3:40 marathon pace
| Per mile | 8:23 |
|---|---|
| Per km | 5:13 |
| Halfway | 1:50:00 |
| Speed | 11.5 km/h |
A 3:40:00 marathon averages 8:23 per mile or 5:13 per kilometre — 11.5 km/h (7.2 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 1:50:00. 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 1:44:04, the 10K at 46:28 and the 5K at 21:59. 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 3:40:00
| Distance | Elapsed |
|---|---|
| 5 km | 26:04 |
| 10 km | 52:08 |
| 15 km | 1:18:12 |
| 20 km | 1:44:17 |
| Half | 1:50:00 |
| 25 km | 2:10:21 |
| 30 km | 2:36:25 |
| 35 km | 3:02:29 |
| 40 km | 3:28:33 |
| Finish | 3:40:00 |
Mile splits for 3:40:00
| Mile | Elapsed |
|---|---|
| 1 | 8:23 |
| 2 | 16:47 |
| 3 | 25:10 |
| 4 | 33:34 |
| 5 | 41:57 |
| 6 | 50:21 |
| 7 | 58:44 |
| 8 | 1:07:08 |
| 9 | 1:15:31 |
| 10 | 1:23:55 |
| 11 | 1:32:18 |
| 12 | 1:40:41 |
| 13 | 1:49:05 |
| 14 | 1:57:28 |
| 15 | 2:05:52 |
| 16 | 2:14:15 |
| 17 | 2:22:39 |
| 18 | 2:31:02 |
| 19 | 2:39:26 |
| 20 | 2:47:49 |
| 21 | 2:56:13 |
| 22 | 3:04:36 |
| 23 | 3:12:59 |
| 24 | 3:21:23 |
| 25 | 3:29:46 |
| 26 | 3:38:10 |
| 26.2 | 3:40:00 |
Race times that predict 3:40
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 | 21:59 | 4:24 |
| 10K | 46:28 | 4:39 |
| Half marathon | 1:44:04 | 4:56 |
Frequently asked questions
What pace is a 3:40 marathon?
8:23 per mile, or 5:13 per kilometre, for the full 26.2 miles. That is 11.5 km/h or 7.2 mph.
What is the halfway split for a 3:40 marathon?
1:50:00 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 3:40 marathon?
Riegel's formula says 1:44:04 (4:56/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 3:40 marathon?
About 21:59 for 5K and 46:28 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 3:40 a good marathon time?
It is a fast recreational time, roughly the top quintile of a big-city field. Whether it is the right goal for you depends on your recent race results and training, not on where it sits in the field.