Breaking 4:00 at the Twin Cities Marathon
Even splits would be 5:41/km (9:09/mi). But Twin Cities 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
0–15 km
Flat Chain of Lakes section — settle in and bank your energy
5:40/km (9:08/mi)
15–25 km
Gentle descent to the Mississippi River — stay patient
5:40/km (9:06/mi)
25–30 km
River crossing and transition to St. Paul — the calm before the climb
5:42/km (9:10/mi)
30–37 km
Summit Avenue climb (+70 m) — the race's decisive test, run by effort not pace
5:49/km (9:21/mi)
37–42.2 km
Gentle downhill into the State Capitol — open your stride and finish strong
5:37/km (9:02/mi)
Split table
| Checkpoint | Split | Elapsed | Pace at this point |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 km | 28:21 | 28:21 | 5:40/km |
| 10 km | 28:21 | 56:42 | 5:40/km |
| 15 km | 28:21 | 1:25:04 | 5:40/km |
| 20 km | 28:18 | 1:53:21 | 5:40/km |
| Half | 6:13 | 1:59:34 | 5:40/km |
| 25 km | 22:05 | 2:21:39 | 5:40/km |
| 30 km | 28:30 | 2:50:09 | 5:42/km |
| 35 km | 29:04 | 3:19:13 | 5:49/km |
| 40 km | 28:28 | 3:47:41 | 5:37/km |
| Finish | 12:19 | 4:00:00 | 5:37/km |
Print this table or write the elapsed times on your arm — GPS pace is least reliable exactly when you need it most.