Internationaler Volkslauf Herzogenrath.
Herzogenrath's 46th International Half Marathon is a DLV-measured lapped road race: three loops through the Broichbach valley, with start and finish on the track at the school centre. The organiser calls the course flat, but the three laps add up to a good 220 metres of gain on the valley flank - much of it in the same short ramp, seen three times.
No date has been announced for the next edition yet. The course, elevation and route profile are from the most recent edition.
the Herzogenrath International Volkslauf: Course, Elevation & Route Profile
The race starts on the track at the school centre's stadium on Bardenberger Strasse. After a lap of the track the field leaves to the north-east and drops down Ruifer Strasse into the Broichbach valley. From there the loop runs upstream through Ruif and Noppenberg, on towards Zopp and the Broichtal sewage works, turns, and comes back along the southern side of the valley via Ottenfelder-Allee and Roemergasse.
The loop measures just under 6.9 kilometres and is covered three times, with two extra stadium laps and the 87-metre home straight on the track. There is no single big climb: the smoothed profile registers no section as a climb at all. The gain comes from the constant exchange between a valley floor at around 112 metres and settlement edges at a good 140 - roughly 75 metres per lap, three times in identical order.
The Broichbach valley is a green corridor between Herzogenrath and the villages of Ruif, Noppenberg and Zopp: the stream, meadows, a small lake by the Waldstadion, and the residential streets of the villages in between. In late October this is run in low light and often damp valley air; the half marathon is the first event of the day at quarter past eleven, with the shorter distances following only in the afternoon.
| 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 the Herzogenrath International Volkslauf.
Start under control
A course run three times is a gift for pacing: after the first lap you know every ramp and every dip. Which is exactly why the first lap is the classic mistake - it gets run too fast, because it is new and the drop into the valley feels easy.
Hold your rhythm
The race is decided on the return along the southern side of the valley, which carries the same climb back up to the school centre on every lap. The third time, just before kilometre 20, that same ramp costs far more than it did the first time. If you have a target time, plan it so the third lap is no more than a minute slower than the first.
Spend what is left
The trap is the gap between the description and the profile. On paper it says "flat course"; the profile says a good ten metres of gain per kilometre. Pace it as pure flat running and you attack the valley flanks too hard. Add the season: late October often leaves cool, damp air in the Broichbach valley, in which an over-warm race kit becomes a problem on the third lap.
Training plan for the Herzogenrath International Volkslauf: 12-week build
Build the base
For a typical age-group runner this half marathon lasts somewhere between about 1:25 and 2:15. The demand is a long, even aerobic effort with regular short waves: no anaerobic spikes, but no genuine recovery sections either, because every ramp comes round again within a kilometre.
Train race pace
Repetition is what decides it. The same climb three times under growing fatigue asks for strength endurance, not hill skill. A fitting emphasis is undulating steady runs of 90 to 110 minutes on a loop you cover several times, plus tempo runs of 8 to 12 kilometres on gently rolling ground.
Rehearse the course
The course is asphalt throughout and DLV-measured, with no technical sections - trail work transfers nothing here, while track and road intervals transfer a lot. Useful sessions are 5 x 1,000 m or 3 x 2,000 m at half marathon to 10 km pace, set in a week with one long run and several easy ones.
Arrive fresh
Conditions come from the date: a Saturday morning in late October in the Rhineland, cool, often damp, with a start on the track and a quick drop into the valley floor. Worth doing are a few sessions in cool weather with a longer warm-up, because there is no opening hill to ease you in here, and a clothing decision made for the third lap rather than the first.
Courses
Download the the Herzogenrath International Volkslauf course as a GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
Let YOUB adapt your plan for Internationaler Volkslauf Herzogenrath dynamically
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Everything about Internationaler Volkslauf Herzogenrath.
How long is the Herzogenrath International Volkslauf?
the Herzogenrath International Volkslauf is 21.1 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 the Herzogenrath International Volkslauf have?
the Herzogenrath International Volkslauf has around 225 m of elevation gain over 21.1 km. That affects pacing, muscular load, and preparation for late-race sections.
What is the route profile of the Herzogenrath International Volkslauf?
the Herzogenrath International Volkslauf is classified as Rolling, averaging 10.8 vertical metres per kilometre. 33% of the route is flat, 38% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 1% is steeper than 6%.
Is the Herzogenrath International Volkslauf a loop course?
Yes, the Herzogenrath International Volkslauf is laid out as a loop: start and finish are in the same place.
Is there a GPX file for the the Herzogenrath International Volkslauf course?
Yes. The the Herzogenrath International Volkslauf 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 the Herzogenrath International Volkslauf?
Preparation for the Herzogenrath International Volkslauf should account for 21.1 km, 225 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 the Herzogenrath International Volkslauf?
The pacing strategy for the Herzogenrath International Volkslauf should reflect 21.1 km, 225 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 Internationaler Volkslauf Herzogenrath next take place?
No date has been announced for the next edition yet. The most recent one was held on October 24, 2026.
Where does Internationaler Volkslauf Herzogenrath take place?
Internationaler Volkslauf Herzogenrath takes place in Herzogenrath, Germany.
Which distances does the Herzogenrath International Volkslauf offer?
the Herzogenrath International Volkslauf offers 4 distances — Internationaler Halbmarathon: 21.1 km; 10 km int. Volks- und Strassenlauf: 10 km; 5 km Jedermannlauf: 5 km; 5 km Walking und Nordic-Walking: 5 km.
How do I register for the Herzogenrath International Volkslauf?
Registration runs through the organiser: djk-herzogenrath.de. YOUB shows you the course, elevation profile and training plan for your preparation.
