Marathon races near Markkleeberg

The Mitteldeutscher Marathon is a point-to-point marathon in central Germany, running from Leipzig to Halle (Saale) in the autumn. It starts at Leipzig’s Elsterflutbecken near the Festwiese Sportforum and finishes on Halle’s Marktplatz, covering the full distance between two neighboring cities rather than looping around one urban center. The race is open to adults and uses net timing, with pacers offered for 3:30, 3:45, 4:00, and 4:15 finish targets. The course follows the classic Leipzig-to-Halle route, a line with old marathon history: it was first used for a German marathon in 1925. Organizers describe it as fast, but it still has firm cutoffs, including intermediate time checks late in the race and a fixed finish-line closing time. The wider event also includes a half marathon and a 10k, while marathon runners receive practical point-to-point support such as event-day regional transport between Halle and Leipzig, bag drop, clothing transport to the finish, a finisher medal, and post-race massages at the Roter Turm on Halle’s Marktplatz.

The Mitteldeutscher Marathon connects Leipzig and Halle (Saale). The marathon and relay begin at Leipzig's Elsterflutbecken near the Festwiese Sportforum, with all races concluding on Halle's market square. This road-running series includes a full marathon, marathon relay, half marathon, 10-kilometer run, 10-kilometer walk, children's and school races, and a 2.7-kilometer Salzwirkerlauf. The event has taken place annually since 2002 and ranks among the larger running events in Central Germany. The longest race offers a point-to-point course from Leipzig to Halle. Shorter races commence within Halle, keeping the day's focus on the city's market square. The half marathon and the short introductory run are designed as opportunities to explore Halle on foot. The marathon relay divides the full marathon into four segments of approximately 12.1, 11.4, 9.5, and 10.1 kilometers. The program accommodates beginners, recreational runners, club athletes, walkers, children, and performance-oriented runners. Time limits vary from one hour for the Salzwirkerlauf to six hours for the marathon.