The fourth stop on the World Marathon Majors circuit is famous for its blazing fast course and historic performances. Since its inception in 1974, the Berlin Marathon has produced 12 world records, including the most recent men’s world record, broken once again by Eliud Kipchoge in 2022. This year, the two-time Olympic champion is returning to defend his title in the German capital on Sunday, September 24.
Will the greatest men’s marathoner of all time improve his record? Keep reading to learn how to watch and other exciting storylines to follow at the Berlin Marathon.
How to Watch the 2023 Berlin Marathon
Fans that live stateside can tune in live on FloTrack. A subscription is required (memberships cost $29.99 monthly or $149.99 annually).
More From Runner's World
Race Details
Where: The Berlin Marathon starts and ends near the Brandenburg Gate while covering famous landmarks around the city.
When: The elite hand cyclist field begins at 8:50 a.m. local time. Wheelchair competitors start at 8:57 a.m, and four waves of runners, including the elite field, take off at 9:15 a.m. Berlin is seven hours ahead for those that live in the Eastern time zone. To watch live, set your alarms early to catch the elite start at 3:15 a.m. ET.
Kipchoge aims for record fifth title
With the exception of his 2013 runner-up finish, Kipchoge has remained undefeated on the Berlin course. As a result of breaking the world record with a stunning 2:01:09 performance—averaging 4:37 per mile throughout the 2022 effort—he’s tied with the legendary Haile Gebresleassie with four wins. On Sunday, he’ll go for a fifth victory after recovering from a tough spring season.
In April, the 38-year-old finished a disappointing sixth at the Boston Marathon while navigating issues with his left leg. According to a release from the NN Running Team, his training group, Kipchoge took a two-week break after the race and returned to training in May. “Four months of solid and uninterrupted training have followed and Kipchoge looks set to be back to his best in Berlin,” the team wrote.
Kipchoge’s best could mean another historic effort in the German capital, where he first broke the record in 2018 and again in 2022 by 30 seconds. Now targeting a third consecutive gold medal in the marathon at the 2024 Olympic Games, the Kenyan runner said he’s approaching Berlin as preparation for Paris.
“I have been putting in the work together with the team, doing all my training and trusting the process,” Kipchoge wrote on Instagram. “I am ready to go back to my special place, back to Berlin to take on the challenge again.”
Amos Kipruto will likely be Kipchoge’s biggest rival in the race. The Kenyan athlete won the 2022 London Marathon and finished second to Kipchoge at the 2022 Tokyo Marathon.
The American contingent will be represented by Scott Fauble, who is coming off a seventh-place finish at the Boston Marathon.
Tigist Assefa returns after breakthrough in 2022
Last year, the Ethiopian runner shocked the running community by notching the fifth-fastest 26.2 of all time to win the women’s race. In just her second crack at the distance, Assefa broke the tape in 2:15:37, shattering the Berlin course record and obliterating her previous personal best by 18 minutes.
According to World Athletics, the 2023 Berlin Marathon will be her first race since December 2022. It will be a highly anticipated return to competition for the former 800-meter runner.
Her biggest challenger will likely be Sheila Chepkirui, who is returning after a fourth-place finish at the London Marathon earlier this year. The Kenyan runner holds a 2:17:29 personal best from the 2022 Valencia Marathon.
On the American side, Annie Frisbie will race her second World Marathon Major this year after running 2:28 in Boston.
Taylor Dutch is a writer and editor living in Austin, Texas, and a former NCAA track athlete who specializes in fitness, wellness, and endurance sports coverage. Her work has appeared in Runner’s World, SELF, Bicycling, Outside, and Podium Runner.