The pace you need
A 5-hour marathon is 7:06 per kilometer or 11:26 per mile. It can be done with run-walk intervals: running 4 minutes at about 6:37 per kilometer and walking 1 minute briskly averages out on goal pace.
| Measure | Per mile | Per km |
|---|---|---|
| Pace to hold | 11:26 | 7:06 |
| Finish at that pace | 4:59:47 | 4:59:36 |
| Exact pace | 11:26.5 | 7:06.6 |
| Speed | 5.2 mph | 8.4 km/h |
| Halfway at even pace | 2:30:00 | |
The paces to hold are rounded down to the second, so holding them gets you home on the goal or just inside it. Finish times are rounded up to the next whole second, as road race results are.
Checkpoint times
What your watch should read at each marker for an even-paced race, and for a plan where the second half is 2% faster than the first. A 2% negative split means going through halfway in 2:31:31 and running the second half in 2:28:29.
| Checkpoint | Even pace | 2% negative split |
|---|---|---|
| 5 km | 35:33 | 36:11 |
| 10 km | 1:11:06 | 1:12:12 |
| 15 km | 1:46:39 | 1:48:02 |
| 10 miles | 1:54:25 | 1:55:51 |
| 20 km | 2:22:12 | 2:23:42 |
| Halfway | 2:30:00 | 2:31:31 |
| 25 km | 2:57:45 | 2:59:13 |
| 30 km | 3:33:18 | 3:34:32 |
| 20 miles | 3:48:51 | 3:49:56 |
| 35 km | 4:08:51 | 4:09:42 |
| 40 km | 4:44:24 | 4:44:42 |
| Finish | 5:00:00 | 5:00:00 |
How to pace a 5-hour marathon
- Pick your run-walk ratio in training and use the same one on race day from the first kilometer.
- Check elapsed time at each 5 km marker rather than your pace, which jumps around with walk breaks.
- Eat and drink little and often. Five hours is a long time on your feet.
Want the numbers on your wrist? The pace band generator prints a strip with the elapsed time at every kilometer or mile.
Training for this goal
This page lists no training paces. For a 5-hour marathon, run by effort and take walk breaks from the start: the free 20-week beginner marathon plan is built that way, with four run-walk days a week and no pace to hit. It prepares you to finish the distance, not to hit a time. The paced plan for this goal is described below.
16-week 5-hour marathon training plan
The plan in outline: 4 runs a week, a peak week of 46.1 km and a longest run of 25 km. Paces start two VDOT points below the goal and move up to goal pace over three phases, with a half marathon tune-up in week 12 and a two-week taper before race day.
It suits you if
- You run about 4 times a week, around 30 km in total.
- Your longest run in the last month is at least 11 km.
- A recent race of about 2:35:21 for the half marathon or 1:10:17 for the 10K. The paces start there and move up to the goal pace.
Week 1 and a week from the build phase, free
| Day | Session | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Mon | Rest | |
| Tue | Easy 5 km8:01 to 9:29 /km, then 6 × 20 s strides | 5 km3.1 mi |
| Wed | Rest or cross-train30 to 40 minutes easy on a bike, cross-trainer or in the pool, or a full rest day. | |
| Thu | Easy 5 km8:01 to 9:29 /km | 5 km3.1 mi |
| Fri | Rest | |
| Sat | Easy 7 km8:01 to 9:29 /km | 7 km4.3 mi |
| Sun | Long run 13 kmEasy, 8:01 to 9:29 /km. Walk breaks are fine: try 4 minutes running, 1 minute walking. | 13 km8.1 mi |
| Day | Session | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Mon | Rest | |
| Tue | Threshold: 4 × 1 km1.5 km easy, then 4 × 1 km at 6:49 /km with 90 s easy jogging between, 1 km easy | 7 km4.3 mi |
| Wed | Rest or cross-train30 to 40 minutes easy on a bike, cross-trainer or in the pool, or a full rest day. | |
| Thu | Marathon pace 5 km1.5 km easy, 5 km at marathon pace (7:19 /km), 1 km easy | 7.5 km4.7 mi |
| Fri | Rest | |
| Sat | Easy 6 km7:47 to 9:14 /km, then 6 × 20 s strides | 6 km3.7 mi |
| Sun | Long run 20 kmEasy, 7:47 to 9:14 /km. Walk breaks are fine: try 4 minutes running, 1 minute walking. | 20 km12.4 mi |
Easy means conversational. If a session feels far too hard, use the paces for your current fitness from the VO2 max calculator and move up as you improve.
Full plan
All 16 weeks, with the paces for this goal
- Every session, week by week, in km and miles (PDF)
- A calendar file set to your race date for Google, Apple or Outlook
- A printable pace band for race day
Race times that match this goal
On equal fitness, the Daniels and Gilbert race formula gives these times at other distances. If you have run close to them recently, the goal is within reach on equal training. For the marathon, treat these as the minimum: the formula assumes training suited to the marathon, including long runs of 30 km or more, and without it the marathon can come out slower than shorter races predict.
| Race | Time | Per mile | Per km |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5K | 31:49 | 10:14 | 6:21 |
| 10K | 1:06:11 | 10:39 | 6:37 |
| Half marathon | 2:26:28 | 11:10 | 6:56 |
Questions
What pace is a 5-hour marathon?
11:26 per mile or 7:06 per kilometer. Holding exactly 11:26 per mile gets you to the finish in 4:59:47, and 7:06 per km gets you there in 4:59:36.
What is the halfway split for a 5-hour marathon?
2:30:00 at even pace. With a 2% negative split, go through halfway in 2:31:31 and run the second half in 2:28:29.
What treadmill speed is 5-hour marathon pace?
8.4 km/h or 5.2 mph. The advice to add a 1% incline for the lack of air resistance comes from a study that tested speeds from 10.5 to 18 km/h (6.5 to 11.2 mph), faster than this pace (Jones and Doust, 1996). It does not cover this speed, where there is less air resistance to make up for.
What 5K time do I need for a 5-hour marathon?
About 31:49 on equal fitness, worked out with the Daniels and Gilbert race formula. A half marathon of 2:26:28 is the better guide for the marathon.
How do I train for a 5-hour marathon?
By effort, with walk breaks, not by pace. The free 20-week beginner marathon plan on this site has four run-walk days a week and a long run that builds to 20 miles or 3 hours 30 minutes, whichever comes first. It has no paced sessions, so it prepares you to finish, not to hit a time.
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Sources
- Daniels J. Daniels’ Running Formula. 4th ed. Human Kinetics; 2022. Training intensities used by the plan.
- Daniels J, Gilbert J. Oxygen Power: Performance Tables for Distance Runners. 1979. The formula behind the equivalent race times.
- Jones AM, Doust JH. A 1% treadmill grade most accurately reflects the energetic cost of outdoor running. Journal of Sports Sciences. 1996;14(4):321-327.
- Bosquet L, Montpetit J, Arvisais D, Mujika I. Effects of tapering on performance: a meta-analysis. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2007;39(8):1358-1365. Basis for the two-week taper.
- World Athletics. Competition Rules and Technical Rules (Book C, C1.1 and C2.1). Technical Rule 19, Timing and Photo Finish: times in races held outside the stadium are recorded to the next longer whole second.