Insider tips for running the 2026 Berlin Marathon

1. Be prepared for any weather

September in Berlin can be beautiful sunshine... or torrential rain. Check the forecast in advance and be prepared for whatever the weather throws at you.

Fino’s had different weather conditions on each of his three Berlin marathons: “In one race it rained and the second race was warm weather and last year was okay. Usually I train in all weather conditions just in case I have to deal with any of those conditions on race day. Be ready for any weather conditions.” Remember, there’s no such thing as bad weather – only the wrong clothing!

2. Don’t try to do everything at the expo

There are thousands of excited runners and hundreds of exhibitors at the expo. That means it’s easy to spend hours wandering, watching talks, and shopping – and you could end up exhausted before the race begins. Go early in the week if you can, grab your bib, browse the stalls that interest you, and then head back to your hotel to save your legs.

3. Spend Saturday relaxing

Berlin is an incredible city, and it’s tempting to spend the days before the race exploring museums and sightseeing. But Fino recommends taking Saturday as easy as possible: “Make sure to get almost everything done by Friday night and use Saturday to relax and catch up on any important things to do before race day! I also try to go to bed early.”

4. Check out the start line

Berlin is a very popular race, with around 60,000 runners expected across the events. That means the journey to the start line can be busy, and the corrals packed. Rather than blindly following the crowds from the U-Bahn (and potentially ending up in the wrong place), Fino recommend that you do schedule some time on Saturday to check out your corral.

He says: “Usually what I do is to visit the starting line a day before the race, to picture where to head to and how to get there effectively with pressure. That happens a lot to coordinate myself in the morning of race day. You don’t want to stress out just trying to get to your corral. That can affect your race a lot, you want to get to the starting line feeling ready to rumble and not in panic mode.”

5. Give yourself a buffer on race morning

The crowds do mean you might want to give yourself a little extra time on race morning, to make sure you’re not rushing and have plenty of time to get ready, get to the start pen, and soak up the atmosphere.

Fino’s tried-and-tested advice is: “The morning of the race, I do wake up on time and get ready with lots of buffer time to make sure I show up feeling good and calm to the race. I get excited but never in panic mode for a race. I tell myself, I am here to have fun!”

6. Consider using your own bottles

Berlin is one of the few marathons that allows non-elites to have their own personal bottles waiting for them at aid stations. To take advantage of this service, you need to label your bottles with your name, bib number and which aid station you want to have them at, then drop them off on Sunday morning. That means if you have a tried-and-tested electrolyte or carb drink you’ve used during training, you don’t need to risk anything else on race day.

Just note that drop-off closes early on race morning (6:30-7:30am), so build it into the buffer time you've already given yourself.

7. Don’t get carried away

Berlin is flat – which means it can be easy to run faster than your planned pace, especially with all the excitement at the start of the race. The course loses almost no elevation across the whole 26.2 miles, so there's nothing to physically hold you back, but if you blow through the first few miles too quickly, you may end up regretting it later. Instead aim for a slight negative split, and you’ll still have energy for a sprint finish.

Fino’s strategy: “I usually don’t go out too fast, 1st 5km is to get warmed up and in the rhythm of my planed pace! Then to my marathon pace for 20km - 30km. The rest of the 7km depends on how I am feeling... I love to enjoy my races with vibes with the crowds!”

8. Lock into a pace group

There are a few areas during the marathon (particularly around the TV Tower) where you might lose GPS, although Fino says your watch can generally be trusted. However, he recommends joining a pace group as: “Usually when I am locked in a pace group, I don’t check my watch that often because I can feel the flow of my pace”.

9. Soak up the crowds

There are over one million spectators lining the 26.2 miles of Berlin Marathon. Add in around 80 live bands, groups and choirs stationed around the course, and it rarely feels quiet. You can use that energy from the crowd to pull you through the race – especially because the marathon prints your name on your bib, so you’ll hear people personally cheering you on the whole way.

10. Save a little for the last stretch

The finish takes you through the Brandenburg Gate. It’s an iconic moment, and the crowds are loudest in the final stretch along the wide boulevard of Strasse des 17. Juni. As Fino says: “the most exciting turn in the race is that final turn you make and you see the Brandenburg Gate”.

Knowing that it’s coming can help you dig in when the going gets tough. It might just be what you need to get you through that last, (potentially) painful stretch.

11. Enjoy it!

Most of all, try to enjoy every moment. It will be hard. After all, no one ever said running a marathon will be easy. But Berlin Marathon is an amazing experience, and one you’ll cherish once you get your hands on your well-earned medal.

So, as Fino says: “Go out there and do your BEST, it is YOUR race! Run it YOUR way! Good luck and see you out there.”