Generali Marathon Köln
The annual marathon in Cologne (Generali Marathon Köln) is open to all types of running fanatics, from amateur joggers to experienced marathon runners.
Hundreds of thousands of spectators, including families with kids, come from across the country to watch the runners complete the course, which takes in the banks of the Rhine, the famous cathedral and other key monuments in Cologne. Over 22.000 participants run one of the marathon courses every year, making it the third most popular marathon in Germany, after the marathons in Berlin and Hamburg.
Race in 3rd biggest marathon in Germany
Taking place every year since 1997, the starting whistle for this year’s Cologne marathon will sound at 8:30am on October 2. The marathon will start on the Opladener Straße next to Ottoplatz / Bahnhof Deutz and follow a 42 km circuit through Cologne before crossing the huge finish line set up on Komödienstraße by the Cologne Cathedral.
There are 7.000 slots available in the full marathon and 15.000 in the half marathon. Everyone has six hours to finish the course before traffic in the city is reopened.
Cologne Marathon - open to all!
In order to encourage the little ones to stay active, the day before the main race there is special kids' run for the younger racers. In addition to the full and half marathon, there is also a students' run and a relay team race, which all take place on the same day. Anyone studying at a German university can also register for the marathon online at a discounted rate.
As soon as runners have crossed the finish line they will be given their hard-earned medal and find their running time on the unofficial preliminary results list. The official certificate with the final time and position in the overall marathon will be posted online a week after the race.
Register for the Köln Marathon now!
Interest in participating in this year’s Cologne Marathon? Then visit the RheinEnergie Köln marathon website for more information and to register your slot now!
All photos: © Köln Marathon/Wilhelmi