Kleine Zeitung Graz Marathon

The Kleine Zeitung Graz Marathon takes place over a weekend in October in Graz, Austria. The full marathon is the primary event, with shorter races offered alongside it. It has been held annually since 1993, with the regional newspaper Kleine Zeitung serving as the title sponsor. Sunday's schedule features the marathon, half marathon, quarter marathon, and relay marathon. Saturday is dedicated to the 5 km City Run, junior marathon, toddler sprint, and family run. This positions it as a city marathon, but also as a comprehensive local running event rather than a single-distance competition. The course has undergone complete revisions multiple times, making direct comparison of older results challenging. Previous routes began near Schloßpark Eggenberg and concluded on Hauptplatz. They later shifted to a city circuit starting at Joanneumring near the Opera House, where half marathoners completed one lap and marathoners two. Subsequent iterations passed by Graz landmarks like the Schloßberg, Kunsthaus Graz, and Murinsel. The current marathon course consists of two nearly identical loops, extending north towards Sportzentrum Graz and south near Merkur-Arena. The quarter marathon now utilizes the northern loop, heading towards Weinzöttel, and begins before the other races. The event has also hosted the Austrian Marathon Championships on several occasions, with national titles awarded there to athletes such as Elisabeth Rust and Eva-Maria Gradwohl.