The H.C. Andersen Marathon takes place in Odense, Denmark's third-largest city with a population of 170,000.

The event begins with the women's half marathon at 9am, followed by the men's half marathon and the 42.2km marathon which both start at 10am. Children run 4.2km.

Participants in the full marathon run two laps of an AIMS-certified, traffic-free, and mostly flat and fast course.

Starting and finishing at the ‘Odense Sports Center’ in the western part of the city, the route takes runners through residential and industrial areas as well as through the pedestrianized city centre. The finishing line is on the athletics track of the ‘Odense Atletikstadion’.

Around 2600 runners took part in the event last year. Over 1300 of them completed the full marathon. The top finisher was Luka Kipkemboi Chelimo of Kenya (2:10:37). His compatriot Emily Chepkorir led the ladies home in 2:34:48.

The marathon is held annually in honour of Odense's most famous son, the writer and poet Hans Christian Andersen, author of many well-known fairy tales, for instance "The Little Mermaid" or "The Princess and the Pea".

Country: Denmark

Venue (Map): Odense (Aarhus 140km, Copenhagen 168km, Hamburg 305km)

Date: 22 September 2013 (Sunday)

Race distance: 42.2km; 21.1km; 4.2km (children)

Start time: 9.00 (21km women); 10.00 (21km men; 42km); 14.00 (children)

Start and finish: Odense Idrætspark (Odense Sports Center), Højstrupvej 5

Entries: online (up to 20 Sep 2013); late entries on 20 and 21 Sep 2013; no entries on the day

Entry fees (42km): 550/600/625/650 DKK (up to 31 July/31 Aug/20 Sep/21 Sep 2013)

Entry fees (21km): 350/400/425 DKK (up to 31 July/20 Sep/21 Sep 2013)

Exchange rate: 100 DKK = ca. 13.40 EUR (September 2013)

Timing: chip timing (included in the entry fees)

Race centre: Odense Sports Center (20 Sep 2013, 14.00-19.00; 21 Sep 2013, 10.00-18.00; on the day 7.30-9.30)

You get: pasta party (on Saturday), T-shirt, chip timing, finisher medal, flowers to women finishers, massage service, shuttle bus service between the railway station and Odense Sports Center (on Sunday)

Changing facilities, showers, baggage storage: yes

Prizes: to the first 5 M/F in the marathon and to the first 3 M/F in the half marathon

Award ceremony: 11.15 (21km women), 11.50 (21km men), 13.00 (42km men), 13.30 (42km women); 15.00 children

Number of finishers 2012: 1349 (42km), 662 (women 21km), 314 children, 130 teams (2-person marathon relay)

Event website: www.hcamarathon.dk

No guarantee is made as to the accuracy or thoroughness of the information on this page.