Sub-3 marathon pacing
The San Francisco Marathon sub-3 pacing plan
A 2:59:59 at The San Francisco 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
- 56.8
- Typical climate
- 16 °C
Deterministic splits
Sub-3 checkpoints
Adjusted for 16 °C / 80% humidity.
km 5
21:30
4:00/km
km 10
43:18
5:03/km
km 15
1:06:22
4:56/km
km 20
1:27:39
4:06/km
km 25
1:49:35
4:33/km
km 30
2:10:50
3:56/km
km 35
2:30:54
3:52/km
km 40
2:51:00
3:57/km
km 42.2
3:00:00
4:02/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
3:23:50
Course cost
+10:05
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.
First 5 km preview
full race locked
- km 14:45
- km 24:48
- km 34:51
- km 45:24
- km 54:32
First race free · then €7 Race Pass · no monthly subscription
Uses an approximate course model; verify final logistics against the official race packet.
Not chasing sub-3? Go back to the main The San Francisco Marathon pacing guide.