Breaking 3:30 at the Boston Marathon
Even splits would be 4:59/km (8:01/mi). But Boston 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
0–8 km
Steep early descent — resist the free speed
4:54/km (7:53/mi)
8–26 km
Rolling, gradual net downhill
4:57/km (7:58/mi)
26–34 km
The Newton hills, ending at Heartbreak Hill
5:12/km (8:22/mi)
34–42.2 km
Downhill into Boston — if the quads survived
4:54/km (7:53/mi)
Split table
| Checkpoint | Split | Elapsed | Pace at this point |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 km | 24:30 | 24:30 | 4:54/km |
| 10 km | 24:36 | 49:05 | 4:57/km |
| 15 km | 24:45 | 1:13:50 | 4:57/km |
| 20 km | 24:45 | 1:38:35 | 4:57/km |
| Half | 5:26 | 1:44:01 | 4:57/km |
| 25 km | 19:19 | 2:03:19 | 4:57/km |
| 30 km | 25:44 | 2:29:04 | 5:12/km |
| 35 km | 25:41 | 2:54:45 | 4:54/km |
| 40 km | 24:30 | 3:19:15 | 4:54/km |
| Finish | 10:45 | 3:30:00 | 4:54/km |
Print this table or write the elapsed times on your arm — GPS pace is least reliable exactly when you need it most.