3:25 marathon pace
| Per mile | 7:49 |
|---|---|
| Per km | 4:52 |
| Halfway | 1:42:30 |
| Speed | 12.3 km/h |
A 3:25:00 marathon averages 7:49 per mile or 4:52 per kilometre — 12.3 km/h (7.7 mph) — held for all 26.2 miles (42.195 km). It is a fast recreational time, roughly the top quintile of a big-city field.
Run evenly, you reach halfway in 1:42:30. On a flat course that is the target: a first half a shade slower costs very little, while banking time early is the most reliable way to lose it, and more, in the last 10 km.
Riegel's race-prediction formula puts the equivalent half marathon at 1:36:58, the 10K at 43:18 and the 5K at 20:29. Treat those as the minimum rather than the target: the formula assumes marathon-specific endurance, and runners on lower weekly mileage — first-timers especially — usually need to be faster over the shorter distances to hold this pace for the full marathon.
These are even splits for a flat course. On a hilly one the same finish time needs a different target for every kilometre, which the course pages grade-adjust from each marathon's own elevation profile.
Kilometre checkpoints for 3:25:00
| Distance | Elapsed |
|---|---|
| 5 km | 24:18 |
| 10 km | 48:35 |
| 15 km | 1:12:53 |
| 20 km | 1:37:10 |
| Half | 1:42:30 |
| 25 km | 2:01:28 |
| 30 km | 2:25:45 |
| 35 km | 2:50:03 |
| 40 km | 3:14:20 |
| Finish | 3:25:00 |
Mile splits for 3:25:00
| Mile | Elapsed |
|---|---|
| 1 | 7:49 |
| 2 | 15:38 |
| 3 | 23:27 |
| 4 | 31:17 |
| 5 | 39:06 |
| 6 | 46:55 |
| 7 | 54:44 |
| 8 | 1:02:33 |
| 9 | 1:10:22 |
| 10 | 1:18:11 |
| 11 | 1:26:00 |
| 12 | 1:33:50 |
| 13 | 1:41:39 |
| 14 | 1:49:28 |
| 15 | 1:57:17 |
| 16 | 2:05:06 |
| 17 | 2:12:55 |
| 18 | 2:20:44 |
| 19 | 2:28:33 |
| 20 | 2:36:23 |
| 21 | 2:44:12 |
| 22 | 2:52:01 |
| 23 | 2:59:50 |
| 24 | 3:07:39 |
| 25 | 3:15:28 |
| 26 | 3:23:17 |
| 26.2 | 3:25:00 |
Race times that predict 3:25
Riegel's formula with the distance-dependent exponent the race predictor uses. Treat these as a floor, not a target.
| Race | Time | Pace /km |
|---|---|---|
| 5K | 20:29 | 4:06 |
| 10K | 43:18 | 4:20 |
| Half marathon | 1:36:58 | 4:36 |
Frequently asked questions
What pace is a 3:25 marathon?
7:49 per mile, or 4:52 per kilometre, for the full 26.2 miles. That is 12.3 km/h or 7.7 mph.
What is the halfway split for a 3:25 marathon?
1:42:30 at even pace. On a flat course, arriving a little later than that is safer than arriving early; on a hilly course the right halfway time depends on where the climbing sits.
What half marathon time do I need for a 3:25 marathon?
Riegel's formula says 1:36:58 (4:36/km). Most runners need to be somewhat quicker than that — the prediction assumes you have the long-run endurance to hold pace for twice the distance, and it is optimistic for runners on modest weekly mileage.
What 5K and 10K times match a 3:25 marathon?
About 20:29 for 5K and 43:18 for 10K by the same formula. Shorter races are a weaker guide to the marathon than a half is, because they depend much less on endurance.
Is 3:25 a good marathon time?
It is a fast recreational time, roughly the top quintile of a big-city field. It is also inside the Boston-qualifying range for many age groups, though the exact standard depends on your age and sex. Whether it is the right goal for you depends on your recent race results and training, not on where it sits in the field.