Pace band generator for hilly courses
Upload your race’s GPX and set a goal time. You get a printable wrist band with a slower target on every climb and a quicker one on every descent, adding up to your goal. Free, in km or miles, no account needed.
See your plan before you sign up
Upload a course, set a goal
You get the full grade-adjusted plan, free.
Nothing is uploaded to an account. Your plan lives in this tab only.
An even-split band against a graded band
Most pace band generators print one pace for the whole race, or a steady negative or positive split. That ignores the course. Here is the Boston Marathon at 4:00:00 as the printed band shows it, 11 blocks of a few kilometres each. An even band says 5:41/km throughout; the graded band moves by up to 15 seconds per km (km 0–4).
| km | Even band | Graded band | Graded vs even, per km |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 5:41 | 5:26 | −15 s |
| 4–8 | 5:41 | 5:34 | −7 s |
| 8–12 | 5:41 | 5:40 | −1 s |
| 12–16 | 5:41 | 5:49 | +8 s |
| 16–20 | 5:41 | 5:45 | +4 s |
| 20–24 | 5:41 | 5:48 | +7 s |
| 24–28 | 5:41 | 5:37 | −4 s |
| 28–32 | 5:41 | 5:54 | +13 s |
| 32–36 | 5:41 | 5:42 | +1 s |
| 36–40 | 5:41 | 5:35 | −7 s |
| 40–42.2 | 5:41 | 5:46 | +4 s |
Both bands finish on 4:00:00. Full splits for every goal time are on the Boston Marathon pace plan; how much each gradient changes the pace is in the pace by gradient table.
How to print and wear the band
- 01Print at 100% scale.Choose actual size, not fit to page, so the strip is the width it was designed at. Saving as PDF works too.
- 02Cut along the dashed lines.The band prints as one strip with cut marks above and below.
- 03Protect it from sweat and rain.Cover both sides with clear packing tape. It keeps the ink readable in the last hour.
- 04Wear it where you can read it at pace.Tape the ends into a loop around your wrist, or slide it under your watch strap with the next blocks facing you.
Questions
Is the pace band generator free?+−
Yes. Upload a GPX, set a goal and print the band without an account. A free account saves your races and plans so you can come back to them.
What do I need to make a pace band?+−
Your race's course as a GPX file with elevation, and a goal finish time. If you don't have the file, the GPX guide lists where to find one, and the race course pages have plans ready for some major marathons.
Does it work for half marathons, 10Ks and trail races?+−
It works for any distance in a GPX file up to 5 MB. The model is a running model, so on very steep or technical trail where you would hike, treat the climbing splits as a guide rather than a target.
Can I make a band in miles?+−
Yes. Switch between km and mi before or after generating the plan; the band reprints in the unit you choose.
What if my GPX has no elevation?+−
You still get a band, at even pace, and the page tells you that grade adjustment is off for that file.
No course file yet? How to get a GPX file of your race course.