Breaking 3:30 at the Big Sur International Marathon
Even splits would be 4:59/km (8:01/mi). But Big Sur International Marathon isn't flat-even — the plan below redistributes the same finish time across the course the way experienced runners actually race it.
How to pace this course
0–16 km
Downhill through the redwoods — save the quads
4:53/km (7:52/mi)
16–20 km
Hurricane Point: 3 km up, usually into a headwind
5:23/km (8:40/mi)
20–35 km
Relentless rollers along the cliffs
4:56/km (7:57/mi)
35–42.2 km
More rollers to Carmel — nothing is free today
5:02/km (8:06/mi)
Split table
| Checkpoint | Split | Elapsed | Pace at this point |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 km | 24:26 | 24:26 | 4:53/km |
| 10 km | 24:26 | 48:52 | 4:53/km |
| 15 km | 24:26 | 1:13:19 | 4:53/km |
| 20 km | 26:25 | 1:39:43 | 5:23/km |
| Half | 5:25 | 1:45:08 | 4:56/km |
| 25 km | 19:16 | 2:04:24 | 4:56/km |
| 30 km | 24:41 | 2:29:05 | 4:56/km |
| 35 km | 24:41 | 2:53:46 | 4:56/km |
| 40 km | 25:11 | 3:18:57 | 5:02/km |
| Finish | 11:03 | 3:30:00 | 5:02/km |
Print this table or write the elapsed times on your arm — GPS pace is least reliable exactly when you need it most.