Berlin Marathon 2025: Over 56,000 runners start on Sunday

The weekend in downtown Berlin is all about the annual marathon. According to the organizers, it is one of the largest in the world. More than 56,000 runners will be at the start on Sunday morning. The marathon race attracts people from all continents. A total of 84,000 people from 160 nations take part in all competitions.

Pre-runs and skaters on Saturday

The day before the big competition, a relaxed five-kilometer leisure run starts at 10 a.m. at Potsdamer Platz with 12,500 participants from all ability classes. Afterwards, 55 young talents under the age of 23 will take part. The final of several elimination competitions begins at 11:50 a.m.

The mini marathon with more than 10,000 registered students starts at 12 p.m. on the last 4.2195 kilometers of the long route. The results are evaluated in teams of ten. At the same time, almost 2,000 four to ten year olds in their age groups are running various routes on the former airport site in Tempelhof.

The big inline skating marathon with 2,093 people starts at 12:20 p.m. on an eight-kilometer circuit that will be completed five times. It leads from the Victory Column to Charlottenburg Palace.

Big run on Sunday

56,187 runners registered for the 52nd Berlin Marathon. They are sent onto the streets in six waves. The start and finish are on the Straße des 17. Juni. The fastest runners start at 8:45 a.m. The last group follows at 10:27 a.m. Shortly afterwards, the top runners are expected to cross the finish line at the Brandenburg Gate at 10.45 a.m. The last participants are expected to reach the finish line around 4:15 p.m.

The route leads from Charlottenburg to Moabit, Prenzlauer Berg, Friedrichshain, Kreuzberg, Neukölln, Friedenau, Schmargendorf, Wilmersdorf and finally back to the city center and through the Brandenburg Gate.

Ahead of the runners, 58 handbikers and 56 wheelchair users start in three stages.

Amateurs and elite runners

According to the organizers, around a third are women and two thirds are men. The largest group is people between the ages of 28 and 38.

Among the top runners, last year's winner and world record holder (1:59:30) from Kenya, Sabastian Sawe, canceled. According to the organizers, the favorites for the current run come from Ethiopia. Among them is Guye Adola, who already won in Berlin in 2021. The course record in Berlin is 2:01:09 hours. But a new record is unlikely, it was said.

Tigst Assefa from Ethiopia is the favorite among women. Her best time is 2:11:53 hours. Last year's Berlin winner, Kenyan Rosemary Wanjiru, is also there. Her personal record is 2:16:14 hours.

Music and weather

According to the organizers, up to a million visitors are expected along the route. 80 music groups also provide entertainment there. Some well-known sections of the route are like folk festivals. According to the weather forecast, it won't be too warm on Sunday at 22 degrees. The first hours of the race will be broadcast on television. It will continue later on the Internet.

Traffic disruptions

Traffic will be partially closed to cars in Mitte and Charlottenburg on Saturday. On Sunday, the roads along the entire marathon route will be closed from the morning. They are gradually released again as the runners finish. The Street of June 17th will remain closed until Wednesday next week.

Tram and bus routes must be temporarily interrupted, rerouted, shortened or divided. The Berlin city highway and the Tiergarten Tunnel are not affected and are freely accessible.

Security

As usual for major events, the organizers and police have developed an extensive security concept. Parts of the route are closed. There are stewards and several hundred additional police officers for traffic control and other measures. There is a ban on knives and weapons on the route and in the entire area around the Brandenburg Gate. It affects all types of knives, including kitchen knives and pocket knives, as well as blank pistols and irritating gas spray cans.