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Sub-3 marathon pacing

Acea Run Rome The Marathon sub-3 pacing plan

A 2:59:59 at Acea Run Rome The Marathon is not just 4:16/km on a spreadsheet. The course profile, altitude, and typical race climate change how those kilometres should feel.

Target
2:59:59
Avg pace
4:16/km
Course VDOT
54.3
Typical climate
12 °C

Sub-3 checkpoints

Adjusted for 12 °C / 73% humidity.

km 5

21:41

4:09/km

km 10

43:28

4:29/km

km 15

1:05:11

4:29/km

km 20

1:26:38

4:15/km

km 25

1:47:45

4:20/km

km 30

2:08:54

4:08/km

km 35

2:30:08

4:26/km

km 40

2:51:00

4:12/km

km 42.2

3:00:00

4:08/km

Sub-3 risk notes

  • The opening 5 km should feel deliberately contained; banking time early usually turns into a larger loss after 30 km.
  • Required VDOT is course-adjusted. A flat-sea-level sub-3 marker is not always enough on warmer, hillier, or higher-altitude courses.
  • Fueling is part of the pacing plan. The deterministic target sits in the higher carbohydrate window and needs practice before race day.

Step 1 · Free preview

See the course-adjusted plan first

Enter one recent result. The preview returns course cost, first splits, and fuel target from the deterministic engine and the current course data model.

VDOT

49.1

Estimate

3:16:00

Course cost

+2:16

Fuel target

60 g/h

60 g/h needs a trained gut — practise it in training, never try new fuelling on race day. Your full plan tunes this to your experience.

Where the course costs you12 °C · 73% RH
on pace easing the climbs that cost youToughest: km 4 · 5:03

First 5 km preview

full race locked

  1. km 14:43
  2. km 24:41
  3. km 34:39
  4. km 45:03
  5. km 54:31
km 6-42 locked · full splits, nutrition timeline, danger zones, printable race band
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Uses an approximate course model; verify final logistics against the official race packet.

Not chasing sub-3? Go back to the main Acea Run Rome The Marathon pacing guide.