BMW Berlin Marathon
The BMW Berlin Marathon covers 42.195 km through Berlin, held annually since 1974 when it started as the Berliner Volksmarathon. It is Germany's largest marathon by participation and a World Marathon Major. The event spans a full weekend: inline skaters compete on Saturday, students run a mini-marathon over the final 4.2195 km of the main course, and the Sunday marathon features runners, wheelchair athletes, and handbikers. Berlin's course is notably fast, with top male and female runners achieving quicker average times than on other marathon courses. Thirteen official IAAF world records have been set here, attracting elite runners seeking records alongside thousands of club runners and first-timers. The race originated from West Berlin's running community: Horst Milde assisted in organizing early cross-country races at Teufelsberg before initiating the first Volksmarathon, recognizing demand for a full-distance race among everyday runners. The inaugural event commenced at Mommsenstadion, following a route through Grunewald near the AVUS towards Strandbad Wannsee.
