 ft (+5 m) | 24:44 |
| 5 | 5:28 | 8:48 | -62 ft (-19 m) | 30:12 |
| 6 | 5:23 | 8:40 | -73 ft (-22 m) | 35:35 |
| 7 | 5:08 | 8:16 | -103 ft (-31 m) | 40:43 |
| 8 | 5:58 | 9:37 | -10 ft (-3 m) | 46:41 |
| 9 | 6:39 | 10:43 | +57 ft (+17 m) | 53:21 |
| 10 | 7:44 | 12:27 | +151 ft (+46 m) | 1:01:05 |
| 11 | 6:18 | 10:08 | +24 ft (+7 m) | 1:07:23 |
| 12 | 6:09 | 9:54 | +7 ft (+2 m) | 1:13:32 |
| 13 | 6:14 | 10:02 | +16 ft (+5 m) | 1:19:46 |
| 14 | 6:02 | 9:42 | -3 ft (-1 m) | 1:25:47 |
| 15 | 5:57 | 9:35 | -10 ft (-3 m) | 1:31:45 |
| 16 | 5:42 | 9:10 | -41 ft (-12 m) | 1:37:26 |
| 17 | 6:12 | 9:58 | +11 ft (+3 m) | 1:43:38 |
| 18 | 5:57 | 9:35 | -12 ft (-4 m) | 1:49:35 |
| 19 | 5:54 | 9:30 | -16 ft (-5 m) | 1:55:29 |
| 20 | 4:48 | 7:44 | -143 ft (-44 m) | 2:00:17 |
| 21 | 5:29 | 8:49 | -64 ft (-19 m) | 2:05:46 |
| 22 | 6:04 | 9:46 | 0 ft (0 m) | 2:11:50 |
| 23 | 5:59 | 9:38 | -8 ft (-2 m) | 2:17:49 |
| 24 | 6:42 | 10:48 | +60 ft (+18 m) | 2:24:32 |
| 25 | 5:44 | 9:14 | -36 ft (-11 m) | 2:30:16 |
| 26 | 6:05 | 9:48 | +3 ft (+1 m) | 2:36:22 |
| 27 | 6:08 | 9:52 | +7 ft (+2 m) | 2:42:30 |
| 28 | 5:42 | 9:11 | -36 ft (-11 m) | 2:48:12 |
| 29 | 6:15 | 10:04 | +19 ft (+6 m) | 2:54:27 |
| 30 | 5:58 | 9:36 | -17 ft (-5 m) | 3:00:25 |
| 31 | 6:23 | 10:17 | +21 ft (+6 m) | 3:06:48 |
| 32 | 5:47 | 9:19 | -28 ft (-9 m) | 3:12:35 |
| 33 | 5:57 | 9:35 | -10 ft (-3 m) | 3:18:33 |
| 34 | 6:20 | 10:12 | +26 ft (+8 m) | 3:24:53 |
| 35 | 5:59 | 9:38 | -8 ft (-2 m) | 3:30:52 |
| 36 | 6:16 | 10:06 | +19 ft (+6 m) | 3:37:08 |
| 37 | 5:50 | 9:23 | -26 ft (-8 m) | 3:42:58 |
| 38 | 6:04 | 9:45 | 0 ft (0 m) | 3:49:01 |
| 39 | 6:11 | 9:56 | +12 ft (+4 m) | 3:55:12 |
| 40 | 5:56 | 9:32 | -15 ft (-4 m) | 4:01:08 |
| 41 | 6:03 | 9:45 | 0 ft (0 m) | 4:07:11 |
| 42 | 6:32 | 10:30 | +45 ft (+14 m) | 4:13:43 |
| 42.2 | 6:37 | 10:39 | +11 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 Vancouver 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 Vancouver Marathon?
2:06:22. 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 Vancouver Marathon?
Even effort at a 4:15 goal produces splits between 4:48 and 7:44 per kilometre — about 176 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 Vancouver 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 Vancouver Marathon
Plan your Vancouver race
- Vancouver Marathon in 4:00
- Vancouver Marathon in 4:30
- Vancouver Marathon elevation profile and course map
- 4:15 marathon pace on a flat course — even splits and equivalent race times
- Race time predictor — check whether 4:15 is realistic from a recent result
- Marathon training plan generator
- How to pace a hilly marathon