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Pace, splits & training plan for a sub 5 hour marathon.
To run a sub 5 hour marathon, you need to maintain a pace of 7:07/km (11:27/mi).
Pace /km
7:07
min/km
Pace /mile
11:27
min/mi
Speed
8.4
km/h
Speed
5.2
mph
| KM | Cumulative Time |
|---|---|
| 1 | 7:07 |
| 2 | 14:13 |
| 3 | 21:20 |
| 4 | 28:26 |
| 5 | 35:33 |
| 6 | 42:40 |
| 7 | 49:46 |
| 8 | 56:53 |
| 9 | 1:03:59 |
| 10 | 1:11:06 |
| 11 | 1:18:12 |
| 12 | 1:25:19 |
| 13 | 1:32:26 |
| 14 | 1:39:32 |
| 15 | 1:46:39 |
| 16 | 1:53:45 |
| 17 | 2:00:52 |
| 18 | 2:07:59 |
| 19 | 2:15:05 |
| 20 | 2:22:12 |
| 21 | 2:29:18 |
| 22 | 2:36:25 |
| 23 | 2:43:32 |
| 24 | 2:50:38 |
| 25 | 2:57:45 |
| 26 | 3:04:51 |
| 27 | 3:11:58 |
| 28 | 3:19:05 |
| 29 | 3:26:11 |
| 30 | 3:33:18 |
| 31 | 3:40:24 |
| 32 | 3:47:31 |
| 33 | 3:54:37 |
| 34 | 4:01:44 |
| 35 | 4:08:51 |
| 36 | 4:15:57 |
| 37 | 4:23:04 |
| 38 | 4:30:10 |
| 39 | 4:37:17 |
| 40 | 4:44:24 |
| 41 | 4:51:30 |
| 42 | 4:58:37 |
| 42.195 | 5:00:00 |
| Mile | Cumulative Time |
|---|---|
| 1 | 11:27 |
| 2 | 22:53 |
| 3 | 34:20 |
| 4 | 45:46 |
| 5 | 57:13 |
| 6 | 1:08:39 |
| 7 | 1:20:06 |
| 8 | 1:31:32 |
| 9 | 1:42:59 |
| 10 | 1:54:25 |
| 11 | 2:05:52 |
| 12 | 2:17:18 |
| 13 | 2:28:45 |
| 14 | 2:40:11 |
| 15 | 2:51:38 |
| 16 | 3:03:04 |
| 17 | 3:14:31 |
| 18 | 3:25:58 |
| 19 | 3:37:24 |
| 20 | 3:48:51 |
| 21 | 4:00:17 |
| 22 | 4:11:44 |
| 23 | 4:23:10 |
| 24 | 4:34:37 |
| 25 | 4:46:03 |
| 26 | 4:57:30 |
| 26.22 | 5:00:00 |
At 7:07/km, a 5-hour marathon is a steady, sustainable pace. The pace itself is very manageable — the genuine challenge is being on your feet for five hours. This is where hydration, nutrition, comfortable shoes, and mental strategies all become as important as your running fitness.
A sub-5 hour marathon is achievable with three runs per week totalling 25–40 km. The long run is your priority — build it to 25–28 km over the 16-week programme. The other runs should be 30–45 minutes of easy running.
A run-walk strategy works well at this level: run 10 minutes, walk 1 minute. This keeps your legs fresh and actually produces a faster overall time than running continuously and bonking at 30 km.
Practice everything in training that you'll do on race day: shoes, socks, clothing, nutrition, and hydration. Five hours is a long time to discover something is causing chafing or stomach issues. Body Glide and tested nutrition are your best friends.
Pace /km
Pace /mile
Speed
Speed
Get Your Free Marathon Training Plan
Dangelo builds you a personalized 16-week plan for your exact target time of 5 hour. Every session synced to your watch.