Leipzig Marathon
The Lowdown
The Leipzig Marathon traces its roots to 1897, when Leipzig staged a 40-kilometer race inspired by the Olympic Games, and has run in its modern form since 1977 -- including four turns as the East German (GDR) national championship, in 1985, 1986, 1987, and 1990. Now in its 49th edition on April 18, 2027, it ranks among the largest grassroots sports events in Saxony, drawing thousands of runners and inline skaters across five events: the Marathon, Half Marathon, 10 km, 4 km, and a Children's Run. Starting and finishing at the Sportforum, the DLV-certified, record-eligible course covers the half-marathon distance twice for the full marathon, threading through Leipzig's historic center past the New Town Hall, Augustusplatz with the Gewandhaus and Opera House, the Grassi Museum, the Monument to the Battle of the Nations, and Clara-Zetkin-Park, crossing the Weiße Elster and Pleiße rivers along the way. The mostly flat course -- with roughly 250 meters of total elevation gain -- has attracted national record holders, and the current course records of 2:10:16 (men) and 2:29:40 (women) both date to 2004. Runners finish along an 800-meter home stretch lined with spectators, and race-day bib holders ride Leipzig's public transit free of charge.
Race Day
Weather Forecast
Elevation
Terrain Profile
Relatively flat course
Participants
Field Size
Large field
Crowd Rating
Spectator Support
Excellent spectator turnout
Boston Qualifier
This race is a certified Boston Marathon qualifying event. Achieve your qualifying standard here on a verified course.
New Town Hall (Neues Rathaus) -- Leipzig's landmark seat of city government, near the historic center the course passes through
Augustusplatz -- the city's grand central square, flanked by the Gewandhaus concert hall and the Opera House
Grassi Museum -- Leipzig's museum quarter building along the route, known for its Art Deco architecture
Völkerschlachtdenkmal (Monument to the Battle of the Nations) -- the massive 1913 monument commemorating the 1813 Battle of Leipzig
Clara-Zetkin-Park -- a large riverside park the course runs through, one of the city's green highlights
Sportforum -- the start/finish complex and site of the marathon expo
Other distances available during the event weekend:
Leipzig, Saxony, Germany
DE
Average rate for 3-star accommodations near the start line
Eligibility
- Marathon: born 2009 or earlier
- Half Marathon: born 2011 or earlier
- 10km: born 2013 or earlier
- 4km: born 2019 or earlier
- Complete online registration and pay the entry fee (organizer collects via SEPA direct debit)
- No qualifying time required for general entry
Required Documents
- Photo ID (passport or national ID card)
- Proof of birth year for age-category entry
- Signed liability waiver/runner declaration
- Emergency contact information
Entry Methods
- Online Registration
- Club/Association Entry
- School/Student Entry (Stadtwerke Student Marathon relay)
Cancellation & Refund Policy
Entry fees are collected via SEPA direct debit at registration and are generally non-refundable
Bib/name transfers are typically permitted up to a deadline ahead of race day for an administration fee
If the organizer cancels or postpones the event, standard practice is to offer deferral to the next edition
The marathon course is run as two laps of the half-marathon route, starting and finishing at the Sportforum.
The 47th edition (2025) logged roughly 11,800 registrations across all distances; the 48th edition (2026) set a new participation record despite heavy rain, with Jakob Lange winning the men's marathon as a debut champion.
Race-day bib numbers double as free public transit passes within MDV fare zone 110 on event day.
The course was re-measured and re-certified by official DLV course measurers ahead of the 47th edition after construction changes on Jahnallee; it is confirmed record- and qualification-eligible.
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