Rhein-Ruhr-Marathon
The Lowdown
The Rhein-Ruhr-Marathon is Duisburg's flagship road race, run since the early 1980s and now in its fifth decade as one of the Ruhr region's most established marathons. The 42.195 km course starts on Kruppstraße in the Sportpark Wedau and winds through the city center, along the Rhine riverbank, and through the industrial-heritage Landschaftspark Nord before finishing inside the Schauinsland-Reisen-Arena, where runners cross the line to a stadium crowd. The route is flat, fully closed to traffic, and officially measured by a licensed World Athletics/AIMS-DLV surveyor, making it a reliable course for a personal best or a Boston-qualifying time. Race day also includes a half marathon, a half-marathon relay, an ekiden team relay, inline-skating and handbike divisions, and a school marathon, drawing close to 10,000 total participants and roughly 50,000 spectators along the way. The 2026 edition, the 43rd running, was held under the title sponsorship of Schauinsland-Reisen and finished with a men's winning time of 2:28:06 and a women's winning time of 2:50:29; a group of runners from 41 nations also set a Guinness World Record for most nationalities finishing together. A next edition is expected in spring 2027, with the exact date to be confirmed by the organizer, the Stadtsportbund Duisburg.
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.
Schauinsland-Reisen-Arena (finish)
Rhine riverbank promenade
Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord
Innenhafen (inner harbor)
Other distances available during the event weekend:
Duisburg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
DE
Average rate for 3-star accommodations near the start line
Eligibility
- Marathon entrants must be at least 18 years old on race day
Required Documents
- Photo ID at bib pickup
Entry Methods
- Online registration via the official Mikatiming portal
- On-site late registration at the Marathonmesse (race expo)
Cancellation & Refund Policy
Review the official cancellation and deferral terms on the registration page before entering
Organized by the Stadtsportbund Duisburg under DLV competition rules, supervised by the Leichtathletik-Verband Nordrhein.
2026 was a record year with 9,651 total race entries and roughly 50,000 spectators.
A group of runners spanning 41 nationalities set a Guinness World Record for most nationalities finishing a marathon together at the 2026 race.
Community
Stories, tips, and race-day snapshots from runners who have tackled this course.
Community Reviews
Learn from fellow runners and share insights that will help the next person toe the line.

