🇩🇪Cologne, Germany
Oct 4, 2026
Distance
42.2 km
Elevation gain
55 m
Terrain
Road
Entry type
Open entry
PB potential
Excellent PB course — flat, fast, and well-paced
Beginner friendly
Great for newcomers — manageable course, strong support
Cologne's marathon is one of Germany's finest after Berlin and Frankfurt. The near-flat course (55m elevation) crosses the Rhine twice on the famous Hohenzollernbrücke with its love-lock railings, runs along the Rheinuferpromenade, and loops through the historic Altstadt with the twin-spired Gothic Cathedral as an ever-present backdrop. October conditions are reliably good — 10–16°C — and German organisational efficiency means well-stocked aid stations and accurate timing. Cologne's vibrant nightlife and 2,000 years of history make it an excellent marathon travel destination. Entry is straightforward and affordable by Western European standards.
Temperature
10–16°C
Humidity
65–75%
Conditions
Rhine valley autumn — cool and often clear
Wind
10–15 km/h
Pace Band
Generate a free elevation-adjusted pace band for Köln Marathon. Print it, wear it, hit your splits.
Build my pace band →Find your next race
Berlin, Germany
Sep 27, 2026 · Road · ↑ 61 m
Sold outThe world's fastest marathon course — dead flat, perfectly organised, and the site of more world records than any other race.
Frankfurt, Germany
Oct 25, 2026 · Road · ↑ 65 m
OpenGermany's second-fastest marathon course — near-flat with ideal October conditions, consistently producing top-10 world-rankings finish times.
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Oct 18, 2026 · Road · ↑ 45 m
OpenOne of Europe's flattest and fastest marathons — looping through Amsterdam's iconic canals and Vondelpark for world-class PB conditions.
Eindhoven, Netherlands
Oct 11, 2026 · Road · ↑ 12 m
OpenOne of Europe's fastest marathon courses — a dead-flat loop through Philips' hometown with aggressive pacers, elite competition, and near-zero elevation gain.
Rotterdam, Netherlands
Apr 5, 2027 · Road · ↑ 15 m
Registered openStatistically the world's fastest marathon course — virtually no elevation, sea-level altitude, perfect spring climate. Come to Rotterdam to run your best.
Riga, Latvia
May 17, 2027 · Road · ↑ 35 m
OpenThe Baltic's fastest and largest marathon — essentially flat along Riga's Art Nouveau boulevards, through Jūrmala's beach resort, and across the Daugava River bridges.
Valencia, Spain
Dec 6, 2026 · Road · ↑ 36 m
Registration openDecember's perfect PB race — flat, fast, and held in ideal cool Mediterranean conditions that produce faster times than almost any course on earth.
Munich, Germany
Oct 11, 2026 · Road · ↑ 100 m
OpenBavaria's premier marathon — through Munich's English Garden, around the Olympic Stadium, past the Nymphenburg Palace canal, and along the Isar river, finishing in the heart of the city.
Copenhagen, Denmark
May 17, 2027 · Road · ↑ 10 m
Sold outOne of the flattest marathons in the world — a welcoming, beautifully organised race through the Danish capital's canals, parks, and harbour in ideal May conditions.
Explore the region
Rotterdam, Netherlands
Apr 5, 2027 · Road · ↑ 15 m
Registered openStatistically the world's fastest marathon course — virtually no elevation, sea-level altitude, perfect spring climate. Come to Rotterdam to run your best.
Valencia, Spain
Dec 6, 2026 · Road · ↑ 36 m
Registration openDecember's perfect PB race — flat, fast, and held in ideal cool Mediterranean conditions that produce faster times than almost any course on earth.
Seville, Spain
Feb 15, 2027 · Road · ↑ 58 m
Registration openFebruary's fastest marathon — a flat loop through Seville's old town and riverside promenades in crisp Andalusian winter conditions.