SAARathon

The SAARathon is a marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K, and kids' run held every October along the Saar River in Saarbrücken, the capital of Germany's Saarland state. Now in its third year as a marathon, the event grew out of the long-running Westspangenlauf 10K, a Saarbrücken tradition dating back 38 years and organized by Laufgemeinschaft Saarbrücken with title sponsor Sparkasse Saarbrücken. All races start and finish near the Kulturbiergarten in the St. Arnual district, on flat riverside roads with views of the city center. The marathon and half marathon head downriver toward Völklingen, looping through the grounds of the Völklinger Hütte, a UNESCO World Heritage former ironworks, before returning along the Saar to the finish. The marathon also serves as the Saarland state championship race. Field sizes remain modest for a young event, giving runners open roads and a low-key, community atmosphere rather than big-city crowds.