Koeln (Cologne) Marathon - Race Reviews

I thought this was a solid marathon on all fronts. The organisation was very smooth. It was easy to pick up my number at the Expo and to get to the start. I don't speak a word of German but that wasn't a problem. The course was OK. It was flat and/or mildly undulating. There were no hills per se, but a few inclines here and there. Cologne isn't the most exciting city, and the course didn't take in anything particularly exciting, but it was a nice sunny day and so that didn't bother me. The fans were incredible - crowds were pretty thick most of the way and especially at the end at the hardest spots, which was much appreciated. I wish they didn't smoke so much or at least not when they're supporting a marathon, but that was a minor point. Drinks and refreshments along the course were plentiful. I really appreciated the Coca Cola available towards the end. Given the size of the course there was a good amount of entertainment along the way. The medal and buffet at the finish were fantastic. I didn't partake of the meat or beer but pretzels and Coca Cola went down perfectly! Very easy to get home from. All in all a solid race.

this was my first time running koln marathon & I loved it. out of 133 marathons that I have taken part in. I would go back again, which there is only about 10 in my list that I could say this. very good course for a fast time, easy to travel round the city. good finish location. family and friends can travel all over the route to see you at lots of different locations. music on route is a very big plus ,drummers where fab. if your family likes shopping koln is one of the very best areas I have seen.

I have lived nearly all my life in the beautiful city of Cologne. The scenery and especially finishing in the shadows of the mighty Cologne Cathedral made me proud to be part of that city. The track is very flat and fast. Since it was my first marathon, I cannot compare it to others but the atmosphere was exceptionally good. Supporters were cheering and bands were playing. The only part of the race that could be improved is around kilometers 36-38 - there were not that many supporters and the scenery was not the best at this part of the race. One could improve this by putting up sound systems/music/bands next to the track! The organization was great (including the 'bag delivery' and running EXPO), the only thing to improve regarding the organization would be the waiting time to get the chip/running bag the day before. LOVE THE CITY AND THE RACE!!! HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!

This was my first marathon so I have nothing to compare it to but I was very happy with Cologne. The expo was fun and well organized. The free public transport was very useful! It was a big marathon but there were no delays, plenty of toilet facilities available. Aid stations had bananas, energy drinks, cola and water. Lots of nice people cheering along the course. Lovely medal and a great variety of free food and drink after the finish line. Cologne has set a high standard for my first race!

The race was very well organised. No problems before, during and after the race. Free tickets for public transport on the day of the race. Nice medaille, lots of drinks and food after the finish. Especially , the alcohol free beer was great. When you finish after 4 hours, there aren't many spectators. Minus point: The relay race for scholars startet right behind the marathon. A lot of them where zigzagging through the crowd.

I echo many of the comments already posted. An excellently organised race, and fast flat course. The spectators were especially friendly and supportive. I have done Boston and would compare Koln spectators very favourably with the famed Boston support. The course was also more aesthetically pleasing than expected. The range of free food and drink at the end was the best I have ever seen. Post-race shower and change facilities are also included. General atmosphere was excellent and achieved without recourse to the annoying gimmickry you increasingly see at many events.

Firstly, the course - it's not nearly as flat as Berlin, but the profile's level enough for a decent time with adequate training. The course was really quite nice as well, and nowhere nearly as bad as some have suggested. Yes, it does have its quiet parts, but unless you want to have your eardrums blown away as in London, you won't feel dispirited. Plus, running past the cathedral was amazing - not quite like climbing the tower, but still a blast anyhow. Cologne's such a small and pretty place that I walked to the expo from where I was staying, and there wasn't any of the hassle with having your rental chip registered - it was already done for you and placed in your packet. The atmosphere was electric, with drummers and sound systems, but what I really loved were the locals and supporters hemmed close to the runners along various parts of the course. There weren't any barriers as such, but everyone just seemed to have lots of consideration for the runners out on a warm day, all the while cheering us on. Compared to Berlin, Edinburgh, and London, the food provision in Cologne at the finish was amazing. Included - as in "help yourself" after several hours of struggle - were bananas, crisps, plain bread, meaty sandwiches, cheesy sandwiches, deep fried dough balls, waffles, apples, fruit medley, muesli bars, cola, beer, and probably a few more I didn't get around to. Frankly, this is the real thing if you want a pleasant running experience.

This was my first time in Germany and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Cologne is such a lovely city. It was a great cultural experience for me. The cathedral is magnificent. The race is really well organized. I really enjoyed all of the bananas, and even some Coke. It made such a difference to me and gave me lots of energy. It was great at the start to see the Kenyans warming up. The spectators are magnificent, especially around halfway, where the atmosphere was incredible and inspiring. I ran my quickest ever time in Cologne this year 3:39. I could not fault this race, especially since you can relax after the finish with a few beers! Well done, Cologne.

Plus: Very flat course with elevation only at the beginning and end (Rhein Bridge), so very fine for a PR. The start is well organized, with several starting blocks. Lots of drinks along the way. Finish area is fine with a lot of food and beverage stands. But most of all, GREAT spectators! Minus: City is a bit boring. Only nice scenery near Rhein River and the Dom Cathedral. Collecting of the starting number in the Messe is too crowded and warm, and could be better organized. After the finish, the rental chip must be returned at the Messe and this is quite a distance from the finish. There are also more exits at the finish, so be prepared for where you're going to meet your friends/family. I missed mine and we searched each other for over half an hour. But total up the pluses and the minuses, and I would surely recommend this marathon to everyone!

It was my first marathon, and besides not being used to a rainy cold weather, it was a wonderful experience. It was well organized and the course was almost totally flat, but the amazing crowd is something to remember. There was plenty of water, and near the end, they also had Coke and Red Bull. I do not regret traveling all the way to Germany.

Cologne is a great city to run in, with a flat course and high numbers of spectators. The expo has a large selection of stalls. The city is compact and easy to travel around, with excellent transport links and cheap weekend accommodation. An excellent marathon venue.

I'll start with the negatives to get them out of the way before I go on to say how good this race is: There are insufficient water stations, and they give out small cups rather than anything that you can drink out of on the move (or that actually hold any liquid). In this respect I thought they were very poor indeed. The mile from about 23.5 to 24.5 is possibly the least well supported of any equivalent stage in any of the dozen races I've done. It also adds a demoralizing loop in the course, taking you out of the center onto some unimpressive, dirty narrow streets. It is the worst bit of the course, and comes at just the wrong time (when you want inspiring by crowds or impressive buildings), and taints your enjoyment of the final quarter of the race. With those out of the way, I will go on to say that this race is excellent. It is well organized from start to finish (although the walk from the finish to your bags is quite long). The course is almost entirely excellent (excluding mile 24ish, mentioned above) - consistently scenic and almost pancake flat. The last mile and a half rivals any race in the world for sights and sounds and crowd support (it doesn't beat London, New York or Berlin, but it can be put in the same category). Crowd support varies from good to outstanding, almost without exception. The food afterwards is plentiful (although a little odd). The pre-race expo is very good. It is an excellent course for supporters as it loops to a central location on at least three occasions, and the metro system covers the rest. In summary, if they could iron out the faults, this could be one of the biggest and best races in Europe. As it is, it is still very good indeed (just be careful you don't get dehydrated).

This was my 1st marathon and overall it was an enjoyable one. The course was very flat and scenic for the most part. There were spectators lining almost the entire thing with huge crowds in almost all of the downtown areas and finish lines. The bad thing was lack of food or energy drinks on the course. There was plenty of water or tea but I only saw bananas and they seemed sporadic. Luckily I had brought my own energy gels so I was fine but it would have been a tough run without them. There were also no toilets along the course for the runners. Being male, I had no problem finding a bush, but I could just imagine being a female or having any other type of emergency would not have been good. Overall, I definitely recommends this race. Very good atmosphere and pretty good organization for a 14,000-runner marathon.

The support for this race is incredible. The course is flat and scenic in some parts. The late start meant that it was hot towards the latter part of the race and there were no energy drinks on the course. It was hard to get your deposit back for the chip, and it helps to know a bit of German.

My first marathon. A wonderful experience, good organization (but a grasp of German is helpful). Cologne is the party city of Germany and there was a really good atmosphere in the supporters - at times it felt like a mountain stage in the Tour De France. The crowds were really pressed in tight at times and I found it difficult to maintain the pace I wanted to run at. The course didn't seem to make the most of the tourist sites and my only real complaint is that I did not see a single energy drink in the whole race. Maybe I missed them, but it's supposed to obvious right?

I ran the 7.5 kilometres in the childrens race (thats about 5 miles) I thought the marathon was a lot better than I first thought. I did the last leg of the race and I'm glad I did, because the amount of support you get from the spetators at the finish line was amazing. If you were tired and you wanted to stop the crowd would get right behind you and you want to finish the race. The only bad side to it is that I can't run next year because I would have left school. - M. Greatbatch, 15 years old from the Marlborough school

I ran the children's marathon and I ran 10KM - 6.2 miles. Even though I didn't run the marathon, it was amazing! There were drummers every few miles, little children with their hands out trying to give you high-fives, crazy runners with costumes on, you name it!! There were rollerbladers there too, and they were fast - zooming past everyone in a line! I was running with a clown for some of it and whenever we went past a group of people, they would scream at him!! It felt good to be near him because every time someone roared at him it would give me a bit more energy to go faster. Overall, I would rate this marathon as 10/10, even though I've only run it once! I'll be back next year with my school, Marlbrough. DEFINITELY!!

The Ford marathon in Cologne 2006 was fantastic! This was my first marathon and it was truly one of a kind. The spectators, the views, and the feeling were excellent! Plenty of refreshing stops along the way and cheering crowds gave way to an everlasting experience. The course was scenic and featured many historic buildings throughout the journey. The path was flat and I would recommend this marathon to all first-timers. Some marathon advice: * Book your hotels and/or hostels as early as possible. Try to book one that is near the finish area. * Show up to the race at least three hours early, as it will be crowded. Try to get your race number a day before the race in the registration area as it will be crowded on race day. * The gels and liquid you carry with you on this race should be minimal. There is an abundance of stops along the way so don't bring too much weight with you. In the 2006 race, there were instances where your choices included water, tea, Coke, Red Bull, and bananas. What a buffet! - Lawrence

Fantastic organization and great ambiance! Beautiful track and good runners.

Koln is a beautiful city, and the route was great. There were bands and people cheering almost the whole way. The water/banana stops were spaced just right. The only complaint I have was the late start, but other than that I was very impressed. The people in Koln made my first marathon experience a good one.

Some friends in Dusseldorf and a few glasses of wine convinced me to travel from England and run in this marathon - my first. I had a fantastic time. It was 23C and rained heavily for the first hour which was great for me as it kept me cool. The crowds and bands along the route were wonderful and kept me going when I thought I had to stop. Luckily the course is almost flat and so is easy going for beginners or for those who want a fast time. There were plenty of friendly volunteers handing out drinks and, at the end, medals and food. I really enjoyed myself in spite of the pain!

This was my first marathon. Weather was gray and about 11C. Crowd was great. Learned many new German words 'Tempo' Schneller'. End was a surprise. They wind you up a shopping street and you see 'Ziel' and the Dom at the same time. Quite a moment! I was surprised to see Coke Cola and tea served all along the way. Downside is Koeln is a bit industrial, not a sweet old German city. The scenery wasn't interesting. However, sometimes you couldn't see the buildings through the crowd.

I have run this marathon already three times, the course is nice, you pass quite a lot of historical parts of the city, the finish is sited at the old and impressive cathedral, but the spectators are the best, a second carnival. Even when the weather is bad -expect it, that's usual- there are about half a million of enthusiatic people yelling, laughing, giving high fives, the last kilometer they push you through to the finish. Only existing since 1997 the cologne marathon is already one of the biggest marathons in germany (up to 15.000 runner). Run this one, it is real fun.

Well organized, enough to drink and eat on the course. I never saw so many interested spectators (1/2 million) on the course for a marathon. The wonderful finish is in front of the Cologne cathedral. After the marathon everything was perfectly organized (food, massage, showers,...). Things to improve: on some parts the road is too narrow for 15000 runners. The only bad thing: there is a good chance for rain and it did rain this year.