Deutsche Post Marathon Bonn.
The Deutsche Post Marathon Bonn runs two identical laps across both banks of the Rhine and gathers barely 130 metres of climbing on the way. Its defining feature is not the profile but the start time: going off at eleven means racing most of the marathon through the warmest hours of an April day.
Deutsche Post Marathon Bonn 2027: Course, Route Profile & Map
The race starts at Belderberg by the Koblenzer Tor. Within the first kilometre the course crosses the Kennedy-Brücke to the right bank and runs through Beuel, before returning to the Bonn side further north and passing the start area for the first time around kilometre ten. From there it heads south along the Rhine embankment to the Rheinaue park, the southernmost point of the lap, and comes back into the centre via Friedrich-Ebert-Allee, the Post Tower and the Museumsmeile. At kilometre 21 the same lap begins again.
Elevation comes almost entirely from the bridge ramps and the short pull back up to the Belderberg. The profile moves between 53 metres at the water and 67 metres in the city centre, more than 82 percent of the course sits in the flat gradient band, and there is no rise the profile would register as a climb. The route carries a licensed WA/AIMS measurement and is record-eligible.
The finish is the most distinctive point of the day: along Sternstrasse straight onto the market square in front of the baroque Altes Rathaus in the middle of the old town. Bonn closes half the city for it; in 2026 the event issued 22,222 places across all competitions and sold out weeks in advance. The surface is asphalt throughout, mid-April in the Rhine valley is mild to warm, and the long riverside sections offer no shade.
| Start | Length | Ø | Max. | Gain | Cat. |
|---|
Climb categories follow the road-cycling convention and rate the terrain itself (length and gradient) regardless of sport: Cat. 4 marks the easiest rated climbs, Cat. 1 the hardest, and HC (hors catégorie, “beyond categorization”) is reserved for the most brutal ascents. Short climbs below the Cat. 4 threshold stay unrated.
How to pace Deutsche Post Marathon Bonn.
Start under control
The course imposes no structure of its own: 82 percent flat, no real climbs, two identical laps. Target pace is therefore set from the first kilometre, and the job is to hold it over the whole distance rather than build a time buffer in lap one, which on a lapped course does not exist anyway.
Hold your rhythm
The race is decided between kilometres 25 and 35, on the embankment and the run out to the Rheinaue in the second lap. The route there is broad, straight and unsheltered, the field has dissolved because the half marathon and relay runners are long gone, and every corner is already familiar from lap one. Running that section without a group costs pace without any rise in effort.
Spend what is left
The biggest trap is the clock. The marathon starts at eleven, which puts kilometres 25 to 35 in the warmest part of the day and, under a six-hour limit, can push the closing kilometres into the late afternoon. A drinking plan that is already working before the first lap closes, and a deliberately conservative opening lap while it is still cooler, are worth more here than any surge through the centre.
Training plan for Deutsche Post Marathon Bonn: 12-week build
Build the base
For a competitive age-group runner the race lasts roughly 3:00 to 5:00 hours, inside a six-hour limit. The demand is purely aerobic and uniform: no anaerobic spikes, no downhill recovery, just a continuous tempo requirement on flat asphalt over two identical laps.
Train race pace
Because the race is decided in the second lap, long runs with a fast finish belong at the centre of the build: 30 to 35 kilometres with the final ten to twelve at marathon pace. One detail specific to this course can also be trained, namely repetition: running your long sessions as two identical loops rather than point to point rehearses the mental break that arrives in Bonn at kilometre 21.
Rehearse the course
Conditions are the real training emphasis. An eleven o'clock start in mid-April in the Rhine valley means the second half is run in the day's warmth, on riverside sections without shade. Two or three hard midday sessions, a rehearsed drinking and electrolyte strategy, and a breakfast that carries you through a whole morning before the gun are therefore part of the preparation rather than extras.
Arrive fresh
This course asks for no climbing strength. More useful are muscular endurance and running economy on hard, level ground, threshold tempo runs of 15 to 20 kilometres, and the ability to hold your own pace over long straight sections with nobody around you.
Courses
Download the Deutsche Post Marathon Bonn course as a GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
Let YOUB adapt your plan for Deutsche Post Marathon Bonn dynamically
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Everything about Deutsche Post Marathon Bonn.
How long is Deutsche Post Marathon Bonn?
Deutsche Post Marathon Bonn is 42.2 km long. That distance shapes how much aerobic endurance, pace durability, and race-specific work belong in the training plan.
How much elevation gain does Deutsche Post Marathon Bonn have?
Deutsche Post Marathon Bonn has around 128 m of elevation gain over 42.2 km. That affects pacing, muscular load, and preparation for late-race sections.
What is the route profile of Deutsche Post Marathon Bonn?
Deutsche Post Marathon Bonn is classified as Flat, averaging 3 vertical metres per kilometre. 82% of the route is flat, 8% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 0% is steeper than 6%.
Is Deutsche Post Marathon Bonn a loop course?
Yes, Deutsche Post Marathon Bonn is laid out as a loop: start and finish are in the same place.
Is there a GPX file for the Deutsche Post Marathon Bonn course?
Yes. The Deutsche Post Marathon Bonn course is on this page as a free GPX download — ready to import into Garmin, Wahoo, Komoot, Strava or any other app that reads GPX.
How should I prepare for Deutsche Post Marathon Bonn?
Preparation for Deutsche Post Marathon Bonn should account for 42.2 km, 128 m of elevation gain, current training load, and available training time. An adaptive plan helps place key sessions without ignoring recovery and real life.
What pacing strategy works for Deutsche Post Marathon Bonn?
The pacing strategy for Deutsche Post Marathon Bonn should reflect 42.2 km, 128 m of elevation gain, and your current fitness. Start controlled and keep margin for sections where the profile or fatigue makes target pace harder.
When does Deutsche Post Marathon Bonn take place?
Deutsche Post Marathon Bonn takes place on April 11, 2027.
Where does Deutsche Post Marathon Bonn take place?
Deutsche Post Marathon Bonn takes place in Bonn, Germany.
Which distances does Deutsche Post Marathon Bonn offer?
Deutsche Post Marathon Bonn offers 4 distances — Marathon: 42.2 km; Halbmarathon: 21.1 km; 10-Kilometer-Lauf: 10 km; Marathon-Staffel: 42.2 km.
How do I register for Deutsche Post Marathon Bonn?
Registration runs through the organiser: deutschepostmarathonbonn.de. YOUB shows you the course, elevation profile and training plan for your preparation.
