Breaking 4:00 at the Big Sur International Marathon
Even splits would be 5:41/km (9:09/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
5:35/km (8:59/mi)
16–20 km
Hurricane Point: 3 km up, usually into a headwind
6:09/km (9:54/mi)
20–35 km
Relentless rollers along the cliffs
5:39/km (9:05/mi)
35–42.2 km
More rollers to Carmel — nothing is free today
5:45/km (9:16/mi)
Split table
| Checkpoint | Split | Elapsed | Pace at this point |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 km | 27:56 | 27:56 | 5:35/km |
| 10 km | 27:56 | 55:51 | 5:35/km |
| 15 km | 27:56 | 1:23:47 | 5:35/km |
| 20 km | 30:11 | 1:53:58 | 6:09/km |
| Half | 6:12 | 2:00:09 | 5:39/km |
| 25 km | 22:01 | 2:22:11 | 5:39/km |
| 30 km | 28:13 | 2:50:23 | 5:39/km |
| 35 km | 28:13 | 3:18:36 | 5:39/km |
| 40 km | 28:46 | 3:47:22 | 5:45/km |
| Finish | 12:38 | 4:00:00 | 5:45/km |
Print this table or write the elapsed times on your arm — GPS pace is least reliable exactly when you need it most.