Berlin Marathon Berlin Marathon The Berlin Marathon (branded BMW Berlin Marathon for sponsorship reasons) is a major running and sporting event held annually in Berlin, Germany. The official marathon distance of 42.195 kilometers (26 miles 385 yards) is set up as a citywide road race where professional athletes and amateur runners jointly participate. Initiated in 1974, the event traditionally takes place on the last weekend in September, with the exceptions of 2000, because of a conflict with the Olympic Marathon date, and 2018, held two weeks earlier due to Day of German Unity preparations. There have been several title sponsors in the
Athletics at the 1908 Summer Olympics – Men's marathon (in hours) prior to the 1908 Summer Olympics. "(*)" distance 40.0 km "(**)" distance 41.86 km Johnny Hayes set a new Olympic record with 2:55:18.4 hours. 27 runners finished the marathon legally, though Dorando Pietri's (disqualified) performance was perhaps the most applauded; his finishing time was 2:54:46.4 hours, half a minute ahead of the winner. The dramatic finish of the 1908 Olympic marathon led to worldwide marathon fever. In a postcard sent at the time, an American spectator said he had "just seen the greatest race of the century." Since Pietri himself had not been responsible for his disqualification Queen