BMW Berlin Marathon
The fastest marathon on earth draws the sport's best to a flat, crowd-thundering loop through the reunified heart of Berlin. Running here feels like being part of something larger than a race.
The course.
Race-day weather.
Typically cool and partly cloudy in late September, with highs near 63°F and lows around 48°F. Light rain is possible but conditions are generally ideal for marathon running.
Entry.
The primary entry path is an annual lottery open from late September to early November (for 2026, Sept 25–Nov 6, 2025), with results notified by end of November. Guaranteed bibs are also available via charity fundraising with one of the official partners, or through official international tour operator packages.
Register on race siteLogistics.
BER, 11 mi from the start.
From the community.
Race history.
The Berlin Marathon was the brainchild of Horst Milde, a Berlin baker and running enthusiast who pulled the first edition together in October 1974 on a side road next to the SC Charlottenburg stadium. Just 286 runners entered and 244 finished, and the inaugural was won by Günter Hallas and Jutta von Haase. From those modest origins, Berlin grew into one of the largest marathons in the world by participation, with 54,280 finishers in 2024.
What truly cemented Berlin's status, though, is its course. Thirteen world records have been set there, more than at any other marathon, thanks to the city's flat layout and cool autumn conditions. Christa Vahlensieck broke the women's record in 1977; Naoko Takahashi became the first woman under 2:20 on the course in 2001; Eliud Kipchoge ran 2:01:09 in 2022 and Tigst Assefa 2:11:53 in 2023. Among serious runners, Berlin is the marathon you pick when you want to chase a personal best — or when you want to watch a world record fall. Its place in the World Marathon Majors is anchored less by tradition than by a course that consistently produces the fastest times on the planet.
First run in 1974. Roughly 48,359 finishers in a recent edition.