MajorMarathon
Pace your London Marathon
London Marathon Pace Calculator — build marathon splits from your goal time and the real course elevation.
Sun, Apr 25, 2027
Your race plan
Awaiting your goalSet a goal time to build your splits
- Splits shaped by the course's climbs and descents
- Even, negative, or positive split strategies
- Send the plan straight to your watch
Course facts
London Marathon records & finishers
| Men's course record | 1:59:30 — Sabastian Sawe (2026) |
|---|---|
| Women's course record | 2:15:25 — Paula Radcliffe (2003) |
| Average finish time | 4:40:21 (2025) |
| Finishers | 56,640 (2025) |
Pace targets
What pace do you need for a goal-time London Marathon?
Average pace per kilometer and mile for common finish-time goals at the London Marathon, based on its 42.2 km distance.
| Goal finish | Pace per km | Pace per mile |
|---|---|---|
| 3:00:00 | 4:16/km | 6:52/mi |
| 3:30:00 | 4:59/km | 8:01/mi |
| 4:00:00 | 5:41/km | 9:09/mi |
| 4:30:00 | 6:24/km | 10:18/mi |
| 5:00:00 | 7:07/km | 11:27/mi |
Course notes
How to pace the London Marathon
London is mostly flat with a net downhill, but the profile is lumpy in the first 10 km around Greenwich and the Cutty Sark, with short rises that can spike pace if you are not watching.
The course flattens through Tower Bridge at halfway and the long stretch out to Canary Wharf. The Docklands section from mile 14 to 21 is twisty and can feel slow even at pace.
The Embankment from mile 23 to the finish past Big Ben and Buckingham Palace is flat and fast. Runners who paced the early rises conservatively can close hard here.
Set a goal finish time above and the calculator builds a split plan for this course, grade-adjusted from its elevation profile. New to pacing? Read the pacing strategy guide.
FAQ
London Marathon pacing FAQ
Is the London Marathon flat?
London is close to flat with a small net elevation loss. The only meaningful undulation is in the first 10 km around Greenwich; from halfway the course is fast.
Where is the London Marathon course slowest?
The Docklands and Canary Wharf section between miles 14 and 21 is narrow and twisting, so lap splits often drift even when effort is steady. The Embankment finish is the fastest part.
How do I calculate marathon splits?
Choose a marathon course or distance, enter your goal finish time, select kilometers or miles, and generate a split-by-split pacing plan.
Should marathon pace change on hills?
A hill-adjusted plan usually slows the target pace on climbs and allows faster splits on descents so the effort stays more even across the course.
What is an elevation-adjusted pace plan?
An elevation-adjusted pace plan uses the course profile to distribute effort by split instead of assuming the same pace for every kilometer or mile. The goal is to slow slightly on climbs, recover time on descents, and still hit your target finish time.
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