The fact that the past eight men’s marathon world records (most recently in 2022) were all set in Berlin speaks to the course’s fast and flat profile. As the first of three World Marathon Majors series races staged in the fall, Berlin typically offers perfect running weather on a course …
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The fact that the past eight men’s marathon world records (most recently in 2022) were all set in Berlin speaks to the course’s fast and flat profile. As the first of three World Marathon Majors series races staged in the fall, Berlin typically offers perfect running weather on a course that showcases one of the most world’s most historically significant cities. Though the crowded, narrow streets at times feel more like a parade route than a marathon course, arguably no home stretch in the sport inspires such raw emotion as passing through the Brandenburg Gate with the Tiergarten finish line in sight.
A group of runners from one of Germany’s most prestigious athletics clubs, SC Charlottenburg, organised the first BERLIN-MARATHON in 1974. It was not until 1981 that the race moved from the Grunewald (a big forest) into the city center of West Berlin. Supported by the three western allied forces (Britain, France and U.S.) it quickly developed into Germany’s biggest and best quality marathon.
It was after the Berlin Wall collapsed in November 1989 when a new era started. On September 30, 1990, three days before reunification, the course of the Berlin Marathon led through Brandenburg Gate and both parts of Berlin. In 2001 Naoko Takahashi became the first woman to break the 2:20 barrier in Berlin. The flat and fast loop course then was changed significantly for the 2003 race. Paul Tergat, who ran the world record of 2:04:55, became the first man to cross the new finish line, passing through Brandenburg Gate – the symbol for reunification.
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First International Major
Obviously a bucket list race now checked off of my list. I was lucky to gain entry to Berlin due to the bonus entries offered for having already completed 3 … MORE
Obviously a bucket list race now checked off of my list. I was lucky to gain entry to Berlin due to the bonus entries offered for having already completed 3 majors. Thoroughly enjoyed this race! My first time to Germany (and Europe) and this was a great way to see Berlin. Race was as well run as any of the other majors I’ve run (Chicago, NY and Boston). I was a little disappointed in the race swag, both what was included and available for purchase. This varies from year to year though so I guess this just wasn’t the year for me. Otherwise I had an amazing time in Berlin and would highly recommend this race.
What a fun world major race!
First time international marathon and it was great. Expo was really easy to get in and out of. The hype at the start is contagious. The course is a fun … MORE
First time international marathon and it was great. Expo was really easy to get in and out of. The hype at the start is contagious. The course is a fun and flat. Supporters of all nations line the streets and are all cheering you on. Aid stations were easy to get through. The vibe for this race is amazing. One of my favorite marathons.
Best World Major yet
My favorite World Major out of the 5 I’ve ran so far. A welcoming race that loves a runner of any caliber. This was my 2nd time running Berlin, and … MORE
My favorite World Major out of the 5 I’ve ran so far. A welcoming race that loves a runner of any caliber. This was my 2nd time running Berlin, and I would keep running it as long as I can.
Good race
Expo was tedious for purchasing items. No discernable line queues for check out. Jacket was definitely NOT worth the price paid for it and selling the finisher shirts to anyone … MORE
Expo was tedious for purchasing items. No discernable line queues for check out. Jacket was definitely NOT worth the price paid for it and selling the finisher shirts to anyone before the marathon? Really?
Must do if you're doing the world majors
Course, aid stations & spectators are AWESOME! Flat, fast, awesome people, volunteers and gels. The expo needs much improvement. Needs to be so much larger to accommodate all of the … MORE
Course, aid stations & spectators are AWESOME! Flat, fast, awesome people, volunteers and gels. The expo needs much improvement. Needs to be so much larger to accommodate all of the runners. The cattle car experience getting your wrist bands that you had to wear the entire time leading up to the race — needs so much for efficiency! Paying for your souvenir shirts and items complete disaster. Had no idea where the line started, literally snaked around like multiple areas. One line to take pictures with the Berlin Marathon logo for a keepsake. The whole thing was an entire chaos and made me want to leave as quickly as possible. Utterly disappointing!
Overrated
First world marathon major for me so I had high hopes for this race, but as always never go in with high expectations because it was a bit of a … MORE
First world marathon major for me so I had high hopes for this race, but as always never go in with high expectations because it was a bit of a letdown as a “major” (I’ve seen better productions from non-majors). Entered the lottery around November 2022 and results were announced in early December. This was my first time applying for the Berlin lottery so it seemed like it was fairly easy to get in (unlike London, which is Mission Impossible).
Expo: Held at the old airport on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday before the race. I went on Friday afternoon and the process was fairly smooth. Upon entry I was given a blue wristband (not to be taken off until after the race) as the volunteers would check the wristband and bib to prevent unauthorized runners on race day. It was a bit annoying to have the wristband around on Saturday so if you don’t want to be stuck with a wristband I suggest going on the last day of the expo (unless you want to get the merchandise as they may be sold out by then). In addition to the bib, I rented a ChampionChip for timing to tie to our shoes to record time (why we are still using these timing chips is beyond me, I thought most chips are attached to the back of the bib these days, not to mention we were supposed to return these ChampionChips after the race, extra hassle). The good thing is registration comes with free public transportation from Thursday through race day so it was nice not having to worry about how to get to and fro. I also picked up a finisher shirt (a bit awkward to get the finisher shirt before the race) but race entry (163 EUR) didn’t include any shirt. I believe next year (50th anniversary) the race entry will be 205 EUR (26% increase, yikes), not sure if a shirt will included at that price tag.
Race Start: Entrance was right across from the Reichstag building where the volunteers checked your bib and wristband upon entry. I was placed in the last corral (if your expected finish time is at or over 5 hours you’d be placed last). This is my main issue with this race. The last two corrals (J and K) started the race around 10:40am, yes you read that right, 10:40am. Within the first hour the sun is already directly above your head which significantly slowed me down with all the heat (within the first six miles no less). If you expect to run for more than five hours, essentially you won’t be done until around 4pm. By the time I started around 10:40am the temperature was in the 60s and ramped up to the 70s in a flash with little to no wind (yet humid). Those in the earlier corrals likely had better weather conditions (and probably amenities, more on that later).
Course: Relatively flat with a few inclines but nothing major. Scenery was just so-so until near the finish line upon running through the Brandenburg Gate (that was nice). Some drumming for entertainment but not a whole lot (I prefer more upbeat music over drumming though).
Aid Stations: On-course refreshment included apples, bananas, water, warm sweet tea, and a mystery sugary drink (they called this “drink mix”, I had a sip and thought it had an odd taste). I had to devour apples and bananas as my lunch because essentially I didn’t finish until around 4pm. Not sure why they didn’t offer electrolytes or gels on course, those would be way more beneficial than offering tea which dehydrates. I also saw a bunch of gel packaging on the ground near all aid-stations which led me to believe that gels were offered at one point but obviously ran out for those starting in the latter corrals, but that wasn’t the worst part. The worst part of the race was the porta-potties. I’ve only used it once on course during the first half of the race, but all the stalls went out of toilet paper. Now, this being a ~48K runner race that it’s understandable for stalls to run out of toilet paper, especially for those starting in the last corral, but as a world major you’d think they have more supplies in stock or improve from prior years, but nope.
Crowd Support: Plenty of spectators throughout the course (crowd cheering on your name printed on the bib). Sidebar: the hotel I stayed at offered pasta party the night before the race, despite it not being within vicinity by any means (~30 min train ride to the race), so the city seemed committed to this event.
Race Finish: I thought the Brandenburg Gate was the finish line but apparently it was about 400 meters further out (I actually started walking after crossing the Brandenburg Gate, making a fool of myself before realizing it wasn’t the finish line hah).
Post-Race Refreshment: Bottled water, a few bite sized snacks, and a banana. Water and tea were offered at the finish area as well.
Swag: None. I opted for a poncho instead of a drop bag so if that’s considered as a swag then sure. Other than that nada. Any other items you’d need to order upon registration or buy at the expo (I bought the finisher shirt upon signup and picked up at the expo).
Final Thoughts: My performance was pretty bad considering this was a flat course, which I believe partly stemmed from the lack of fuel (i.e. electrolytes and gels) and the heat/humidity due to late start. Overall the production was disappointing considering this race being a world major per the points mentioned above (if it was any other regular race, I would have thought it was fine). On the other hand, it was an amazing feeling to run at a race where a world record was broken (Tigst Assefa broke the women’s marathon world record at 2:11:53, though she probably already started drinking her beer before I finished my 10k with the late start). It’s certainly a “must-run” race for marathoners based on its world major status, but other than that I probably wouldn’t run it again.
Starting line organization poor
The Expo was great. It's at an old airport and the location is convenient. However, special items like running shorts/hats/backpacks with the Berlin Marathon branding are sold-out by Saturday. Arrive … MORE
The Expo was great. It’s at an old airport and the location is convenient. However, special items like running shorts/hats/backpacks with the Berlin Marathon branding are sold-out by Saturday. Arrive early because by 11AM it gets really crowded. They printout your race number on a laser jet and give you a timing chip with a number that is also shown on your race bib. The timing chip can only be read if it’s on your shoe laces. According to their site, if it’s in your pockets or around your neck, the scanner cannot read it. They want their chip back in the end and have crew members at the exit gate to collect them. Crowd support was good. There are designated cheering areas throughout the course. So locals are out watching in groups and having fun, but are reserved. It gets loud like Chicago at the designated cheering areas and there are some really good bands throughout the course. Plenty of restrooms at the starting line. No issues there. Course is pancake flat with the exception of slight up hills on a few bridges over the river. Now the downside: There is a massive security area of fencing that expands miles and miles with only one entrance. I found that entrance the day before after a two hour search. On race day, they had put in another fence overnight and caused another half mile walk. No matter where your hotel is, you will be walking over 2 miles+ to the start line which is in the middle of a park not near public transit and only one entrance sort of near the finish line, but not the start line. The A,B, and C corral has too many runners for the space. There was no volunteers at the corrals checking race bibs to see if you were entering the correct corral. Which means, thousands of runners shoulder to shoulder climbing fences and police barricades (in high end racing shoes) at the starting line trying to find a space to get in the corral. Expect pushing and shoving. It was amazing a fight didn’t break out.
They only serve water on the course. The Germans, for some reason, do not believe in electrolytes whatsoever, and this can greatly impact how dehydrated you are at the end. Especially cause there is generally only a water station every 5K with these thick plastic cups. So when you get to the station plan on thousands of plastic cups on the ground. Only one time did they serve warm sweet tea other than water, and there was one station that gave out gels, but they appeared to be a local running club giving them out. It felt like there was no water stations the last 5K… it was shocking when you needed water most at the end; there were no stations. Major two thumbs down on that. You get through the finish line and the medal is really nice. Real art compared to other races! Long walk after the finish line again to get to a final water station, and once again no Gatorade/electrolyte whatsoever. It’s truly shocking. The bag had a little toddler size bag of pretzels, a chocolate croissant, some chocolate morsels, and a bottle of water. Of course it’s a long walk out of the security area before you can attempt to get to a train station. Overall, I had fun and liked the sideline support, but wouldn’t do it again.
Weather was in the 50’s but high humidity. I was sweating the first 8 miles significantly more than I would expect. No signs stating water station ahead. Stations are small and infrequent. Every 5km. Too many runners to see the water station coming up until you are right on it. So expect people will be darting across the street to get to one. Race started at 9:15AM, and much of the course is not in the shade. You appreciate the neighbourhoods that have significant trees/shade. You are completely locked in with a group of runners for the first 8 miles. Their pace is your pace cause there is someone always two feet next to you the first hour. Mile 16 is when people start dropping off and walking. Mile 25: there aren’t that many people left, and passing the Brandenburg Gate, you are almost running alone. Total tunnel vision to the finish line which is another quarter mile. BTW no mile markers! Only KM signs. So bring a watch that you trust! Non-alcoholic beer is served on the way out of the security area but not at the finish line like Chicago.
Lives up to the hype
Great race! This was a highlight for me. The course was great and though I didn’t get a PR it was a solid race. The course is filled with so … MORE
Great race! This was a highlight for me. The course was great and though I didn’t get a PR it was a solid race. The course is filled with so many buildings that have great history and architecture. Lots of portapotty’s, though I don’t know if there’ll ever be enough for all the runners. I also really liked the corral starts as they held each corral back until all runners from the previous corral had passed the start line.
Epic Fun Run Through History!
This was probably the funnest race I've ever run, especially for a marathon. You can feel the excitement of running with people from around the world, you're literally running through … MORE
This was probably the funnest race I’ve ever run, especially for a marathon. You can feel the excitement of running with people from around the world, you’re literally running through history, and everyone is SO supportive. From your fellow runners to community members, you’ll have a great time from start to finish. There is no boring section of this race. The sights and sounds are incredible and when you finish running through the Brandenburg Gate, it’s magical. I can’t recommend this race enough.
Was unable to train but it didn't matter
The course is [mostly] flat and fairly easy and if you stay within your training -- or in my case, lack of it -- you should be able to finish. … MORE
The course is [mostly] flat and fairly easy and if you stay within your training — or in my case, lack of it — you should be able to finish. Little wonder this is where WR are so often attempted and set.
Note that unlike NYC, there won’t be water every mile. But, unlike NYC, you can wear backpacks and camelbacks. And I’ll have to remember that if I ever run Berlin again.
Beautiful course w/ fascinating history
Berlin is fascinating and the course packs in as much history as one could get ending with the epic sites of Museum Island and the Brandenburg Gate. Crowd support was … MORE
Berlin is fascinating and the course packs in as much history as one could get ending with the epic sites of Museum Island and the Brandenburg Gate. Crowd support was surprisingly strong throughout. Course is flat with just enough slopes to break up the leg work. Mostly long, straight stretches between turns. Complaints I had heard that were NOT a factor for me included congestion and distance between water stations. Rest area at end is lawn for the iconic Reichstag. Mass transit is FREE for runner in days around the Marathon. Weather for 2022 was just a few degrees warmer than perfect. Recommendations: Do NOT go the Expo at opening time. The lines are terrible at first, but clear out within an hour. Portapotty lines were LONG. Get there early or make other arrangements so you can get to your corral. And, of course, allow days to see Berlin and deal with jet lag! EARLY! Biggest shortcoming: water stations are more frequent in second half, but they’re not well organized. Short with too much water/Maurten in cups. I was lucky to grab a bottle handed out by a thoughtful spectator. Handout gel was Maurten, but caffeinated gel was gone pretty quickly. On the other hand, the stations hand out TEA, which I love. All in all, a world class, not-to-be-missed Marathon.
Great first international race!
This was my first international race. Full Disclosure: I'm not a fan of massive races! I've only done a few, but this one was by far the best and easiest … MORE
This was my first international race.
Full Disclosure: I’m not a fan of massive races! I’ve only done a few, but this one was by far the best and easiest to navigate, which is surprising because it was in a foreign country. But they did an amazing job with it!
I spent the week before the race exploring the city, so I got to see the park & the main finish/start area before it was closed for race activities.
EXPO: The expo is insanely massive. I went an hour after it opened on day one (Thursday) and waited in line for hours! Bib pickup was quick and easy, but the security line to get into the expo took a while. The expo was in the old airport terminal (a cool venue to wander around itself – complete with old airline signage). You have to walk through the building, then out to where the airplanes/airport vehicles were housed. Then your start card is scanned. After that you walk to the next stop and you are given a bracelet. THEN, you go back into the building (what looks like an old hangar) passed the expo/merchandise section and through another check point (where they check for your bracelet), and THEN through like 3 other doorways until you FINALLY reach the counters to pick up bibs. There were probably 50 or more volunteers handing out bibs. This didn’t take too long (on Thursday at least….I heard horror stories about friday and saturday). After that you went to a different line to pick up any pre-ordered merchandise. This line was the worst. There were maybe 8 volunteers at that time handing out items. (FYI: no free swag with this race.) I ordered a finisher shirt. Other options were a jacket which turned out to be not as nice as the ones sold at the expo.) Once you got your pre ordered items, you could go through the Adidas section for more race merch. The rooms you walked through to get there were the other vendors. (By the time I got out of the adidas section, I was mentally done.)
BOTTOM LINE: Plan to be there as soon as the door opens OR prepare to be there a WHILE!
HALL OF FAME: At the Brandenberg Gate, there was several hall of fame & meet the elite opportunities. I just happened to stumble upon this on Friday night and got to see the top 3 male & female elite athletes being introduced. That was pretty cool.
INLINE SKATE MARATHON: The inline skate marathon was held on Saturday afternoon. I managed to see the tail end of it after dinner.
RACE DAY: Always expect to have to walk a couple miles to get to the start area. This is definitely the case with this race, no matter how close your hotel is. The start area was well managed and easy to navigate through. There were tons of volunteers around (I read there were over 4500 over the weekend). The corral system was pretty decent. Volunteers were checking bibs as you entered. But as the crowd got larger, it became a free for all.
The race was well managed and aid stations had plenty of water/sports drink and gels. Bands were out all along the course and I never felt bored. Lots of beautiful sights to see and some sections of the city I had not been to as well.
The finish area was very “olympic”. Big and loud and you felt as if you were a part of something massive! (well, you were!) It was pretty cool running through a huge finish line with fanfare and evidence of history that was just made. About halfway through the race i checked my phone to learn that Eluid Kipchoge had broken his world record. So that was pretty cool! Someone had made a cardboard sign and hung it on a lightpole. Everyone was taking pictures with it.
Overall, this race was definitely worth the trip overseas! I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it as much as I did. Definitely managed well and the amount of spectators that came out made the run enjoyable!
Berlin marathon PB
Super maraton z super Bramą Brandenburską i nie zapomniane wrażenia oraz super doping ludzi. Wspaniałe Expo ze śniadaniem przed maratońskim. Polecam 🙂 👍 MORE
Super maraton z super Bramą Brandenburską i nie zapomniane wrażenia oraz super doping ludzi. Wspaniałe Expo ze śniadaniem przed maratońskim. Polecam 🙂 👍
I should've PR'd
This was a great course and race! I was on track to PR, finished the half in under 2, but the second half killed me because I left my gels … MORE
This was a great course and race! I was on track to PR, finished the half in under 2, but the second half killed me because I left my gels back in the US and wasn’t properly hydrated since I was afraid to have to find/pay for restrooms. I forgot they’re not as easily accessed in Europe like in America! Not my worst time, it was actual right in the middle. (This was my 5th marathon and my 3rd best time). I would absolutely do it again.
Flat, Fast & Fun
A flat and fast course that through Berlin which is a city with lots of history. You get to through lots of that history and get a close up view … MORE
A flat and fast course that through Berlin which is a city with lots of history. You get to through lots of that history and get a close up view of the area, wall and buildings. The city does a great job of hosting the marathon and you feel like a celebrity when walking around with your medal. Of course there is never enough port-a-johns at the start area.
World Record Broken
I couldn't even get a PR. This was my first trip overseas and therefore my first race out of the country. Due to flight issues, etc, I didn't get to … MORE
I couldn’t even get a PR. This was my first trip overseas and therefore my first race out of the country. Due to flight issues, etc, I didn’t get to Berlin until late on the Friday before the race. That left me with just Saturday to get everything done.
One challenge that I had was being able to eat and hydrate enough before the race. I usually down a couple Power Ades and plenty of water. I couldn’t find a single Power Ade and water is a little different over there. They have still and sparkling water. In restaurants, the water comes in fancy bottles. I was able to find an Aldi to get a banana and bottled water.
I would suggest really understanding the transportation routes before going. The subway is the best way to get around, but understanding how it works and where to catch it, could be challenging. It was closed in one section and I had to walk a long way to find the next station. I walked way too much the day before the race.
The race expo/packet pickup was in an old airport. It was large, but still very busy. It took a while to get in to pick up my bib. They put a bracelet on you that you need to keep on for the race as well. I made the mistake of taking it off after the expo and they almost didn’t let me through security on the day of the race. Your bib is not enough. There were the usual expo items and a decent amount of marathon souvenirs. You have to buy your own shirt because you don’t get one with your race admission. The race bib is huge and does not have a timing chip. If you want to be timed, you have to make that choice when you signed up. They give you something to put through your shoestring. They also make sure to get that back after the race.
I stayed at a hotel that was a little ways from the start, but they offered a shuttle to the start. No matter how you get to the start, there will be a lot of walking to get to the starting corrals. You go through security and need to show them your bracelet from the expo (oops). And then more walking. There is a park close to the start with paths to do a little prerace warm up. All of the walking and warmup was on gravel paths and I had to empty all the pebbles out of my shoes.
Before the race they do a nice intro for the top 3 contenders. The race started promptly at 9:15. Luckily, the streets are wide at the beginning and helps with crowding. There are other parts of the course where the streets are a little more narrow and it can be a little congested. They have lines on the road that are supposed to be for the tangents, but I was still about 1/5 of a mile over by the end.
There are spectators along the entire course. It is very well supported. The only issue it that people like to cross the road in front of runners. This can be a little frustrating. Luckily, I didn’t have any close calls with spectators, but it looked like other might have. There were a lot of water stations and one place with Maurten gel. There was even a place with Coke Cola. All the stations used plastic cups. It had to do with recycling, but it’s different having plastic cups all of the ground vs paper cups. Also, it makes it more difficult to drink while running.
You get to run past a lot of interesting architecture and other areas. The finish is soon after passing through the Brandenburg Gate. It was a very cool way to end the race. The course is fairly flat and the weather was pretty good as well that day. It wasn’t my day, but I am still grateful for the experience.
They give you a bag with goodies at the end. It’s interesting because it is local items that you don’t see in the US. The medals were nice with Kipchoge on the reverse side. The lanyard could have been a little better, but it’s all good. At the race registration, I choose the poncho. I think the other option was a bag drop. The poncho was good quality and a good choice to keep my warm afterwards.
Make sure you know how to get back to your hotel afterwards. I took my phone and still had a hard time getting back. I ended up getting an Uber. I didn’t know until right after I finished that the world record had been broken.
Great race for a big PR
Can’t complain about a 31 min pr and being part of a world record setting race. Kipchoge is a legend. The course is very flat and beautiful and the weather … MORE
Can’t complain about a 31 min pr and being part of a world record setting race. Kipchoge is a legend. The course is very flat and beautiful and the weather was great.
BMW Berlin Marathon
What can I say? It is one of the Majors and it was absolutely incredible. If you qualify or get in through the Lottery, do it. 100% worth it! MORE
What can I say? It is one of the Majors and it was absolutely incredible. If you qualify or get in through the Lottery, do it. 100% worth it!
What an experience!!
I received a lottery entry into the marathon and was beyond excited. We arrived in country on Wednesday (from chicago) and were able to explore Berlin before race day. Expo … MORE
I received a lottery entry into the marathon and was beyond excited. We arrived in country on Wednesday (from chicago) and were able to explore Berlin before race day. Expo was at an old airport which was so cool to see. The course really is fast and flat and the temperature was perfect. It was easy to navigate as nearly everyone speaks English and it was incredible running through the Brandeberg gate at the end. Some folks had trouble finding bathrooms but I found there were a lot without lines adjacent to the starting corrals so use those instead of the first ones you see when you enter the runners village. Would for sure recommend this race to anyone looking for an international
Love Berlin!
This was such a great race. The weather was perfect, the course is pretty much flat (just a few little bumps over bridges), the race was well run, and the … MORE
This was such a great race. The weather was perfect, the course is pretty much flat (just a few little bumps over bridges), the race was well run, and the crowds were awesome!! I’m very happy with how everything went.