Berlin (Germany), Sunday 28 September 2014

Berlin is not only "poor but sexy" (as mayor Klaus Wowereit once aptly put it), it is also home to one of the world's most prestigious marathons, the ‘Big Six’ (Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, New York City). So it comes as no surprise that the demand for bibs for the Berlin Marathon regularly exceeds the supply of 40,000.

Until mid-October 2013 (almost one year before the race), around 75,000 runners had announced their interest in running the Berlin Marathon 2014, despite hefty entry fees of € 98 (the highest of all entry fees in our Run International Race Guide).

Consequently, 40,000 participants were randomly selected in a lottery process. They will be joined by an armada of elite athletes, some of them among the world's best.

East African runners will inevitably lead the men's field, chasing Wilson Kipsang's world record of 2:03:23 which he set in the Berlin Marathon 2013.

The women's race will be more open, with athletes from around the world competing for the top spots. We dare predict that Paula Radcliffe's fabulous world record of 2:15:25, set in the London Marathon 2003, will not be broken.

Lucky all those fun runners who will not chase personal records but just enjoy the fantastic atmosphere and the varied route through very different parts of Germany's capital, for instance Kreuzberg, which has been a centre of alternative lifestyles for decades, and where you can find many unusual sights (pictured).

Country: Germany

Venue (Map): Berlin

Date: 28 September 2014 (Sunday)

Race distance: 42.2km

Start time: 8.20 (wheelchair athletes); 8.28 (handcyclists); 8.45 (runners)

Start/finish area: Straße des 17. Juni

Race centre: Messe Berlin Vital (25-27 September 2014)

Entries: online; entry limit: 40,000 runners

Entry fees: € 98

Timekeeping: ChampionChip — use your own chip, rent a chip (€ 6), or buy a chip (€ 31)

You get: finisher medal; certificate and results list (by post)

Showers, changing facilities, baggage storage: yes

Number of finishers 2013: 36,474

Event website (in German and English): Berlin Marathon

No guarantee is made as to the accuracy or thoroughness of the information on this page! Please visit the official event website to verify the above information.