The fact that 13 world records have been set in Berlin speaks to the course’s fast and flat profile. As the second of four 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 …
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The fact that 13 world records have been set in Berlin speaks to the course’s fast and flat profile. As the second of four 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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An absolute experience
Ended up being the hottest Berlin marathon on record and that took a lot of people out including myself. Instead of racing it became a fun run and boy was … MORE
Ended up being the hottest Berlin marathon on record and that took a lot of people out including myself. Instead of racing it became a fun run and boy was it. The crowd was incredible and I drank nothing but iced tea the whole way through (sometimes it was hot though?) Fun race, probably a million people in the crowd cheering and calling your name makes it nearly indescribable.
Unseasonably HOT!
This was my first international race and my 3rd WMM. Due to the heat conditions of the race, 81F and 60% humidity, the race did an amazing job keeping us … MORE
This was my first international race and my 3rd WMM. Due to the heat conditions of the race, 81F and 60% humidity, the race did an amazing job keeping us cool along the course and medics everywhere. The only thing I do not like is the fact that you cannot buy gear outside of Germany. I wish Adidas would allow participants beyond Europe to purchase merchandise. Make sure you pack extra luggage to bring your purchases home. Also, I was not very pleased with the photos. The medal engraving after the race was very efficient moved very quickly! The fastest that I have experience thus far.
Great Scenery
I actually walked the 5K with my husband and it gave me the chance to see and take pictures of the beautiful architecture. If your family is traveling with you … MORE
I actually walked the 5K with my husband and it gave me the chance to see and take pictures of the beautiful architecture. If your family is traveling with you and not running the marathon the next day. The 5K is a great way to get them involved and feel apart of the race experience. The only down is although the bibs have chips, they never posted your time, so I had to grab it off my Garmin.
closing the finish line was cruel
- Expo is very crowded, I recommend going to the addids store before hand then the expo - The start time is not clear be sure you are ready when … MORE
– Expo is very crowded, I recommend going to the addids store before hand then the expo
– The start time is not clear be sure you are ready when you see the start line they could start you with the previous group.
– The finish line closes so dont take your time you could be picked up at 42 KM without warning
Why no Electrolytes in the hottest race?
Really badly organized, no electrolytes given, only water, stations swarmed like flies, you had to make a full stop, and only one side with stations. In 2019 it was much … MORE
Really badly organized, no electrolytes given, only water, stations swarmed like flies, you had to make a full stop, and only one side with stations. In 2019 it was much better organized, in 2025 trying to break record participation, they lowered the quality of services. It was the hottest race ever, and they did not bother to tell us no gatorade or powerade. Ridiculous, I’ve race 11 majors, this is the worse by far ever. Need to improve!!
A chaotic, iconic race
I'll preface by saying this was my first world major so the scale of it all was new to me, I'm also from the US and my travel was a … MORE
I’ll preface by saying this was my first world major so the scale of it all was new to me, I’m also from the US and my travel was a nightmare. Arrive more days in advance than you think in case of any hiccups.
The Good:
– The course highlights running around the Victory Column and through the Brandenburg Gate are as good as you imagine
– Packet pickup at The Messe was very efficient
– Not much free swag, but the Adidas merch is awesome
– Start/finish area is easy to get to by transit. The meetup point sorted by letters of names is a life saver.
– Fantastic crowd support: lots of music, lots of noise and club/brand support
– Awesome medal
The Bad:
– The start area is mayhem: people pooping in the woods (watch your step!), no volunteers guiding you to the entrance of the corrals so me and a thousand other runners had to jump multiple barriers to get in after the gun
– Plastic cups at hydration stations are hard to drink from and are a slipping hazard
– 2025 was the hottest on record, dangerous conditions for many
– The course is book ended by iconic landmarks, but not much variety of scenery in between
It’s a cool race, if I had been lucky with prime PR weather and a great run, I would probably be raving about the experience. But based on what I was dealt, I’m probably happy to say I ran Berlin once and won’t be itching to get back.
HOT MARATHON
It was a hot one! no PBs on my end but glad to finish. There needed to be more water stops and ice along the course due to the heat.. … MORE
It was a hot one! no PBs on my end but glad to finish. There needed to be more water stops and ice along the course due to the heat.. The swag was alright- had to pay 120 euro and 40 euro for a t shirt. nothing was included. expo could have been better.
Heiß, aber wunderbar!
Fun, flat course that takes you through all parts of Berlin. On a cooler day it would have been outstanding. Unfortunately the heat (and jet lag) ate me up. Lots … MORE
Fun, flat course that takes you through all parts of Berlin. On a cooler day it would have been outstanding. Unfortunately the heat (and jet lag) ate me up. Lots of support on the route and reasonably plentiful water and aid stations. The production was excellent and very well organized.
Only negatives were no electrolytes on the course which was brutal on an 80 degree day and it was fairly crowded the first several miles which made it hard to find a consistent pace.
Overall though a great time and great race. Just wish it hadn’t been so hot!
Heat and lack of motivation :(
Was a little bit unseasonably warm, hit 83 degrees near the middle of the race for me, ran decent in the first 12 miles, then just felt off, and decided … MORE
Was a little bit unseasonably warm, hit 83 degrees near the middle of the race for me, ran decent in the first 12 miles, then just felt off, and decided to just get it done and play it safe with my schedule. Very flat course but crowded, no liquid electrolytes on course 🙁
Fun and popular Shakeout run.
Nice survey of the finish area for the full marathon, very crowded, but went out casual and picked it up a half mile or so in. A little dodging and … MORE
Nice survey of the finish area for the full marathon, very crowded, but went out casual and picked it up a half mile or so in. A little dodging and weaving but a very fun 5k in Berlin.
Unseasonably Hot and Plastic Cups
This was my fourth marathon. So in marathon word, I am a newbie. -- Getting to the expo was a mess. Trains did not run on time and one I … MORE
This was my fourth marathon. So in marathon word, I am a newbie.
— Getting to the expo was a mess. Trains did not run on time and one I was one had to return to the station I transferred it from. Ended up walking 40 minutes to the expo. Missed my pick up time but then it really didn’t matter what time you got there because no one checked. Merchandise was not as varied as NYC or London. I ended up going to Addidas flagship store for better selection.
— The race forecast was for mid 70’s Fahrenheit and peaking at upper 70’s. Had to deal with full sun and little shade and humidity. My starting time was 10:10 am.
— The water stations were crowded. Plastic cups thrown all over the ground doesn’t allow you to resume your speed. Basically, one had to walk out of the water stop in order not to fall and get injured.
— Course is flat and if there was one elevation around mile 16, it was not significant. Didn’t feel it at all.
— Had to adjust my expectations to just finishing considering the weather and having to stop for water, fill my handheld and pour water over my head.
This was my slowest race and glad it was over.
Having done Berlin Half and Full, I can cross it off my list.
Expecting a PR at this race was not an option even though I wanted it so bad. Finishing was a win.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
So, who goes first? So many wonderful buildings and a great history. I love churches and they have some good ones. Course is flat and does an excellent tour of … MORE
So, who goes first? So many wonderful buildings and a great history. I love churches and they have some good ones. Course is flat and does an excellent tour of the historical city. There is a mass of folks and the race is well done considering the numbers, lots of people. Very crowded but no options to improve. I think the race should start at 6:00 and then have the masses begin at 8 AM. This race was hot hot hot. Did I say hot? 84!!! the bad, well the heat. The Ugly, this is the largest race in the World, why is there trash, garbage, graffiti all over the place, dirty sidewalks and lots of cigarette buttes on the ground. Very dirty city. Now they made who knows how much money, $900,000,000 dollars and the streets are dirty??? The aid stations did not have salt or pickle juice. ( What? )
I almost died in Berlin
Beginning with the expo on Saturday, it was held at the Messe Berlin. Very nice venue, that is very spacious for the amount of people who participate in the event. … MORE
Beginning with the expo on Saturday, it was held at the Messe Berlin. Very nice venue, that is very spacious for the amount of people who participate in the event. The expo started by showing an ID and getting a nylon bracelet from a machine. You can choose wrists so I chose my left. I don’t know why they make you wear this as I have a thin wrist and it fit very loose making it annoying while sleeping and running. You then received a bag with the course map, some electrolyte powder, chicken Roman, and a danish. The shirts were not free as you had to pay €40 for them and were very large in size. I had to size into a women’s due to the men’s being way too large. There are not a lot of samples other than beer at the expo and some energy shots.
The race began promptly at 9:15 on Sunday at Tiergarten. Again, there is a lot of people congested in the corrals. It was difficult to get to the corral as you had to walk around north of tiergarden to get to it from the north side. Marathon itself was very hard to run due to traffic. I almost got tripped and fell numerous times, getting kicked at the bottom of shoes and pushed throughout. The heat was also a big factor in the run. I noticed a lot of older people dropping like flies from heat stroke. I heard a lot of ambulance sirens especially in the last 10-15km. There was a lot of crowd support throughout, which was nice for a motivational builder. A lot of live music, drums, horns, guitars, whistles, bells you name it and you’d hear it a lot. Having said that it was very loud and hard to listen to your own music at times. There was a lot of scenic architecture along the way and was really a nice tour of the city of Berlin. I like how there was no out and back throughout the course. There was a little flea market at around mile 14 which was interesting. As for nutrition, there was only water in plastic cups throughout the course. This made things very annoying kicking around plastic cups. It was disappointing not to have any energy drinks, as electrolytes are crucial on a warm day like today. All that was offered were Maurten gels.
It was such a special feeling getting to the finish line going under the Brandenburg gates and back into tiergarden with a full crowd of people in stadium seats singing along to “sweet Caroline,” a nod to Boston. The metal was very iconic and cool and displayed the Brandenburg gates on the front and course map on the back. Better than previous years where it shows a marathoner on it.
The post race snacks included a bag with an apple, banana, kinder bar, chocolate croissant and mineral water. There were no electrolytes once again, and had to get a tropical alcohol drink. Because I was very desperate for something other than water. I did take a few sips, and I did not want anymore. All in all if you are chasing a six star medal I would do this marathon, otherwise I would never come out to do this run as it was too crowded, too warm, and not adequate and appropriate nutrition.
Good, but not great
Berlin is a fun city, with a ton of history, and warm and welcoming people. I really enjoyed visiting here and experiencing the German culture. It’s very easy to get … MORE
Berlin is a fun city, with a ton of history, and warm and welcoming people. I really enjoyed visiting here and experiencing the German culture. It’s very easy to get around because everyone is fluent in English!
The pros and cons of the race:
Pros:
-this course is relatively flat
-water was plentiful at each stop
-I liked the water bottle refill stations
-energy and crowd support was solid
Cons:
-the start is way too late. I was in the second wave and we started at 9:45. It was very hot (high of 78) and this just made the heat worse.
-the starting blocks are sooooooooo far. Once you are in the start area, you have to walk an additional mile just to get to them. I arrived 90 minutes beforehand and was just on time. Way too much walking before a marathon.
-I stayed in postdamer platz which is a 15 min walk from the start, however the road is completely blocked from the race to get back over there after the finish! It took me 1.5 hours to get back to our hotel after finishing. Nightmare. Exiting the marathon needs to be better orchestrated for participants, with clear directions about how to get where considering all the road closures.
-there are no electrolytes on the course
-there are not enough water stops. Only 9. And they did not increase them considering the heat.
-not enough porta potty’s
-no hand sanitizer to clean your hands
-you have to walk several minutes after the finish line before they hand you a bag with water in it. Not acceptable after a marathon, especially on a hot day.
I would not do this marathon again due to the difficult pre-race start and post-race finish logistics, and lack of hydration on the course. Many runners had major problems with the heat and lack of electrolytes.
I ran my slowest marathon time here. Partly due to heat, but partly due to an injury that required stopping several times.
An amazing experience
The positives: the crowds were great; the course was pancake flat with lots of turns, so you weren’t running on the same for for an eternity; you get to meet … MORE
The positives: the crowds were great; the course was pancake flat with lots of turns, so you weren’t running on the same for for an eternity; you get to meet people from all over the world; transportation around the city was extremely easy with use of the S or U-Bahn; running through the Bradenburg gate was amazing!
The negatives: crowded corrals (on that same note, many people jumping into faster corrals than they were supposed to be in), minimal bathroom availability (People were peeing in bushes, behind trees,etc), unclear signage to get to where you needed to go (for example, I never went through security because I couldn’t find the entry, and a volunteer happened to let me pass through a fenced-off area to get to my corral), significant crowding during the race for the slower waves
This was an amazing trip and great experience, but as someone from the US, I would not go back to do this race again.
Great First International Marathon
Great race- lots of crowd support. Expo was a bit crowded and disorganized. It was difficult to navigate where things were due to the crowd size and sign placement (too … MORE
Great race- lots of crowd support. Expo was a bit crowded and disorganized. It was difficult to navigate where things were due to the crowd size and sign placement (too low). Exits and entrances were a one way in, one way out setup. Adidas race apparel left a lot to be desired. It was cheaply made and fell apart after the first wash. Course was flat and fast and we ran through lots of scenic areas. Finish line area was a bit confusing, again signage non-existent or set too low to see. There was no where to sit.
Probably better when non-anniversary
Berlin offered nice weather, a relatively flat course, wonderful spectators, and really well organized pre-race administration. However, I think that the huge crowd due to the 50th Anniversary was a … MORE
Berlin offered nice weather, a relatively flat course, wonderful spectators, and really well organized pre-race administration. However, I think that the huge crowd due to the 50th Anniversary was a bit overwhelming. It was nearly impossible to get to the aid stations since they were positioned on only one side of the streets. If you love extremely crowded races, then this one is for you. I’m glad that I went, but I probably wouldn’t ever do this one again.
Too big for its own good
Race was too big/ crowded, corral assignments were bad (Walkers mixed in the same corral with 3hr pace groups). Plastic cups at the aid stations is a terrible idea, witnessed … MORE
Race was too big/ crowded, corral assignments were bad (Walkers mixed in the same corral with 3hr pace groups). Plastic cups at the aid stations is a terrible idea, witnessed several runners fall because of the plastic cups all over the road. Too much pushing, tripping and elbowing for 26.2 miles for me to enjoy the race. Please rethink the field size… 54k is way too many runners for the narrow streets in Berlin.
VERY Crowded + Spectacular
Since this is a world major, I fully expected the whole package. I wasn't disappointed since the volunteers, the crowds, the weather, and the scenery were phenomenal. I only have … MORE
Since this is a world major, I fully expected the whole package. I wasn’t disappointed since the volunteers, the crowds, the weather, and the scenery were phenomenal.
I only have 2 complaints:
1. Since this is a world major, there were over 50,000 runners… so it was packed and crowded. It was very hard to keep a steady pace since I was constantly surrounded by other runners, and I constantly had to zig-zag between the other runners.
2. There were times when parts of the road were blocked off, so we sometimes had bottleneck situations. With this, we were sometimes in tighter situations, so it was hard to run and navigate the road.
Overall, this is a wonderful race and I’m extremely fortunate to participant in its 50th anniversary! I wish I could run here again, but I’ll focus on other races.
First Major
It was AWESOME!!! 🤩 best race I’ve ever taken a part in. The crowds were great, and pumped you up. Flat and fast course. The swag was amazing for their … MORE
It was AWESOME!!! 🤩 best race I’ve ever taken a part in. The crowds were great, and pumped you up. Flat and fast course.
The swag was amazing for their 50th anniversary. They don’t give you any swag, you have to purchase them all.
Security lines went smoothly. There is a lack of port a potties for some reason in a race of such large scale. 58,000 runners.
They do pump you up and make it a party! Happy to have been there for their 50th. I’d return again if I can. Loved all of it!!