A marathon that began in 1981 with just a few thousand competitors has developed over the decades into one of the biggest city marathons in Germany, alongside Berlin Marathon and Hamburg Marathon, with more than 20.000 starters across all the competitions.
Mainova Frankfurt Marathon
With no less than 90 different entertainment spots along the route, Frankfurt Marathon is one of the best marathons at which to be a spectator. The track side entertainment is a key facet of the atmosphere and the organisers make sure everyone is happy and cheering.
It will be a 42,195 kilometre long party zone with all kinds of live music ranging from samba to pop, disco to brass music and blues to rock, not to mention the choirs and hr1 radio DJs. It really is the longest street festival in Frankfurt!
The spectacular finish of the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon is located at the trade fair (Messe Frankfurt). Runners come through the east gate into the Festhalle, where there are stands for a total of 7.000 people to gather and celebrate their success!
Marathon Mall
On the marathon weekend, everyone is welcome to visit the Sports Expo of the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon. Professionals, amateur runners, leisure and recreational athletes and exercise enthusiasts will all find products of interest here.
Runners of every age and performance class can get inspired, seek advice and grab sports, health, food and wellness bargains from the numerous exhibitors.
Expo opening hours:
Friday, October 25: 12pm-7pm
Saturday, October 26: 10am-7pm
Sunday, October 27: 7am-5pm
Other runs
As well as the headline marathon, there are other courses available to run too.
Relay marathon
Do you want to experience a marathon but running the entire distance feels too long for you? You could be being part of a relay team at the T. Rowe Price Relay Marathon. Run with your colleagues, your friends, your family or your sports club. Each team consists of four members, who each run part of the whole distance.
Mini-marathon
The Mini-Marathon gives children and teens aged from eight to 17 years the chance to run 4,2km while enjoying the unique atmosphere of the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon. They finish the run inside the Festhalle like the main marathon runners, which gives a real sense of achievement.
Struwwelpeter Run
Taking place the day before the marathon, on Saturday, October 26, this uniquely titled race gives children between five and eight years old the chance to run a 420m course and be cheered on by the audience.
Pretzel Run
The Pretzel Run also takes place the day before the marathon, on Saturday, October 26, and is free of charge with no registration necessary, so if you weren't organised enough to snag your spot elsewhere, come and join in here! Drinks, local Frankfurt pretzels and medals will be offered at the finish. It is not recommended for those under the age of 12. The run is approximately seven km, with a pace of 6:15-6:30 minutes per kilometre.
No tickets are needed to access the spectator party locations, so just head over to the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon website to check out which spot takes your fancy!