Marathon Pacing & Training Guides
Every guide on this site: pace charts and goal-time splits, race distances and finish times, training plans and the science behind easy, threshold and long runs.
Pace charts & race pacing
Boston Qualifying Pace 2027
2027 Boston Marathon qualifying standards by age and gender, the 2027 cutoff (BQ – 5:17), pace per mile and per km for each BQ time, and a BQ pace calculator.
Read guide →Marathon Heat Adjustment
How much heat slows your marathon pace: an approximate temperature-to-pace adjustment chart, what it does to a 4-hour goal, and how to race smart in the heat.
Read guide →Marathon Pace Band
Make a marathon pace band: printable per-mile and 5K split tables for goals from 3:00 to 5:00, even and negative-split versions, and how to use one on race day.
Read guide →Marathon Splits Per Mile
Marathon splits per mile for every goal time: mile-by-mile clock times for a 4:00 marathon, even pace for 3:00 to 5:00 goals and how to set your own splits.
Read guide →Negative Split Marathon
A negative split marathon means running the second half faster than the first, the strategy behind most PRs. How to pace it, split tables and race-day tips.
Read guide →Sub-3 Marathon Pace
Sub-3-hour marathon pace: 6:52 per mile (4:16/km). Full mile and 5K splits, the fitness benchmarks you need and the training to break 3:00. Free pace chart.
Read guide →Sub-4 Marathon Pace
The exact pace for a sub-4-hour marathon: 9:09 per mile (5:41/km). Mile-by-mile splits, the half-way target, the fitness you need and how to break 4:00.
Read guide →Sub-5 Marathon Pace
The pace for a sub-5-hour marathon: 11:27 per mile (7:07/km). Mile and 5K splits, the run-walk strategy, the fitness you need and how to finish under 5:00.
Read guide →Marathon World Record Pace
Marathon world record pace: the men's record (1:59:30, 4:33/mi) and women's record (2:09:56), what that pace feels like, the sub-2 barrier and amateur times.
Read guide →Race distances & finish times
How Many Miles Is a Half Marathon? 13.1 Explained
A half marathon is 13.1 miles (21.0975 km), exactly 13 miles 192.5 yards. The distance in miles, km and track laps, typical finish times and a pace table.
Read guide →How Long Does It Take to Run a Marathon?
How long it takes to run a marathon: the average finish is about 4:30, most runners finish between 3:30 and 5:30. Average times by level, by pace and why.
Read guide →How Many Miles Is a Marathon? 26.2 Miles Explained
A marathon is 26.2 miles (42.195 km), exactly 26 miles 385 yards. The distance in miles, km, feet and track laps, compared to a 5K, 10K and half marathon.
Read guide →Marathon in Kilometers
A marathon is 42.195 km (42,195 m); a half is 21.0975 km. The distance in km, per-kilometer pace for every goal time, and 5K-by-5K splits for a 4-hour marathon.
Read guide →How Many Laps Around a Track Is a Marathon? 105.5
A marathon is 105.5 laps of a standard 400m track; a half is 52.7 laps. Lap counts for the 5K, 10K, half, and full, plus why outer lanes do not count.
Read guide →How Long Is a Marathon on a Treadmill? Time & Tips
A marathon on a treadmill is still 26.2 miles. How long it takes by pace, the 1% incline rule, the 60-minute auto-shutoff and tips to survive 26.2 indoors.
Read guide →Marathon vs Half Marathon
Marathon vs half marathon: 26.2 vs 13.1 miles compared on distance, training time, difficulty, pace and recovery, and why the full is more than twice as hard.
Read guide →Why Is a Marathon 26.2 Miles? The 1908 Olympics
Why is a marathon 26.2 miles? The distance comes from the 1908 London Olympics, Windsor Castle to the royal box, and was standardized at 42.195 km in 1921.
Read guide →Training plans & marathon prep
12-Week Marathon Training Plan
A 12-week marathon training plan for runners with a base: weekly structure, the long-run progression to 20 miles, peak mileage, the taper and a sample week.
Read guide →First Marathon Training Plan
A first marathon training plan for beginners: how many weeks you need, weekly structure, the long-run progression to 20 miles, the taper and a sample week.
Read guide →Marathon Fueling Strategy
A marathon fueling strategy that works: carbs per hour, when to take gels, hydration, carb-loading, the pre-race breakfast and a race-day fueling timeline.
Read guide →Marathon Long Run Progression
How to progress your marathon long run: add 1-2 miles at a time, take cutback weeks and peak at 18-20 miles three weeks out. With a week-by-week schedule.
Read guide →Marathon Recovery
Marathon recovery week by week: from the finish line to four weeks out, when to run again, the one-day-per-mile guideline and signs you are ready to train.
Read guide →Marathon Taper
How to taper for a marathon: cut volume, keep intensity, arrive fresh. A 3-week taper schedule, how much to cut mileage, carb-loading and mistakes to avoid.
Read guide →Marathon Training Week by Week
Marathon training week by week: how a 16-20 week block splits into base, build, peak and taper phases, what each one focuses on and how the long run grows.
Read guide →Half Marathon Training Plan
12-week half marathon training plan: progressive long runs, threshold work and a 2-week taper. Pace targets per goal time and key sessions explained.
Read guide →Marathon Training Plan
16-week marathon training plan: phases, peak weekly mileage, key sessions and a 3-week taper. Variants for first-marathoners, sub-4 and sub-3 runners.
Read guide →Training science
Fitness, Fatigue, Form for Runners
Fitness, Fatigue and Form for runners: what each metric means, how to read your training status, and how to peak for race day.
Read guide →How to Calculate Running Training Load
Running training load explained: formula, how to calculate it from pace data, typical values per session and how to use the load points for training planning.
Read guide →Polarized Training for Runners
Polarized training for runners explained: what Seiler's 80/20 method is, why it beats threshold-heavy training, and how to apply it as a recreational runner.
Read guide →VDOT Calculator Explained
VDOT calculator and Daniels' formula explained: what VDOT is, how it's derived from a race time, and how to use it to set training paces.
Read guide →What is Threshold Pace in Running? Complete Guide
Threshold pace in running explained: definition, how to test it, typical values per ability and how to use threshold pace to train smarter.
Read guide →Zone 2 Running
Zone 2 running explained: why 80% of your training should be slow, how to find the right intensity, and what slow running does to your aerobic engine.
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