3:50 marathon pace
| Per mile | 8:46 |
|---|---|
| Per km | 5:27 |
| Halfway | 1:55:00 |
| Speed | 11.0 km/h |
A 3:50:00 marathon averages 8:46 per mile or 5:27 per kilometre — 11.0 km/h (6.8 mph) — held for all 26.2 miles (42.195 km). It is the classic sub-4 target, close to the middle of a typical big-city field.
Run evenly, you reach halfway in 1:55:00. 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 1:48:48, the 10K at 48:35 and the 5K at 22:59. 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 3:50:00
| Distance | Elapsed |
|---|---|
| 5 km | 27:15 |
| 10 km | 54:31 |
| 15 km | 1:21:46 |
| 20 km | 1:49:01 |
| Half | 1:55:00 |
| 25 km | 2:16:16 |
| 30 km | 2:43:32 |
| 35 km | 3:10:47 |
| 40 km | 3:38:02 |
| Finish | 3:50:00 |
Mile splits for 3:50:00
| Mile | Elapsed |
|---|---|
| 1 | 8:46 |
| 2 | 17:33 |
| 3 | 26:19 |
| 4 | 35:05 |
| 5 | 43:52 |
| 6 | 52:38 |
| 7 | 1:01:24 |
| 8 | 1:10:11 |
| 9 | 1:18:57 |
| 10 | 1:27:43 |
| 11 | 1:36:30 |
| 12 | 1:45:16 |
| 13 | 1:54:02 |
| 14 | 2:02:49 |
| 15 | 2:11:35 |
| 16 | 2:20:21 |
| 17 | 2:29:08 |
| 18 | 2:37:54 |
| 19 | 2:46:40 |
| 20 | 2:55:27 |
| 21 | 3:04:13 |
| 22 | 3:12:59 |
| 23 | 3:21:46 |
| 24 | 3:30:32 |
| 25 | 3:39:19 |
| 26 | 3:48:05 |
| 26.2 | 3:50:00 |
Race times that predict 3:50
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 | 22:59 | 4:36 |
| 10K | 48:35 | 4:51 |
| Half marathon | 1:48:48 | 5:09 |
Frequently asked questions
What pace is a 3:50 marathon?
8:46 per mile, or 5:27 per kilometre, for the full 26.2 miles. That is 11.0 km/h or 6.8 mph.
What is the halfway split for a 3:50 marathon?
1:55:00 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 3:50 marathon?
Riegel's formula says 1:48:48 (5:09/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 3:50 marathon?
About 22:59 for 5K and 48:35 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 3:50 a good marathon time?
It is the classic sub-4 target, close to the middle of a typical 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.