Marathon Pacing Calculator

The method

How this pacing strategy works

This strategy is designed to help you settle into the race before gradually increasing your pace.

You’ll start slightly slower, giving your body time to warm up and allowing your heart rate and effort to stabilise. From there, your pace gradually increases through the race to create a small negative split.

The final kilometres ease back slightly to account for fatigue while still keeping you on track for your goal time.

Your opening pace is automatically calculated from your goal finish time, so all of the pacing changes still add up to exactly 42.2 km and your target finish time.

1–3 km — Settle in

Start at your calculated opening pace. Stay controlled and allow your heart rate to settle.

4–14 km — Start building

Pace increases by approximately 1%.

15–28 km — Build again

Pace increases by approximately another 1%.

29–37 km — Final progression

Pace increases slightly again as you move into the later stages of the race.

38–42.2 km — Bring it home

The planned pace allows a slightly eased pace to account for late-race fatigue.

The result is a controlled start, gradual progression and slight negative split.