The Magic Mile Test
One method of predicting what your race pace could be is the so called Magic Mile test.
Basically you run a mile as fast as you can and take a note of the time.
For a full marathon you should be capable of sustaining 130% of that pace.
| 5:17 min mile | 3 hour marathon |
| 6:10 min mile | 3.5 hour marathon |
| 7:02 min mile | 4 hour marathon |
| 7:55 min mile | 4.5 hour marathon |
| 8:48 min mile | 5 hour marathon |
For a half marathon the multiple is 120% (rather than the 130% for the full marathon).
Update your magic mile once every two or three weeks throughout your marathon build-up to give you a fresh idea of the sort of time you might achieve.
More magic mile information
You can find more details about the Magic Mile test on Jeff Galloway’s website.
