Quick answer: choose the race, type your goal, pick even pace or a negative split and print. Each band lists every mile or kilometre with the elapsed time you should see on your watch, and the split for that mile if you tick the box.
How to wear a pace band
Print at 100% scale (not "fit to page") so the band is narrow enough for a wrist. Cut along the border and wrap it around your wrist with clear tape over the top so sweat and water do not smudge it, or slip it under your watch strap. Printing two copies gives you one to wear and one spare. The "Both bands" option prints a mile band and a kilometre band for courses marked in both.
Elapsed time or split time?
Elapsed time is the number to check, because your watch shows it all the time and it carries over a slow water stop or a fast downhill: you can see at once whether you are ahead or behind. Single mile splits wobble with hills, turns and crowds.
Negative split bands
With a negative split the band starts a little slower than average and finishes a little faster. A 1% negative split on a 3:59:00 marathon puts halfway at 2:00:42 instead of 1:59:30. If you are not sure, choose even pace: it is easier to follow and still sensible for most runners.
Pace band or GPS watch?
Use both, for different jobs. A watch tells you how fast you are going right now, but over a long race its distance drifts away from the course signs, so its automatic mile splits stop lining up with the markers. A band ties your plan to the signs themselves: at each marker, compare the elapsed time on your watch with the time printed on the band, and the gap is exactly how far ahead or behind you are. Press the lap button at each marker as well if you want true split times afterwards.
Miles, kilometres or both
Print the band in the unit the race signs use. Courses may mark miles, kilometres or both. A kilometre band for a marathon has 43 lines (42 km plus the finish), so the type gets small. If that is hard to read on the move, set Every to 2 units to halve the lines, choose the large band size, or wear a mile band instead.
Bands for hilly courses
The band spreads time evenly, or with a steady negative split, so on a hilly course you will fall behind on climbs and win it back on descents. That is expected: check yourself on the flat sections and at halfway, not halfway up a hill. To see what a climb should cost, the grade adjusted pace calculator turns a slope into an equal-effort pace. At 3:30 marathon effort, 8:01 per mile on the flat, a 3% climb is about 9:24 per mile and a 3% descent about 6:48.
Bands for shorter races
On a 10K or half marathon a band is mostly a brake for the first miles. A 10K kilometre band has ten lines and reads at a glance, and seeing the 1 km and 2 km times in print makes an over-eager start obvious early.
To see the full split table first, use the marathon pace chart, half marathon pace chart or 10K pace chart; the band picks up the goal you typed there. Hilly race? The course pace planner prints a band with even-effort splits from the course GPX.
Formula and examples checked . Found a problem? Tell us.
Questions
How do I print a pace band?
Press Print pace bands, choose your printer, set the scale to 100% (Actual size) and print. The site menus and text are left off the page.
Is the pace band free?
Yes, with no sign-up and no email. The band is made in your browser; nothing is sent anywhere.
Can I make a pace band for a half marathon or 10K?
Yes: choose 5K, 10K, 15K, 10 miles, half marathon, marathon or 50K from the race list, or pick Custom distance and type any distance in miles or km.
Is a pace band better than a GPS watch?
They do different jobs. The watch shows your pace right now; the band shows where you should be at each course marker. GPS distance drifts from the signs over a long race, so the band and your elapsed time are the more reliable check.