3:55 marathon pace
| Per mile | 8:58 |
|---|---|
| Per km | 5:34 |
| Halfway | 1:57:30 |
| Speed | 10.8 km/h |
A 3:55:00 marathon averages 8:58 per mile or 5:34 per kilometre — 10.8 km/h (6.7 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 1:57:30. 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 1:51:10, the 10K at 49:38 and the 5K at 23:29. 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 3:55:00
| Distance | Elapsed |
|---|---|
| 5 km | 27:51 |
| 10 km | 55:42 |
| 15 km | 1:23:32 |
| 20 km | 1:51:23 |
| Half | 1:57:30 |
| 25 km | 2:19:14 |
| 30 km | 2:47:05 |
| 35 km | 3:14:56 |
| 40 km | 3:42:47 |
| Finish | 3:55:00 |
Mile splits for 3:55:00
| Mile | Elapsed |
|---|---|
| 1 | 8:58 |
| 2 | 17:56 |
| 3 | 26:53 |
| 4 | 35:51 |
| 5 | 44:49 |
| 6 | 53:47 |
| 7 | 1:02:44 |
| 8 | 1:11:42 |
| 9 | 1:20:40 |
| 10 | 1:29:38 |
| 11 | 1:38:36 |
| 12 | 1:47:33 |
| 13 | 1:56:31 |
| 14 | 2:05:29 |
| 15 | 2:14:27 |
| 16 | 2:23:25 |
| 17 | 2:32:22 |
| 18 | 2:41:20 |
| 19 | 2:50:18 |
| 20 | 2:59:16 |
| 21 | 3:08:13 |
| 22 | 3:17:11 |
| 23 | 3:26:09 |
| 24 | 3:35:07 |
| 25 | 3:44:05 |
| 26 | 3:53:02 |
| 26.2 | 3:55:00 |
Race times that predict 3:55
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 | 23:29 | 4:42 |
| 10K | 49:38 | 4:58 |
| Half marathon | 1:51:10 | 5:16 |
Frequently asked questions
What pace is a 3:55 marathon?
8:58 per mile, or 5:34 per kilometre, for the full 26.2 miles. That is 10.8 km/h or 6.7 mph.
What is the halfway split for a 3:55 marathon?
1:57:30 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 3:55 marathon?
Riegel's formula says 1:51:10 (5:16/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 3:55 marathon?
About 23:29 for 5K and 49:38 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 3:55 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.