Breaking 3:30 at the New York City Marathon
Even splits would be 4:59/km (8:01/mi). But New York City 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
0–3 km
Verrazzano Bridge climb straight off the gun
5:06/km (8:13/mi)
3–24 km
Fast, flat Brooklyn miles
4:54/km (7:54/mi)
24–32 km
Queensboro Bridge — silent, windy, uphill
5:03/km (8:08/mi)
32–42.2 km
Fifth Avenue drag and rolling Central Park
5:02/km (8:06/mi)
Split table
| Checkpoint | Split | Elapsed | Pace at this point |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 km | 25:07 | 25:07 | 4:54/km |
| 10 km | 24:31 | 49:38 | 4:54/km |
| 15 km | 24:31 | 1:14:10 | 4:54/km |
| 20 km | 24:31 | 1:38:41 | 4:54/km |
| Half | 5:23 | 1:44:04 | 4:54/km |
| 25 km | 19:17 | 2:03:22 | 5:03/km |
| 30 km | 25:16 | 2:28:38 | 5:03/km |
| 35 km | 25:12 | 2:53:49 | 5:02/km |
| 40 km | 25:09 | 3:18:58 | 5:02/km |
| Finish | 11:02 | 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.