The H.C. Andersen Marathon takes place in Odense, Denmark's third-largest city with a population of about 174,000.

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 such as ‘The Little Mermaid’ or ‘The Princess and the Pea’.

Traditionally, the event kicks off 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.

The full marathon is two laps of an AIMS-certified, traffic-free, and mostly flat and fast course.

Starting at the Odense Sports Center in the western part of the city, the route runs 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 3,600 runners took part in the event last year. Over 1,500 of them competed over the classic marathon distance. The top finishers were James Kimaiyo Cheboi (2:17:16) and Hellen Jepkosgei Kimutai (2:40:49), both of Kenya.

The time limit to finish the race is six hours.

Country: Denmark

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

Date: 4 October 2015 (Sunday)

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

Start time: 9.00 (21km women); 10.00 (21km men; 42km men and women); 14.00 (4.2km children)

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

Race centre: Odense Sports Center (Friday 14.00-19.00; Saturday 10.00-18.00; on the day 7.30-9.30)

Entries: online (up to 2 October 2015); late entries on 2 and 3 October 2015; no entries on the day

Entry fees (21km): 350 - 425 DKK

Entry fees (42km): 550 - 675 DKK

Exchange rate: 100 DKK = ca. 13.40 EUR (July 2015)

Timekeeping: chip timing (included in the entry fees)

You get: carbo-loading party (on Saturday), T-shirt, fruit and drinks on the course and at the finish, finisher medal, flowers to women finishers, massage service, free shuttle bus service between the railway station and Odense Sports Center

Changing facilities, showers, bag 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 2014: 236 (4.2km children), 955 (21km women), 864 (21km men), 1558 (42km)

Event website: www.hcamarathon.dk

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