Sub-4 Hour Marathon Pace
Breaking four hours is one of the most popular marathon goals — a benchmark that says you've trained seriously and paced smartly. Here's exactly what it takes and how to hold it on the day.
Pace you need to average
5:41 / km · 9:09 / mile
Over the full 42.195 km, that brings you to the finish in just under 4:00:00. Your halfway split should read about 2:00:00.
Sub-4 marathon checkpoint splits
Use these target times to check you're on pace at the major mile and kilometre markers. Aim to hit them evenly rather than banking time early.
| Checkpoint | Target time |
|---|---|
| 5 km | 28:26 |
| 10 km | 56:53 |
| 10 miles | 1:31:32 |
| Half marathon (21.1 km) | 2:00:00 |
| 30 km | 2:50:38 |
| 20 miles | 3:03:05 |
| Marathon (42.195 km) | 3:59:59 |
How to actually run a sub-4 marathon
The pace itself — 5:41/km — is comfortable for many runners over short distances. The challenge is holding it for 42 km. A few principles make the difference:
- Start controlled. The most common way to miss sub-4 is running the first 10 km too fast. If anything, run the opening kilometres 5–10 seconds slower than goal pace and settle in.
- Aim for even or negative splits. Reaching halfway at 2:00:00 (or a touch under) leaves you with an honest, achievable second half. Going through in 1:50 almost always ends in a painful fade.
- Fuel early and often. Take carbohydrate from around 45 minutes in and every 30–40 minutes after. Sub-4 attempts unravel when glycogen runs low at 30 km.
- Respect the conditions. Heat, wind and hills all cost time. On a hard day, adjust your goal pace by a few seconds per km rather than fighting it.
What training supports sub-4?
Most runners who break four hours are comfortably running 40–60 km per week, with a weekly long run building toward 30–32 km, plus some work at or just faster than goal pace (think tempo runs around 5:20–5:30/km). If your recent half-marathon time is under about 1:55, sub-4 is well within reach with smart pacing.
Build your own splits in the calculator →