Run Pace IQRun Pace IQ

Sub-3 Marathon Pace

Required pace: 4:16 /km · 6:52 /mileFinish time 3:00:00

Breaking three hours puts you in roughly the top few percent of marathon finishers, and it leaves almost no room for drift. Every kilometre has to tick by in 4:16, and a 1:30:00 first half is the most you can afford.

Most sub-3 runners can already race a half marathon in about 1:25. Check the equivalent race times below against your recent results before you commit to the pace.

Distance
Hours
Minutes
Seconds
← FasterSlower →
Required pace
4:16
min/km
3:00:00
Finish
6:52
min/mi
14.1
km/h
Sub-3 marathon checkpoints
CheckpointDistanceElapsed time
5K5 km21:20
10K10 km42:40
Half21.1 km1:30:00
30K30 km2:07:59
Finish42.2 km3:00:00
Sub-3 marathon splits per mile
MileElapsed time
1 mi6:52
2 mi13:44
3 mi20:36
4 mi27:28
5 mi34:20
6 mi41:12
7 mi48:03
8 mi54:55
9 mi1:01:47
10 mi1:08:39
11 mi1:15:31
12 mi1:22:23
13 mi1:29:15
14 mi1:36:07
15 mi1:42:59
16 mi1:49:51
17 mi1:56:43
18 mi2:03:35
19 mi2:10:26
20 mi2:17:18
21 mi2:24:10
22 mi2:31:02
23 mi2:37:54
24 mi2:44:46
25 mi2:51:38
26 mi2:58:30
26.2 mi3:00:00
Sub-3 marathon pace band
KM 1
4:16
KM 2
8:32
KM 3
12:48
KM 4
17:04
KM 5
21:20
KM 6
25:36
KM 7
29:52
KM 8
34:08
KM 9
38:24
KM 10
42:40
KM 11
46:55
KM 12
51:11
KM 13
55:27
KM 14
59:43
KM 15
1:03:59
KM 16
1:08:15
KM 17
1:12:31
KM 18
1:16:47
KM 19
1:21:03
KM 20
1:25:19
KM 21
1:29:35
KM 22
1:33:51
KM 23
1:38:07
KM 24
1:42:23
KM 25
1:46:39
KM 26
1:50:55
KM 27
1:55:11
KM 28
1:59:27
KM 29
2:03:43
KM 30
2:07:59
KM 31
2:12:15
KM 32
2:16:31
KM 33
2:20:46
KM 34
2:25:02
KM 35
2:29:18
KM 36
2:33:34
KM 37
2:37:50
KM 38
2:42:06
KM 39
2:46:22
KM 40
2:50:38
KM 41
2:54:54
KM 42
2:59:10
KM 42.2
3:00:00
Equivalent race times for a Sub-3 marathon
RaceTimePace (min/km)Pace (min/mile)
5K18:463:456:02
10K39:083:556:18
10 Miles1:04:484:026:29
Half Marathon1:26:204:066:35

Predicted with the Riegel formula (t2 = t1 × (d2/d1)^1.06). It is most reliable between similar distances.

Frequently asked questions

What pace do I need for a sub-3 marathon?

You need to average 4:16 per kilometre, or about 6:52 per mile, for all 42.195 km. That brings you through halfway in 1:30:00 and home in 3:00:00.

What half marathon time do I need to run a sub-3 marathon?

The Riegel formula puts a 3:00:00 marathon level with a half marathon of about 1:26. Runners who rely on endurance rather than speed often need closer to 1:24 to hold the pace late in the race.

Should I bank time in the first half of a sub-3 attempt?

No. Running the first half in 1:28 usually costs more than two minutes later. Aim for an even 1:30 or a slightly faster second half.