Berlin Marathon

Berlin Marathon: the fastest in the world

There’s no mystery surrounding the beginnings of the Berlin Marathon, but you could say that two editions truly marked its birth.

The first took place on October 13, 1974. On the outskirts of Berlin, in the Grunewald forest, 286 pioneers lined up at the start. It was the first marathon in the city’s history. Even though this first edition was a success, the organizer at the time, Horst Milde, knew he would have to move the race into the city center to make it more accessible. The problem? At the time, Berlin was divided. In the West, France, Great Britain, and the United States controlled the zone. It was ultimately on September 27, 1981 that the first edition in the very heart of West Berlin was held, becoming a symbol of freedom. It would take the fall of the Wall for the route to finally cross both sides of the reunified city.

Year after year, this marathon has grown at breakneck speed. Today, it welcomes more than 50,000 participants! It fully deserves its place on the World Marathon Majors calendar, establishing itself as one of the biggest annual events worldwide. The European giant’s success is no accident. First, it’s the striking beauty these 42.195 km deliver. The course runs alongside major landmarks, including the Reichstag, this impressive Neo-Renaissance palace, or the famous Siegessäule (Victory Column). Runners also pass must-see spots like Alexanderplatz, located in the central district of Mitte.

But the Berlin Marathon is also, and above all, the fastest in the world. Its extremely flat course has seen no fewer than 13 world records fall. It was here in 2022 that Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge made history with a stratospheric time of 2:01:09.