Tag: germany

Four German Half Marathons for Beginners in 2017

Posted on by Mohsin Salya

Hi there, and welcome back to the Mohsin Salya blog

If you want to become a long distance runner, you should try doing some fun half marathons, where you’ll run a more manageable 13 miles, instead of the usual 26. You may want to try doing half-marathons somewhere different and exciting, perhaps in another country.

Today I want to share Germany with you, a country which is known for its robust running culture. Helping you do some crucial research, in this article I shed light on four good German half marathons for beginners in 2017.

Paderborner Osterlauf

If you want options, try the Paderborner Osterlauf. Near North-Rhine Westphalia, it comes in 5km, 10km and half marathon options. This is Germany’s oldest running event and regularly sees around 8,000 participants. It will be hosted on Saturday 15th April 2017, starting and finishing at Sportzentrum Maspernplatz. You can register up to 7th April (by post) or 10th April (online via its website), with prices for the half marathon starting at €20, depending on when you sign up.

Hamburg Half Marathon

This popular German half marathon will take place on 25th June 2017. It will begin at the legendary Reeperbahn, in Hamburg’s famous amusement district and end at the scenic Rothenbaumchaussee. On this course, you’ll run past various popular attractions, like the Speicherstadt, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The race is expected to include roughly 8,000 runners. With entry fees starting from €40, you can sign up by post or online by 15th June, or enter later at a higher price by 25th June.

Cologne Half Marathon

The Cologne Marathon is the third most popular in Germany, after the Berlin and Hamburg events. It also comes with a half marathon option, however, making it more suitable for new marathon runners. The Cologne Half Marathon takes place on 1st October 2017, taking you past several popular attractions in this picturesque city, such as the iconic twin towers of Cologne Cathedral. You can register online now until 24th September for €48. This price will rise, however, after 31st March 2017.

Munich Half Marathon

Experience the Munich Marathon, without running 26 miles, by opting for the Munich Half Marathon. This will be held on 8th October 2017, beginning in the beautiful district of Bogenhausen on Denninger Strasse. The race sets off at 1.30pm and takes you on the original marathon route to the Munich Olympic Park. Fees range from between €48 and €62, depending on when you register, with the deadline being 24th September.

Until the next time,

Mohsin Salya.

Focus on the Berlin Marathon

Posted on by Mohsin Salya

Hi, welcome back to the Mohsin Salya blog.

There are some awesome marathons around the world, and if you’ve not ran one in another country then I highly recommend it. In my new series I’ll be focusing on marathons from around the world to give you an idea of what to expect if you’re considering trying out a new one.

Today we’re focusing on Berlin – one of the largest and most popular road races in the world.

BMW Berlin Marathon

Traditionally taking place on the last weekend in September, the Berlin Marathon was first initiated in 1974. Now sponsored by BMW, the official distance is 26 miles and 385 yards, or 42.195 kilometres. The event is open to professional athletes and amateur runners jointly, and it set up as a city-wide road surface.

One of the most popular road races in the world, the marathon had 46,950 entrants (41,283 runners, 5,445 inline skaters, 185 hand bikers and 37 wheelchairs) from 122 countries, and more than one million spectators this year. It forms the World Marathon Majors along with seven other races around the world, a series which offers a $1 million prize to be split equally between the top male and female marathoners.

Known for its flat profile, even surface, cheering spectators and mild autumn temperatures, the Berlin Marathon has been the site of the world leading men’s time for a record six consecutive years. The most marathon world records for men and women have been set at the Berlin Marathon too.

mohsin salya Focus on the Berlin Marathon
Credit: Running Magazine

The Course

The marathon starts and finishes near the Brandenburg Gate. Before 1990, the city was divided, and so marathon events were limited to the area of West Berlin. Now, marathoners are able to run through the Brandenburg Gate.

After leaving here, the course passes Charlottenburg, around Tiergarten, along Moabit and Mitte and then south to Friedrichshain. Afterwards, it winds west between Kreuzberg and Neukölln. It then goes through Schöneberg, over to Friedenau and Zehlendorf, before turning north back to the city centre. Looping above Schöneberg, the course comes full circle as it finishes through the Gate. If you want to check out the course in more detail, there is a great interactive map online that enables you to zoom in and get up close to specific parts of the marathon course.

Time measurement at the Berlin Marathon is carried out exclusively here by ChampionChip – a small plastic transponder that is fastened on to your running shoe and will measure your personal race time.

If you’re planning on entering the Berlin Marathon, good luck and have a great run!

Until next time,

Mohsin Salya