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Sunday, September 27, 2026
Berlin, Germany
Average: 50-63 degrees Fahrenheit
Last Year: 71-80 degrees Fahrenheit (race was a week early)
Berlin, Baby
Fall major marathon season kicks off with the Sydney Marathon in mid-September, but technically it’s spring down under. Which makes the BMW Berlin Marathon the first of the true fall majors, with the kind of crisp weather to back it up (hopefully).
Known for its historically fast performances– including 13 broken world records– the course is flat and fast, starting by the Reichstag and coming full circle before a finish straight through the iconic Brandenburg Gate. This year, former world record holder and Adidas-sponsored athlete Tigst Assefa will attempt to break her best time on the course, which would be the rightful world record if we excluded doper Ruth Chepng'etich's 2:09 time at the 2024 Chicago Marathon.
Of course, we'll be far behind any of the elites, which is where most of the participants will place. That's why this guide is for you. We’ve run the race in 2024 (and are back again for 2026), and while we’re not the world’s foremost experts on the entire race weekend experience, we can tell you what we’ve learned from traveling from the United States to Germany just to run 26.2 miles around town.
Let's dig into it.
First things first, download the app. This will give you all the race day info at your fingertips, in addition to live tracking all your friends. Tell your family to download it as well.
If you’re running the race, the most important feature is using it to access your confirmation page so you can streamline your bib pickup at the expo.
Packing & Travel
The entire Berlin Marathon weekend will see close to 80,000 participants from 160+ countries. We're from one of those countries, coming from the East Coast of the United States. So it's likely that your travel plans and jet leg will look different from ours, as we're only a 6-hour time difference from Berlin.
But here's what we can tell you– make sure you get your packing right.
As we've mentioned before, the number one rule of destination races is this: DON’T LET YOUR RACE GEAR LEAVE YOUR SIDE. That means, you put your $275 race day shoes (we're going with the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 5) in your carry-on, or around your neck, or down your pants (if that’s your thing). Whatever works, just keep them with you. (We recommend putting your shoes in either a waterproof bag or something like this Kilometer Studios Run Commuter Kit with an external shoe bag or the Gossamer Gear Vagabond Jet with separate outer mesh pocket and daisy chains options, just to keep them separate.)
This goes for anything you need on race day– nutrition, hydration bottle, socks, singlet, etc. There is nothing worse than stressing out about your essentials the day before your big performance. It’s an unnecessary and it’s easily preventable.
Also, if you fly more than once a year, just get TSA Pre-Check. It lasts for 5 years and it’s well worth the convenience factor, even it does feel like some sort of luxury tax scheme from the federal government. If you're traveling often internationally, you should also upgrade to Global Entry.
It's a major marathon, so trust us when we say there's an endless array of events you can burn yourself out on. This is all well and good if you're not running a marathon on Sunday morning, but if you're reading this race guide, that's probably not you.
MAKE A PLAN/SCHEDULE FOR THE ENTIRE WEEKEND. All caps and all bold because we mean it.
First things first, if you are running the Berlin Marathon, your bib doubles as a free 4-day pass for public transportation in fare zones A, B, and C. This ticket is valid from September 24 (12:00 a.m.) to September 28 (03:00 a.m.). This benefit cannot be understated, as it is hands down the best way to get around town.
While there are plenty of shake-out runs and pop-up events, we promise you that the Believe in the Run x Adidas Runners shakeout is the place to be.
When: Saturday, September 29, 2026 @ 7:30 a.m.
Start: Cafe Am Neuen See (Lichtensteinalle 2, 10787 Berlin)
Finish: Home of Fast (Kantstrasse 126, 10625 Berlin)
Join us for a special shakeout run with Adidas legend Haile Gebrselassie, first 200 runners will receive a custom Adidas x BITR hat. Food, drinks, and good vibes. Bag drop available (small bags only, please)
Do not leave it until the last minute to figure out the following details:
➤ Where the expo is (Tempelhof Airport, Platz der Luftbrücke 5, 12101 Berlin) and when you'll go. Unlike other expos, the Berlin Marathon doesn't ask you to pick a time slot. So be aware, if you go in the middle of the afternoon on Friday, it's going to be jam packed. Assuming it's the same as past years, you will be log-jammed in a line with attendants scanning you in and giving you an marathon bracelet. (Note: This bracelet must stay on your wrist for the whole weekend.) This was not well done in the past, so just know you may be standing in line for close to an hour before you even get in the expo.
We highly recommend taking public transportation to the expo. If you do use Uber, walk at least a few blocks away because the drivers will cancel your ride over and over if you're waiting outside the expo.
Here are all the other details about the expo, including the vendor list.
➤ Are you using a pacer? Pace groups are assigned to certain corrals, so make sure your corral and pace group are both aligned.
➤ How to get to your designated transportation on race morning. Do not take Uber, as the course is closed off far from the start. Trust us when we say the best way to get to and from the start and finish line is to take the U-Bahn (subway) to the Reichstag building, getting off at Bundestag Station on the U5 line.
➤ Where/what/when will you eat throughout the weekend? Have it planned in advance. Every meal. Decide where you’re going to eat the night before the race, as well as the afternoon/evening afterwards. Especially if you’re traveling with friends or family and looking to go somewhere special– get your reservations in now.
Berlin in the fall is beautiful and with all its history, there are so many things to see and do. We highly recommend the following:
➤ While Checkpoint Charlie is a bit of a tourist trap, we recommend checking out the former location of the Berlin Wall and reading about its history. It's staggering to see how a line ran right down the middle of the city, dividing families and friends for decades.
Berlin is also a place that recognizes the darkness of its past and doesn't try and hide it, something the U.S. could learn about. It tries to confront it head on, as shown in the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. A sobering but important reminder of what humans are capable of. Maybe wait until after race day to visit this one.
➤ You'll be finishing through the Brandenburg Gate, but it will all be a blur. Go get a picture in front of it the day before. While you're there, you have to check out the Mini-Marathon, a 4.2K kids race that is the most joyous thing you will see outside of the marathon finish line. Thousands of kids running the streets, handing out high fives left and right. It's the exact inspiration you need before race day.
➤ Get a freaking soft pretzel (or two) from one of the street cart vendors with fire in their bike baskets. It's the perfect fall treat and you need all the carbs you can get.
Plan to eat your first breakfast as soon as you wake up. This breakfast should include 50-100 grams of carbohydrates, plus some protein and fat. This could be one large bagel and a big scoop of peanut butter, washed down with a serving of your favorite sports drink.
Temperatures can vary wildly at this time of year, so take that into account when thinking about hydration.
The course is well stocked with hydration, with water at 15 different stations and Maurten Drink Mix 160 at 9, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 36 kilometers.
During the race, on course fluid stops start at mile 3 and are almost every mile until mile 25, with the exception of miles 5, 7, and 9 which do not have a fluid stop. In other words, runners have 20 opportunities to take water or lemon-lime Gatorade Endurance on the course. The water on course is Flow Alkaline Spring Water. No matter what anyone says, this is just normal water and will not cause cramping or GI issues on course. This water will work just fine.
If you prefer to carry your own electrolyte drink, do it. Unlike other marathons, Berlin does allow hydration packs with bladders up to 3L in volume. They also offer refill stations at the last table of ever water distribution area.
Be sure to carry your own fuel with you! The marathon only provides Maurten gels at mile 17 (27.5 km). This is important to know, as most other majors offer two gel stops. So be sure to carry enough race nutrition on you.
If you want to finish with a smile on your face, make sure you are fueling early and often with your favorite gel or chews. Start fueling at 20-30 minutes into the race and keep that fueling cadence up until the end. A
Adjust your hydration needs accordingly based on the weather.
Pro tip: Get creative with your fuel storage. Favorite places to carry fuel includes waist belts, shorts pockets, handheld or hydration vest pockets, tucked into arm sleeves, safety pinned to the waistband of shorts, in pockets of a sports bra, or between two sports bras.
Don’t be afraid to stuff an extra fuel or two in case you need more on race day or drop one in the shuffle. As noted above, the gels available on course are Maurten. These are neutral flavored and feature Maurten’s proprietary Hydrogel technology that bypasses the stomach and goes straight to the intestines for quicker absorption and less GI distress.
And of course, random food and/or alcoholic beverages from strangers (maybe not great for a PR, but fantastic if you bonk and just coast it in).
Pre-Race Morning
As with any fall race morning, throwaway layers are your friend. You will be waiting around to some degree and any shivering is extra energy loss that you can't afford to lose.
Getting to the corrals is incredibly easy as the routes are well-marked and fluid. Aside from the Chicago Marathon, it may be the easiest major to just roll up and run. The bathroom situation leading into the corrals is ... interesting. Winding your way through the wooded section of a local park there are no porta potties, so you will find a ton of runners pulling off in every direction to pee (and sometimes poop). It's honestly a little disgusting. Same with the corrals. While you're waiting, you can pee through the fence if you're a dude. I may have been the last person out of my corral for this very reason.
I'll be honest, so much of this race was a blur. What I do remember is this: The crowds were ridiculous, and it never opened up for me. It felt like running the first few miles of a major marathon, but for the whole marathon. Lots of dodging, hard to hold pace consistently. That said, I looked at the post-race statistics and found that I was running in the most congested time of the race, for the entire race. So it may have been particular to my start and finish time (in the 3:30 range).
The course is pancake flat, allowing for your fastest times, should the weather cooperate. Indeed, it worked out well for me as I posted a personal best time on the course (I ran in the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4, in case you were wondering).
As with most major marathons, the crowds were fantastic, lining the course and offering up loud cheers along with random refreshments. Some streets are tree-lined, allowing for pockets of shade, though other areas of the course are in the wide-open sunshine. As 2025 proved, the sun can get sneaky hot and wreak havoc on your race day plans if the temperatures creep into the 70F range. As noted above, fuel and hydrate consistently.
The race route is a good one. Unlike Tokyo or Australia, there are no out and backs on this course, meaning you'll get to see entirely different parts of the city. It's also the only major marathon besides Chicago that starts and ends in the same place, which is great for logistical purposes.
Enjoy every part of it and run your race. It just may happen to be the best one of your life (as it was for me).
The Finish of the Berlin Marathon
I know everyone talks about Hereford and Boylston at Boston, and for good reason– it's the most iconic finish in running. But let me tell you, coming through the Brandenburg Gate is a close second. After making the left and right turns of mile 25 for what seems likes forever, you'll finally make one last left turn onto a wide open space and there is the Gate, right in front of you. It's majestic in its grandiose beauty and there is just something special in knowing that once you pass through, you will come out on the other side a different person. Soak it in, but also keep going– you still have about a quarter mile to go until the actual finish line. But at that point, you've made it.
You are a Berlin Marathon finisher.
Post Race
Bag pick-up is very easy and pretty seamless. You'll exit in front of the Reichstag, which is a great photo op with your newly worn finisher's medal. Again, the subway is right there, so if you don't want to hang around you can simply head straight back to your hotel. Really nice and easy.
If your stomach allows, refuel with salt and carbs to bring your body back to normal. Take a shower, change your clothes, throw that medal around your neck and hit the town!
If you're feeling freaky and want to stand for four more hours to probably get rejected by a bouncer, wear your most scandalous split shorts and try and get into Berghain. Otherwise, go to any number of after parties, including the Official After Race Party.
The Berlin Marathon is in its 52nd year and just keeps getting better. It's truly incredible to run the same race as the most prestigious athletes on earth and to see the city from the perspective of a marathon runner. Enjoy it, soak it in, and let the fall feelings run deep.
Got additional tips or recommendations for race day? Leave them in the comments below!
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Robbe is a podcast host and reviewer at Believe in the Run. He loves going on weird routes through Baltimore, finding trash on the ground, and running with the Faster Bastards. At home in the city, but country at heart. Loves his two boys more than anything. Has the weakest ankles in the game.
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