Berlin is the flattest, fastest of the majors, where the men's marathon world record has fallen 13 times. Late September runs 10 to 18 degrees, close to ideal. The catch is the lottery: roughly 100,000 applicants for about 35,000 places, near 1-in-3 odds, so we'd plan a year ahead. Entry runs about 235 dollars, and with 54,000 finishers the Mitte hotels and start corrals get crowded fast.
Better info coming — we're still verifying 3 fields on this race.
Major race decision brief
Know the catch before you book the flight.
Four facts shape this weekend: entry, course load, the start-to-finish problem, and whether your crew gets a good trip too.
01 · Secure the bib
Closed · Lottery
$235 listed entry. Treat travel as refundable until your place and any qualification requirement are confirmed.
02 · Read the load
73 m climbing
Point to point and the flattest of the majors — about 73 meters of total gain across the whole course, almost none of it in any one place. It loops gently through the old East and West before the finish straight under the Brandenburg Gate. The men's marathon world record has been set here 13 times, most recently Kipchoge's 2:01:09 in 2022; if you're chasing a PR, this is the course built for it.
03 · Solve the base
Compact race geography
Start and finish sit within roughly 1 km. A central base can simplify race morning and reunion, but road closures still decide the useful side of the course.
04 · Pack the range
10–18°C typical
Historical rain signal: 35%. Use it for packing, then switch to the live forecast inside race week.
Crew fit is 5/5. Use the spectator guide to decide whether this is a shared city weekend or a runner-first operation.
Why we'd pick it
- The 73 m climbing estimate is useful for planning, not a verified pacing number.
- The ballot is closed for this edition.
- A non-racing partner gets a real weekend here — 5/5.
- Race day usually sits 10–18°C, about 35% chance of rain.
The course
Point to point and the flattest of the majors — about 73 meters of total gain across the whole course, almost none of it in any one place. It loops gently through the old East and West before the finish straight under the Brandenburg Gate. The men's marathon world record has been set here 13 times, most recently Kipchoge's 2:01:09 in 2022; if you're chasing a PR, this is the course built for it.
