Solingen · Germany
Marathon races near Solingen
7 races in 2026
next one in 59 days
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Race calendar
Upcoming Marathon races near Solingen
AUG 1
29AUG
Run · road · Marathon
Nachtmammut Ruhrgebiet (Duisburg)
Duisburg · 37 km away
SEP 6
4SEP
Run · road · Marathon
Straberger Drittel-Marathon
Straberg · 24 km away
4SEP
Run · road · Marathon
Straberger 1/3 Marathon
Dormagen · 19 km away
11SEP
Run · trail · Marathon
P-Weg Marathon - Plettenberg
Plettenberg · 55 km away
13SEP
Run · road · Marathon
P-Weg Marathon
Plettenberg · 55 km away
Solingen · 80 km
7 races mapped
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Recurring Marathon races near Solingen
Races that repeat — weekly, monthly or yearly
Wilhelminaberg Trappen Marathon
The Wilhelminaberg Trappen Marathon course for runners includes a 248-meter staircase with 508 steps. This race takes place in Landgraaf, South Limburg, situated on the 93-meter Wilhelminaberg, which is the highest slag heap in the Netherlands. It is a lap-based road and stair race, offering distances from 5 km up to a marathon, alongside a kids run and a Business Run for teams of up to five.
Each standard lap is 1,090 meters. Consequently, the 5 km requires 5 laps, the 10 km is 10 laps, the 10 mile is 16 laps, the half marathon is 21 laps, and the marathon is 42 laps. The full marathon involves runners ascending the staircase 44 times, totaling 22,350 steps. This is why Dutch media refers to it as the toughest marathon in the Netherlands. The kids run features a scaled-down version of the central element: it begins at the base of the stairs and concludes at the summit.
Marathon de Cologne
The Marathon de Cologne takes place in early October in Cologne, Germany, offering a full marathon, half marathon, relay marathon, and a school marathon. The main marathon is a 42.195 km road race on mostly asphalt. The shorter and team formats attract runners seeking the city's atmosphere without the full distance. It ranks among Germany’s larger marathon events, with the day emphasizing crowd energy and local cheers as much as fast racing.
The marathon begins at Ottoplatz in Deutz, crossing the Deutzer Bridge toward Cologne Cathedral. The course is a flat single loop through the historic center and adjacent districts, featuring wide streets, no sustained climbs, and minor elevation changes of approximately 42 to 53 meters above sea level. Participants will pass the Rhine promenade, the Sport and Olympia Museum, the Kranhäuser, the Bismarck Column, Severinstraße, Sülz, Dürener Straße, Aachener Weiher, Ehrenfeld, Neusser Straße in Nippes, and Rudolfplatz multiple times. Neumarkt provides a significant crowd late in the race, and the consistent course profile appeals to runners aiming for controlled pacing or a quick finish.
22. BKK Walking am Baldeneysee mit Mini-Marathon
BKK Walking at Baldeneysee is part of the Westenergie Marathon – Rund um den Baldeneysee weekend in Essen, Germany. The main marathon is a 42.195-kilometer race around Baldeneysee, held annually on the second Sunday in October. The Walking-Day for walkers and Nordic walkers takes place the day before. The walking program, which began in 2003, offers routes up to 14 kilometers, ensuring the weekend appeals to more than just marathon runners.
The marathon has been held continuously since 1963, making it Germany’s oldest such event. The current course circles Baldeneysee twice, with an additional turnaround loop on the first lap. Its flat profile, early autumn weather, and lakeside cycle paths contribute to its fast nature. TUSEM Essen’s athletics department organizes the event, with volunteers managing the entire operation—a rarity for a German race of this scale. Entry is limited to 3,000 participants due to narrow sections of the course where faster runners might overtake slower ones.
Karneval Marathon Köln
The Karneval Marathon Köln is a small fun-run marathon in northwest Cologne, centered on two local passions: running the marathon distance and observing Carnival. It takes place at the beginning of Cologne’s Carnival period, and the field is limited to 50 runners, with a waiting list available. The race is explicitly non-commercial, with organizers stating the aim is enjoyment over a refined big-city race format.
The course follows a repeating loop around Pescher See on Pescher Straße, requiring runners to complete the circuit 15 times to achieve the marathon distance. Costumes are highly encouraged, meaning the participants are more likely to be costumed Carnival enthusiasts than typical serious road racers. Event planning commenced in 2016, and its limited size, lake loop, Carnival timing, and costume tradition give it the feel of a private running gathering rather than a standard marathon.
Karneval-Marathon Köln-Pesch
The Karneval-Marathon Köln-Pesch is a small marathon in Cologne’s Pesch district, centered on the opening of Cologne Carnival, not a large city race weekend. It merges the full marathon distance with the atmosphere of the city’s “fifth season.” The field is limited to 50 runners, with a waiting list if more wish to participate. The organizers emphasize that it is not a commercial event and that enjoyment is the primary goal.
The course is officially measured by the German Athletics Federation under International Competition Rules TR 55.3, meaning results can count for records and ranking lists despite the informal setting. Costumes are highly encouraged, though participants can run without one. The concept originated from planning that began in 2016, combining marathon running and Cologne Carnival for a unique carnival session opening. Expect local running enthusiasts and costumed revelers rather than a large crowd or elite field.
127. Bertlicher Straßenläufe
The Bertlicher Straßenläufe is a road-running event in Bertlich organized by the athletics department of SuS Bertlich 1945 e.V. The race program is unusually broad for a club event: runners can enter anything from 5 km to 100 km.
The listed distances are 5 km, 7.5 km, 10 km, 15 km, 20 km, half marathon, 25 km, marathon, 50 km, and 100 km, so the same meeting can serve short-distance runners, marathoners, and ultrarunners. It appears in the laufen.de Laufkalender, a German running calendar tied to the DLV registration system and its state associations.
Siebengebirgsmarathon
Essener Rhein-Herne-Kanal Marathon
The Essener Rhein-Herne-Kanal Marathon is a self-supported run and walk in Essen-Dellwig, starting at Prosperstraße and Scheppmannskamp along the Rhein-Herne Canal. TUSEM Essen organizes the event, with a standard 10:00 a.m. start. Flexible early or late starts are available, including a very early option for the ultra distance. The race uses a single short canal lap of 7.1 km for its distances: 7.1 km, 14.2 km, half marathon, 28.4 km, 35.5 km, marathon, 50 km, and 71 km. This is a practical, no-frills race where participants manage their own supplies, timekeeping, and route verification for an official result.
The course begins by crossing a bridge, then follows the canal bank towards Oberhausen. It crosses again at OB-Osterfeld and returns along the water to the start. One lap measures 7.06 km by GPS and 7,098 meters by measuring wheel. Longer races consist of repeated laps, with the 71 km ultra requiring ten laps. Walkers are welcome, and only the specified distances are scored. Finishers get a certificate via email and a medal on site. With 25 editions completed, this small canal-side event has established local running history.
Eulenkopflauf
Eulenkopflauf is a December road race in Wuppertal, Germany, with half marathon and marathon options for adult runners. The races start in the morning, and the shared finish is at Freibad SV Wuppertal-Neuenhof 1930 e.V.
The route follows the Eulenkopfweg on a rolling course rather than a flat city loop. Listings put the longer race at about marathon distance, with one source giving 42.6 km and more than 700 metres of climbing and descending, while the shorter race is just over 21 km.
128. Bertlicher Straßenläufe
Bertlicher Straßenläufe is a road race series held three times annually in Bertlich, a district of Herten in Germany’s northern Ruhrgebiet. Each race begins and concludes on the athletics track, offering a wide selection of distances: an 850m children’s race, 5km, 7.5km, 10km, 15km, half marathon, 30km, and full marathon. The courses are largely flat and precisely measured, suitable for children, casual runners, club athletes, and marathoners seeking a controlled road route.
The longer races involve multiple laps through agricultural areas outside Bertlich: two laps for the 15km and half marathon, three for the 30km, and four for the marathon. The marathon has a five-hour time limit, making it accessible while still requiring participants to maintain a steady pace. Fields typically number in the several hundreds, with some events exceeding 1,000 finishers, creating the atmosphere of a substantial local race day rather than a major city marathon.
53. Königsforst-Marathon
Each spring, the Königsforst-Marathon takes participants into the Königsforst, a wooded area near Bergisch Gladbach, close to Cologne. Established in 1973, it ranks among Germany's long-standing marathon events. The race is a public road race offering three distances: a half marathon, a full marathon, and a 63.3 km ultra.
The course follows a simple lap system: one lap for the half marathon, two for the marathon, and three for the ultra. The half marathon alone involves a 207-meter elevation gain, indicating it's more than just a flat run through a park. TV Refrath's running team organizes the event, guided by the motto “RUN GREEN RUN HAPPY,” and characterizes it as a runner-organized race. The half marathon attracts the largest number of participants, while the marathon and ultra distances add a demanding endurance element to the day.
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About Marathon races in Solingen
Solingen Training Notes
Solingen hosts 18 Marathon races in 2026 within 80 km of the city centre — upcoming dates, recurring series, and other races nearby, all in one place.
Locals run Solingen from the parks into the Bergisches Land, with Bärenloch, Walder Stadtpark, Gustav-Coppel-Park, Süd-Park, Brückenpark, and Botanischer Garten Solingen giving easy starts for weekday Z2. The Sengbachtalsperre loop gives about 12 kilometres near Solingen, and the course carries real climbing. The Bergischer Weg sends runners from Solingen toward Königsforst, so trail legs matter more than pace talk. DJK SG Solingen, Wald-Merscheider Turnverein, BSG-Kieserling Solingen, and STC Blau-Weiß Solingen keep the club scene visible. Klingenlauf feels like the anchor event, while Müngstener Brückenlauf, Friedrichstaler Waldlauf, Sengbachtalsperrenlauf, and Röntgenlauf fill the calendar.
Locals ride out of Ohligs, Wald, Mitte, and Gräfrath, then let the Bergisches Land do the work. The route is 7 km, gains 260 metres, and still keeps a flat character in places. The Korkenziehertrasse gives the city an s-shaped cycle trail, good for base miles and easy spins. The route is 37 km, starts in Leichlingen, and rolls through Solingen with loops along the Wupper. OLX Cycling Club brings the road crowd, and Velo Solingen Radtourenfahrt is the anchor ride. Gräfrath holds the climbs, with the Light Tower at 276 metres.
May, June, July, August, and September are the clean training months, with enough daylight for intervals after work and long Z2 at the weekend. Winter averages 5 °C, so locals start earlier, carry more, and keep the hard stuff short when the day feels heavy. The Wupper valley, Sengbachtalsperre, and the parks stay useful in summer because shade is never far away. The record low hit 2 °C on 27 January 1942. Runners keep the trails honest, and cyclists move toward steadier spins, Korkenziehertrasse laps, and cyclocross legs.