Half Marathon races near Bad Schwartau

CURREX Alsterlauf is a city-center road race in Hamburg, starting and finishing on Ballindamm beside the Alster. The main event is a 10 km race around the Outer Alster. The program also includes a 5 km run, a 1 km children's run, and an R5K “Sub 22” race for young runners aiming at fast times. The course is flat, fully asphalted, officially measured, and traffic-free, with clear kilometer markers and bib-chip timing. It suits runners chasing a personal best as well as people who want a first race that feels simple and controlled. The 10 km loop follows Hamburg's classic lakeside running ground around the Outer Alster, while the shorter races mostly use the Ballindamm loop and may include an Inner Alster version. It is one of Europe's larger 10 km races. The field mixes serious club runners, younger athletes from the national R5K Tour, children, first-timers, and runners who mainly want a big-city race in a clean central setting. Each distance has its own fixed start time. Arrive early enough for bib pickup and start preparation.

The Stadtwerke Lübeck Marathon takes runners from Lübeck’s old town to Travemünde on the Baltic Sea and back. This October road race offers five distances: 2 km, 4 km, 10 km, a half marathon, and the full 42.2 km marathon. The same race day accommodates children, beginners, regular club runners, and marathoners. The route begins in a medieval Hanseatic city, crossing cobblestone streets before proceeding toward the coast. Travemünde defines the marathon’s out-and-back course: participants depart the historic center, reach the sea, and then return to Lübeck. Local partners consider it a significant regional sports event, with HL-SPORTS, a regional sports outlet, now a media partner.

The Volkswaldlauf Winsen-Borstel begins and ends at the Am Habichtshorst sports facility in Winsen/Borstel, a village in Lower Saxony. This local forest run is organized by MTV Borstel-Sangenstedt von 1910 e.V. and is part of the Sparkassen Heidjer Cup. The race typically takes place in October, offering distances from very short children’s runs to 5 km, 10 km, 11 km, Nordic Walking routes, and longer runs of approximately 20 km. The course features flat yet varied forest paths, alternating between soft woodland terrain and firmer asphalt. This design accommodates newer runners while providing regular club runners with sufficient variation underfoot to maintain focus. The event retains a friendly village-race atmosphere: bib numbers display each runner’s first name, awards include certificates and trophies, and larger groups can receive participation awards. Records and documents spanning many editions confirm this event is a long-standing fixture for runners in the Winsen and Lüneburg Heath region, not merely a single fun run.