Vancouver Marathon 6:00 pace chart
A 6:00:00 finish at the Vancouver 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 6:47/km and the hardest around 10:55/km — about 248 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 2:58:34 — a 2:53 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 10:55/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 6:00:00
Grade-adjusted splits computed from the Vancouver Marathon elevation profile with the Minetti gradient-cost model, scaled so the full course adds up to 6:00:00. Uphill sections get more time, downhills less, at one constant effort throughout.
| Kilometre | Target /km | Target /mi | Elev Δ | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9:25 | 15:09 | +57 ft (+17 m) | 9:25 |
| 2 | 8:19 | 13:23 | -19 ft (-6 m) | 17:44 |
| 3 | 8:21 | 13:27 | -17 ft (-5 m) | 26:05 |
| 4 | 8:48 | 14:09 | +16 ft (+5 m) | 34:53 |
| 5 | 7:44 | 12:27 | -62 ft (-19 m) | 42:37 |
| 6 | 7:37 | 12:15 | -73 ft (-22 m) | 50:14 |
| 7 | 7:16 | 11:41 | -102 ft (-31 m) | 57:30 |
| 8 | 8:25 | 13:33 | -12 ft (-4 m) | 1:05:55 |
| 9 | 9:25 | 15:10 | +58 ft (+18 m) | 1:15:21 |
| 10 | 10:55 | 17:34 | +150 ft (+46 m) | 1:26:15 |
| 11 | 8:55 | 14:21 | +25 ft (+7 m) | 1:35:10 |
| 12 | 8:46 | 14:06 | +11 ft (+3 m) | 1:43:56 |
| 13 | 8:47 | 14:07 | +14 ft (+4 m) | 1:52:42 |
| 14 | 8:29 | 13:40 | -5 ft (-2 m) | 2:01:12 |
| 15 | 8:28 | 13:37 | -8 ft (-2 m) | 2:09:39 |
| 16 | 8:00 | 12:53 | -43 ft (-13 m) | 2:17:40 |
| 17 | 8:47 | 14:07 | +13 ft (+4 m) | 2:26:26 |
| 18 | 8:23 | 13:29 | -14 ft (-4 m) | 2:34:49 |
| 19 | 8:19 | 13:23 | -18 ft (-6 m) | 2:43:08 |
| 20 | 6:47 | 10:55 | -144 ft (-44 m) | 2:49:55 |
| 21 | 7:48 | 12:33 | -59 ft (-18 m) | 2:57:43 |
| 22 | 8:37 | 13:52 | +3 ft (+1 m) | 3:06:20 |
| 23 | 8:24 | 13:31 | -12 ft (-4 m) | 3:14:44 |
| 24 | 9:30 | 15:17 | +60 ft (+18 m) | 3:24:14 |
| 25 | 8:08 | 13:05 | -35 ft (-11 m) | 3:32:22 |
| 26 | 8:37 | 13:52 | +3 ft (+1 m) | 3:40:59 |
| 27 | 8:40 | 13:58 | +7 ft (+2 m) | 3:49:39 |
| 28 | 8:03 | 12:58 | -37 ft (-11 m) | 3:57:42 |
| 29 | 8:50 | 14:14 | +19 ft (+6 m) | 4:06:33 |
| 30 | 8:37 | 13:52 | -5 ft (-2 m) | 4:15:10 |
| 31 | 8:50 | 14:13 | +9 ft (+3 m) | 4:24:00 |
| 32 | 8:13 | 13:14 | -25 ft (-8 m) | 4:32:13 |
| 33 | 8:25 | 13:33 | -11 ft (-3 m) | 4:40:38 |
| 34 | 8:56 | 14:23 | +26 ft (+8 m) | 4:49:34 |
| 35 | 8:32 | 13:44 | -3 ft (-1 m) | 4:58:06 |
| 36 | 8:37 | 13:51 | +1 ft (0 m) | 5:06:43 |
| 37 | 8:24 | 13:31 | -12 ft (-4 m) | 5:15:07 |
| 38 | 8:33 | 13:45 | -1 ft (0 m) | 5:23:39 |
| 39 | 8:43 | 14:01 | +11 ft (+3 m) | 5:32:22 |
| 40 | 8:23 | 13:29 | -13 ft (-4 m) | 5:40:45 |
| 41 | 8:33 | 13:46 | -1 ft (0 m) | 5:49:18 |
| 42 | 9:17 | 14:56 | +49 ft (+15 m) | 5:58:35 |
| 42.1 | 9:30 | 15:18 | +10 ft (+3 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 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 6:00 at the Vancouver Marathon?
2:58:34. 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 Vancouver Marathon?
Even effort at a 6:00 goal produces splits between 6:47 and 10:55 per kilometre — about 248 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 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.