Marathon guide · Berlin, Germany
Berlin Marathon 2027 training plan and pace guide
Sunday 26 September 2027 on the course of the world records: wide, flat streets and a finish through the Brandenburg Gate. The hard part is the build, sixteen weeks of summer.
OpenAthlete is not affiliated with the organisers. This is an independent preparation guide.
Key facts
2027
- Date
- Sunday, 26 September 2027Entry by lottery, open on the official site.
- Start
- Not published for 2027
- Distance
- 42.195 km
- Elevation
- ≈ +58 mApproximate, from GPS data (marathon-index.com). The organisers do not publish a figure.
- Time limit
- 6h15 from crossing the start line (registration terms)
- Course
- Loop on wide, flat streets from Straße des 17. Juni, finishing behind the Brandenburg Gate. The organisers call it the flattest of the World Marathon Majors.
- Usual weather
- Late September: 10 to 20 °C on average (DWD normals, Berlin). Some years are warm.
Facts checked on 4 November 2026. Organisers change things: confirm on the official site before you book anything.
The course, seen by a coach
Berlin Marathon: what it asks of you, and how to train for it
Built for even pacing
Eliud Kipchoge ran 2:01:09 here in 2022. For the rest of us, the lesson is the same: flat, wide roads reward the runner who holds one pace. Rehearse it with a 30 km run at the end of the plan, the last 12 km at goal pace, and check the halfway split on the pace chart.
A summer build
A 16-week plan starts on Monday 7 June 2027, so most of the work happens in July and August. Run the long runs early in the morning, accept easy paces 10 to 20 s/km slower on hot days, and judge the quality sessions by effort or heart rate. September will feel easy by comparison.
Rehearse the aid stations
The organisers list 15 aid stations, with gels at 27.5 km, and runners can hand in their own drinks for 5, 9, 15, 20, 25, 30, 36 and 40 km. Whatever you choose, practise it: in your last five long runs, drink and take a gel on that exact schedule.
Pace and plan by goal
Berlin Marathon: pick your goal time
Each goal links to its pace chart: splits every 5 km, every kilometre and a printable pace band. Eight goals also have a free 16-week plan with paces worked out from your VMA. Pick the goal your recent half marathon supports, not the one you hope for.
When to start a 16-week plan
Start your 16-week plan on Monday, 7 June 2027
Race day is Sunday, 26 September 2027, in week 16. Started later, the plan loses build weeks, not the taper: cut from the start, never the end.
Import a plan into OpenAthleteFree. Sessions go to your Garmin, COROS or Suunto watch.
| Goal | Pace | Halfway | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2:45 | 3:55/km | 1:22:30 | – |
| 3:00 | 4:16/km | 1:30:00 | 16 weeks |
| 3:15 | 4:37/km | 1:37:30 | – |
| 3:30 | 4:59/km | 1:45:00 | 16 weeks |
| 3:45 | 5:20/km | 1:52:30 | 16 weeks |
| 4:00 | 5:41/km | 2:00:00 | 16 weeks |
| 4:15 | 6:03/km | 2:07:30 | 16 weeks |
| 4:30 | 6:24/km | 2:15:00 | 16 weeks |
| 4:45 | 6:45/km | 2:22:30 | – |
| 5:00 | 7:07/km | 2:30:00 | 16 weeks |
| 5:30 | 7:49/km | 2:45:00 | 16 weeks |
| 6:00 | 8:32/km | 3:00:00 | – |
Even pace on a flat course. Hills, heat, wind and crowded first kilometres all cost time: the course notes above say where.
Berlin Marathon: questions runners ask
Sunday 26 September 2027. Start times are not published yet. A 16-week plan starts on Monday 7 June 2027.
Through a lottery, open on the official site for 2027. Entry conditions and dates are on the official site.
Our marathon plans last 16 weeks, so start on Monday, 7 June 2027. You need a base first: running three or four times a week for a few months, with a long run of about 1h15 already comfortable.
No. OpenAthlete is not affiliated with the organisers of Berlin Marathon. This is an independent preparation guide written from the official information available on 4 November 2026. Registration, rules and the final course are on the official site.
Prepare the Berlin Marathon with the plan on your watch
Import a free plan into OpenAthlete, move sessions around your week, and send them to your Garmin, COROS or Suunto watch. Everything is free on Cloud.
Free forever. No credit card.