The Usedom Beach Marathon, Germany's first beach marathon, takes place on the Baltic Sea beach of Usedom island. It is a sand-only race, with no asphalt or road traffic, only the beach alongside the sea. Participants can select the marathon, half marathon, 10K, or a Bambini run. Ahlbeck, near its historic pier, serves as the start and/or finish area, depending on the distance.
The full marathon spans 42 km along the beach, with the race designed for barefoot running through sand. Other seaside resorts on the island, such as Zinnowitz and Koserow, host start areas and refreshment stations, connecting the route to Usedom’s beach towns. The local running group Laufmützen Usedom and other island running experts provide guidance to the organizing team, which is fitting for a first edition focused on a surface most road runners seldom encounter for such distances.