100K Pace Charts

A sub-10-hour 100K represents elite-level performance, generally achieved only by sponsored athletes and top amateur competitors. This pace requires a consistent fast pace, averaging less than 9:39 minutes per mile. Doing so requires minimal walking and demands exceptional course-specific fitness and well-honed nutrition protocols. Depending on the course's elevation profile, targeting this pace will be easier said than done.

Key Challenge: Maintaining a sub-9:30 pace becomes exponentially harder after mile 50 when even top athletes experience significant fatigue.

Breaking 12 hours in a 100K requires averaging approximately 11:35 per mile (~7:12 per kilometer). Success hinges on maintaining steady effort throughout, limiting hiking to only steep climbs. Ensuring adequate nutrition and remaining disciplined in pacing the first 50K are non-negotiable.

Key Challenge: The critical test comes between miles 50-55, where many strong runners experience a major energy dip. Practice your fueling strategy during long training runs to have the best chance of maintaining pace throughout the event.

A 14-hour 100K requires averaging ~13:31 minutes per mile, allowing strategic walking on climbs while maintaining consistent forward momentum. To succeed at this pace, embrace run-walk strategies from the start rather than attempting to run everything and crashing later. The key is accepting walking as strategy, not failure, while maintaining discipline during the runnable sections.

Key Challenge: The 50-60 mile window reveals whether early pacing was truly sustainable. Runners who feel 'too easy' at mile 30 but lack nutrition discipline often pay the price here when glycogen depletion hits hardest.

Sixteen hours provides comfortable breathing room, requiring that you stay below 15:26 minutes per mile. This pace accommodates hiking uphills while jogging flats and gentle downhills. Extended aid station stops (2-3 minutes) become manageable, allowing proper nutrition, gear adjustments, and mental recovery. This conservative approach often results in stronger final segments and more enjoyable race experiences.

Key Challenge: Depending on the time of year, night running typically begins around miles 40-50. This test will test your mental resilience when visibility drops. Success depends on headlamp familiarity and course knowledge.Avoid costly navigation mistakes by familiarizing yourself with the course, particularly the sections you anticipate running after dark.

An 18-hour 100K provides generous pace of ~17:20 minutes per mile. This makes it achievable for first-time 100K attempts and realistic even for courses with a significant elevation profile. This conservative target allows extended aid station visits and short recovery breaks without time pressure.

Key Challenge: Make sure you're aware of your race's aid station and course cutoff times to avoid an unexpected DNF.