Fine-Tune Your Marathon Strategy

Boston Qualifier Pace & Elevation Simulator

Curious what pace you’ll need to hit your Boston Qualifier—and how the hills might change your splits?

This free simulator lets you set your goal time, pick a major marathon course, and see how elevation affects your plan, mile by mile.

Hover over the chart to see elevation at every point. Adjust your target and course as often as you want.

No sign-up, just honest data to help you train and race smarter.

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Boston Qualifier Pace & Elevation Simulator

Visualize Your Marathon Mile by Mile

Curious how much hills matter for your Boston Qualifier? Enter your goal time, pick a major course, and see how every mile’s elevation could shift your required pace.
Use the interactive chart below—hover or click to explore each mile’s elevation and predicted pace change.

  • Set your BQ target—get instant split predictions
  • Pick a real course or test a flat route
  • Hover or click the chart to highlight a mile
  • See how uphills and downhills affect your pacing plan
Pace Per Mile:
Mile Elevation Change (ft) Adjusted Pace

FAQ: Using the BQ Simulator

How accurate are the elevation profiles? Elevation data here is simplified from public marathon maps. For most runners, it's close enough to guide your pacing and hill strategy, but expect small differences compared to race day.
Can I use my own course or upload a GPX? Not yet, but if you want this, let us know. Right now, select from Boston, NYC, Chicago, or a flat custom option.
How do you adjust pace for elevation? We use a simple rule: add 2 seconds per foot of climb, 1 second per foot of descent, per mile. It’s an estimate—real effect depends on fitness, running style, and how you attack hills.
Why do some miles look much slower or faster? Miles with big climbs show slower paces; miles with downhill often show a slight speed-up. Some flat miles are "true" pace. This helps you plan your effort—don’t panic if a split is off, focus on the average.
Will this guarantee a BQ? No tool can do that. But it’ll help you set a realistic pacing plan for your course and goals. Training, weather, and execution still matter most.

Set your BQ target and see required splits instantly

Pick a real marathon course or try a flat simulation

Hover to view elevation and adjusted pace for each mile

Understand where the toughest climbs and easiest miles are

Use this data to plan workouts and race-day strategy

Coaching That Gets Results. Athletes we train consistently qualify for elite events.

5 X

IRONMAN WORLD
CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIER

12 X

BOSTON MARATHON
QUALIFIER

16 X

IRONMAN 70.3 WORLD
CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIER