Marathon pace calculator & BQ check.
Free marathon pace calculator. Enter your goal marathon time to get target per-km and per-mile pace, 5K splits, a Boston Qualifying check by age and gender, and a path into a structured marathon training plan.
Meeting the standard does not guarantee entry — Boston typically requires a cushion of several minutes due to field cap-offs. Aim 5+ minutes under to be safe.
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Boston-qualified for a reason: pacing is taught, not guessed.
Pace charts get you to the start line. A coach gets you across the finish on the pace you trained for — even when the wheels start wobbling at mile 20.
Boston-based · Trilingual EN/PT/ES · RRCA · USAT · TrainingPeaks L2 · 12× Boston qualifier
Frequently asked
What's a realistic marathon goal pace from my half marathon time?
Multiply your half marathon time by 2.1 (not 2.0) for a typical fitness-matched marathon. So a 1:30 half ≈ 3:09 marathon, a 1:45 half ≈ 3:40, a 2:00 half ≈ 4:12. If your weekly mileage is under 50km, push the multiplier to 2.15–2.20 — fade in the back half is a fueling and durability problem, not just fitness.
What pace do I need to run to qualify for Boston?
Under the 2026 standards (5 min faster than previously): Men 18–34 need 2:55 (4:09/km · 6:41/mi), Women 18–34 need 3:25 (4:51/km · 7:50/mi). Add 5 min per 5-year age group. Most qualifiers run a 2–5 minute buffer because Boston cuts off above the standard — see the in-page BQ check for your exact age-group target.
Should I run negative splits or even pace?
Even pace is the most efficient strategy on flat courses. Aim for the first half to be 30–90 seconds slower than the second (slight positive split is normal). True negative splits require holding back 5–10 sec/km early — only attempt if you've practiced it in long-run race-pace segments.
How much fueling do I need at marathon pace?
60–90 g of carbs per hour, starting at minute 30. That's roughly 2 gels per hour for most athletes, or 500–750ml of sports drink. Practice this exact protocol on every long run — most marathon blow-ups at mile 20+ are glycogen depletion, not lack of fitness.
Can I really hold marathon pace for 26.2 miles off this training?
Honest test: can you run 30km (18.6mi) at goal pace + 10 seconds/km in a long workout? If yes, the pace is realistic. If you can't string together 25–30km of quality work in training, the calculator's goal pace will fall apart between miles 18–22. Adjust the goal, or extend the build.