To run a 2:45 hour marathon you need to run at a pace of 6:17 per mile or 3:54 per kilometer.
Following the splits below (and shaving off a second), you’ll run a sub 2:45 marathon.
I’d recommend aiming to run 1-2 minutes ahead of the split target time from 10 miles, as you’ll likely come up against crowding on race day.
2:45 Marathon Pace in Miles
| Mile | Split |
|---|---|
| 1 | 6:18 |
| 2 | 12:35 |
| 3 | 18:53 |
| 4 | 25:10 |
| 5 | 31:28 |
| 6 | 37:46 |
| 7 | 44:03 |
| 8 | 50:21 |
| 9 | 56:38 |
| 10 | 1:02:56 |
| 11 | 1:09:14 |
| 12 | 1:15:31 |
| 13 | 1:21:49 |
| 14 | 1:28:06 |
| 15 | 1:34:24 |
| 16 | 1:40:41 |
| 17 | 1:46:59 |
| 18 | 1:53:17 |
| 19 | 1:59:34 |
| 20 | 2:05:52 |
| 21 | 2:12:09 |
| 22 | 2:18:27 |
| 23 | 2:24:45 |
| 24 | 2:31:02 |
| 25 | 2:37:20 |
| 26 | 2:43:37 |
| 26.2 | 2:45:00 |
2:45 Marathon Pace in KM
| KM | Split |
|---|---|
| 1 | 3:55 |
| 2 | 7:49 |
| 3 | 11:44 |
| 4 | 15:38 |
| 5 | 19:33 |
| 6 | 23:28 |
| 7 | 27:22 |
| 8 | 31:17 |
| 9 | 35:12 |
| 10 | 39:06 |
| 11 | 43:01 |
| 12 | 46:55 |
| 13 | 50:50 |
| 14 | 54:45 |
| 15 | 58:39 |
| 16 | 1:02:34 |
| 17 | 1:06:29 |
| 18 | 1:10:23 |
| 19 | 1:14:18 |
| 20 | 1:18:12 |
| 21 | 1:22:07 |
| 22 | 1:26:02 |
| 23 | 1:29:56 |
| 24 | 1:33:51 |
| 25 | 1:37:46 |
| 26 | 1:41:40 |
| 27 | 1:45:35 |
| 28 | 1:49:29 |
| 29 | 1:53:24 |
| 30 | 1:57:19 |
| 31 | 2:01:13 |
| 32 | 2:05:08 |
| 33 | 2:09:03 |
| 34 | 2:12:57 |
| 35 | 2:16:52 |
| 36 | 2:20:46 |
| 37 | 2:24:41 |
| 38 | 2:28:36 |
| 39 | 2:32:30 |
| 40 | 2:36:25 |
| 41 | 2:40:20 |
| 42 | 2:44:14 |
| 42.2 | 2:45:00 |
Other Marathon Pace Charts
| 3:00 | 4:00 | 5:00 | 6:00 | 7:00 | |
| 3:05 | 4:05 | ||||
| 3:10 | 4:10 | ||||
| 3:15 | 4:15 | 5:15 | 6:15 | ||
| 3:20 | 4:20 | ||||
| 3:25 | 4:25 | ||||
| 2:30 | 3:30 | 4:30 | 5:30 | 6:30 | |
| 2:35 | 3:35 | 4:35 | |||
| 2:40 | 3:40 | 4:40 | |||
| 2:45 | 3:45 | 4:45 | 5:45 | 6:45 | |
| 2:50 | 3:50 | 4:50 | |||
| 2:55 | 3:55 | 4:55 |
Training for a 2:45 Marathon
Is 2:45 a Good Marathon Time?
Well, what do the stats say?
Run Repeat conducted a study that contains 19,614,975 marathon results from more than 32,335 races across the globe, here is how a 2:45 marathon compares against age and gender for the races recorded:
| Overall | You’re faster than 99.3% of all runners. |
| Male | You’re faster than 99.0% of males. |
| Female | You’re faster than 99.8% of females. |
| <20 | You’re faster than 98.2% of under 20s. |
| 20-29 | You’re faster than 98.5% of 20-29 year olds. |
| 30-39 | You’re faster than 99.1% of 30-39 year olds. |
| 40-49 | You’re faster than 99.7% of 40-49 year olds. |
| 50-59 | You’re faster than 99.9% of 50-59 year olds. |
| >60 | You’re faster than 100% of over 60s. |
Training Runs and Paces for a 2:45 Marathon
To break a 2:45 marathon you’ll need to do some serious distance in your training, I recommend at least 35 miles (56km) per week.
You’re also going to need to make sure you’ve crossed off these milestones for other race distances:
- A 5k in 17:10 mins
- A 10k in 35:50 mins
- A half marathon in 1 hour 16 mins
Pace for Training
| Pace | Mins per Mile | Mins per KM |
|---|---|---|
| Easy | 7:05 | 4:24 |
| Steady | 6:17 | 3:54 |
| 10k | 5:46 | 3:35 |
| 5k | 5:32 | 3:26 |
| 1 Mile | 5:08 | 3:12 |
Weekly Mileage Targets
| Target Mileage: | Gradually increase your weekly mileage from 43 miles (69 km) to a peak of 67 miles (108 km). |
| Incremental Increase: | Increase mileage by approximately 10% each week, with every fourth week as a recovery week where mileage is reduced by 20-30%. Make sure to taper for the last 1-2 weeks. |
Long Run Structure
| Total Distance: | Build up to long runs of 20-22 miles (32-35 km). |
| Segment Example: | First 5 miles (8 km): Easy pace, heart rate 140-150 bpm (approximately 7:15/mile or 4:30/km). Next 1 mile (1.6 km): Fast pace at 5:20/mile (3:18/km). Next 5 miles (8 km): Medium effort, heart rate around 160 bpm (approximately 6:20/mile or 3:56/km). Repeat: Repeat the segment twice (5 miles easy, 1 mile fast, 5 miles medium), you can taper the final 2 miles if required. |
Why This Works: Incorporating varied paces within long runs enhances lactate tolerance, which helps on race day when you’ve got to maintain pace despite feeling fatigued. By practicing surges during a run, you can build up your physical and mental resilience (lots of elite marathon runners use these strategies during their training).
Alternating Long Runs: Alternate between structured long runs (easy/fast segments) and easier long runs. For easier long runs, maintain a steady, comfortable pace throughout, focusing on mileage rather than speed to aid recovery.
Speedwork Sessions
| Short Intervals: | – 800m repeats at 2:42 per interval (3:22/km). – Aim for 6-12 repetitions with equal time for recovery. |
| Mile Repeats: | – 1 mile repeats at 5:25 per mile (3:22/km). – Aim for 6-12 repetitions with a 1-2 minute recovery jog. |
| Longer Intervals: | – 2 mile repeats at 5:35 per mile (3:28/km). – Aim for 5-8 repetitions with a 2-3 minute recovery jog. |
Recovery and Rest Days
| Rest Days: | You don’t need to incorporate rest days if you are using recovery runs, but I recommend taking 1 (or a max of 2) per week to allow your body to recover and prevent overtraining. |
| Easy Run Days: | Include 1-2 easy run days per week at a relaxed pace of 8:30/mile (5:17/km), covering 5-10 miles (8-16 km) per day. Try to keep your heart rate below 140 bpm on easy days to ensure proper recovery and aerobic development. |
My Tips to Run a Sub 2:45 Marathon
Row Brown is the founder of Refresh Row. He is a keen marathon runner, his favorite being the London Marathon. He’s now set himself the mission of Running the Entire Length of Spain, which is scheduled for late 2024.
