Rursee Marathon 2026

The Rursee Marathon begins in Einruhr-Simmerath, within Germany’s Eifel National Park. The main race starts at 10:30 on the first Sunday in November. First held in 1997, it is a trail-heavy marathon, not a flat city race, covering 42.2 km of nature tracks with approximately 370 metres of elevation gain. The marathon typically attracts 400 to 500 runners, and the entire event draws about 1,000 to 3,000 participants across multiple distances. The weekend offers several event options for runners and walkers: a 16.5 km race, a 5 km race, a 2 km children’s race, and a 16.5 km walk or Nordic walk on Saturday. The 16.5 km run was introduced after the marathon was established, and the Rursee-Ultra, a longer distance, is held every second year. While the course setting is a primary attraction, it is not a simple sightseeing run; the marathon is generally considered a challenging race on natural paths around the Rursee area.