My marathons

Göteborg Marathon

Run on 10 October 2026. Next race: date not out yet. Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg. Photograph by Bengt Nyman from Vaxholm, Sweden, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

The course

The course is a turnaround course on the cycle path along the old railway embankment by the sea, south from Gothenburg, with the turn after about 10.5 km at Lilla Amundön; the half marathon runs one lap and the marathon two.

The course in short 3 lines
  • Out along the sea and back, twiceOne flat, straight out and back by the sea, run twice, with a turn on Amundön.
  • A drink station every fourth kilometreFour stations are listed, the last at 16.8 km, and your own drink can be carried out.
  • Ten o'clock start and a 5 hour 30 limitStart 10:00, limit 5:30, and the lap-point rope closes at 2:40.
Course notes 3 short reads on the course
km 0 to 42.2GeometryOut along the sea and back, twiceOne flat, straight out and back by the sea, run twice, with a turn on Amundön.

The organiser’s information page for the 2026 edition describes the course in these words: “Banan är en vändpunktsbana och följer cykelbanan på den gamla banvallen längs havet från Göteborg och söderut.” Start and finish are inside Slottsskogsvallen.

The page calls it “flack och rak”, flat and straight, and says the turning point comes “efter cirka 10,5 km vid båtuppläggningen Lilla Amundön”, where the course runs for stretches right by the sea. “Halvmaralöpare springer ett varv och maratonlöpare två varv.” Every kilometre is marked with a sign.

Sourced

km 0 to 16.8ConditionsA drink station every fourth kilometreFour stations are listed, the last at 16.8 km, and your own drink can be carried out.

The page says: “Det finns vätskestationer på var fjärde kilometer utmed banan. Stationerna ligger vid 4,2 km, 8,4 km, 12,6 km, 16,8 km.” They offer water, sports drink, cola, banana and raisins.

The list stops at 16.8 km. The page adds: “Det finns möjlighet att få egen vätska/energi transporterad till vätskestationerna.”

After the finish everyone gets water, sports drink and cola, plus banana, coffee or tea and a sandwich.

Sourced

km 0 to 42.2ConditionsTen o'clock start and a 5 hour 30 limitStart 10:00, limit 5:30, and the lap-point rope closes at 2:40.

For the 2026 edition the information page gives: “10:00 Startgrupp 1 – Maraton.” The half marathon starts in two groups, 10:30 and 10:45. In 2026, bibs were collected at Friidrottens hus on race day from 08:00 until half an hour before the start, 09:30 for the marathon.

On the limit: “Maxtid för maraton är 5 timmar och 30 minuter. Vi drar ett rep vid varvningen 12:40, vilket är 2 timmar och 40 minuter efter start.”

Sourced

Race fuel

Energy gel
An energy gel sachet
Illustration · drag to turn

5 gels for Gothenburg, plus 1 spare

Finish

One every 40 minutes, by the clock:

  1. km 7mile 4.4
  2. km 14.1mile 8.7
  3. km 21.1mile 13.1
  4. km 28.1mile 17.5
  5. km 35.2mile 21.8

Our pick: SiS BETA Fuel gel, box of 6, strawberry and lime. 40 g of carbohydrate a gel, about twice a usual gel, from two kinds of sugar your body takes up side by side.

Easy to forget on race morning: pack them with your bib the night before.

Get it on Amazon

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In Canada the button opens GU Energy Gel, Salted Caramel, 24-pack, the best seller there.

Outside the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the UK and Ireland, Spain and Portugal, Italy, the rest of the EU and Canada the button opens GU Energy Gel, Chocolate Outrage, 24-pack on Amazon.com, the best seller there.

Anti-chafe
Compeed Anti-blister stick
Photo: Compeed

Compeed

Compeed anti-blister stick, 8 ml

Best selling on Amazon amazon.nl, read 2 Nov

An invisible layer before the start keeps seams, straps and shoes from rubbing skin raw.

Put it on before you leave for the start: heels and toes, inner thighs, under a bra or heart-rate strap.

Try it on a long run first, like everything you use on race day.

Get it on Amazon

We earn a small fee if you buy through these links. The price is the same.

Number belt
A race number belt
Illustration · drag to turn

Compressport Race Belt

Holds your bib without safety pins through your top, with loops for up to 8 gels.

Clip the bib on the night before, so it goes on with your shorts in the morning.

Keep the number on the front, where officials and photographers can see it.

Get it on Amazon

We earn a small fee if you buy through these links. The price is the same.

Electrolytes
A tube of electrolyte tablets
Illustration · drag to turn

SiS Hydro electrolyte tablets, tube of 20

One tablet in a bottle puts back some of the salt you sweat out.

One tablet in 500 ml of water in the hour before the start.

Only if you have used them in training: nothing new on race day.

Get it on Amazon

We earn a small fee if you buy through these links. The price is the same.

Blister plasters
Compeed Blister plasters, medium, 6
Photo: Compeed

Compeed

Compeed blister plasters, medium, 6

Best selling on Amazon amazon.nl, read 2 Nov

One in a pocket cushions a blister if one starts.

Put it on clean, dry skin and leave it until it comes off by itself.

Give a couple to whoever comes to cheer, so they are there at the km you need them.

Get it on Amazon

We earn a small fee if you buy through these links. The price is the same.
distance
42.2 km26.2 mi
cut-off
5:30 h

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