EuropeDenmark

Copenhagen Marathon

46th edition

A flat, fast loop through the famously bike-friendly Danish capital in cool spring air.

Good for PB Good for Debut
2.0/10 Difficulty
75m Elevation Gain
1980 Founded

Course Map

Elevation Profile
km
mi

About this Race

The Telenor Copenhagen Marathon is a flat, fast loop through the famously bike-friendly Danish capital, winding past Nyhavn's colorful harborfront, royal palaces, and the city's elegant squares and lakes. The terrain is gentle and the roads smooth, reflecting a city built for two wheels, which translates into a forgiving and rhythmic course on foot. Run in May, it offers cool, pleasant Scandinavian spring conditions well suited to hard racing. Crowds are friendly and the layout is straightforward, putting the emphasis on even pacing. It suits runners who want a relaxed, fast Northern European race in one of the world's most livable cities.

city flat loop urban pb-friendly

Course Insight

Copenhagen is a flat, friendly May marathon that runs two loops through a famously bike-smooth city, ideal terrain for an even, rhythmic effort. The repeated loop lets you bank knowledge of every corner and use it on the second pass when concentration frays. The one wildcard is late-spring warmth, which can build on the more open stretches, so don't spend your buffer early. Crowds are relaxed and steady rather than deafening. Treat the flatness as a discipline and the course delivers a clean, fast day.

Pro tip: Use the repeated loop to your advantage on the second pass, and don't spend your buffer early if late-spring warmth builds.

Difficulty Breakdown

2.0/10

Mostly due to very flat.

Elevation
1.6
Hill Placement
2.5
Weather
1.4
Turns
3.7

How we calculate difficulty →

Course Details

Course type
Loop
Elevation gain
75m
Elevation loss
75m
Highest point
19m
Lowest point
2m
Net drop
0m
Start
Øster Allé
Cutoff time
6h 0m

Course Records

Men
2:08:23
Berhane Tsegay
Eritrea — 2022
Women
2:22:08
Mercy Chebwogen
Kenya — 2026

Race History

The Telenor Copenhagen Marathon was first held in 1980, winding through the flat, famously bike-friendly streets of the Danish capital past its palaces, harbor, and squares. Its forgiving, level course made it a reliable destination for fast times in cool Scandinavian spring conditions. From a modest start it grew into Denmark's largest marathon. Held each May, it now draws a sizable international field to one of the world's most livable cities.

Plan Your Trip

Everything you need to know to get there, get settled, and get to the start line.

Nearest airport(s)
Copenhagen (CPH), Malmö (MMX)
Best area to stay
Indre By for central hotels near the start/finish, Vesterbro for hip, affordable stays, and Nyhavn by the harbour for atmospheric waterfront hotels.
Getting to the start
The start is central near the Town Hall area; take the Metro or S-tog to a central stop and walk to the start.

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