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Marathon Groningen powered by Campus Groningen

Start 10:3010:30 AM Groningen, Netherlands

The Marathon Groningen powered by Campus Groningen is a flat course of 42.2 km with 33.4 m of climbing. Its lowest point is 1 m below sea level and its highest 10 m above it. Next race: Sunday 18 April 2027, starting at 10:30.

Martinitoren
Martinitoren. Photograph by Wutsje, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons . Course line © OpenStreetMap contributors

At a glance

Race day
The 2027 race
Start
10:3010:30 AM
Distance
42.2 km26.2 mi
Marathon · Half marathon · 10K · 5K · Walk, from the race name, not from a published programme
Total climb
33.4 m110 ft
Highest point 11 m36 ft above lowest
Time limit
5 h 30 min

The course

Pick a place, or drag along the profile

The course stays between 1.1 m below and 9.8 m above sea level and climbs 33.4 m in the full marathon.

StartFinish

© OpenStreetMap contributors

  2. Photo: JakobHosp, CC BY 4.0

km 35.5mile 22

Stadspark

The marathon's last split is at the athletics track in the Stadspark, which closes at 14:10.

Height drawn many times taller than life · GEDTM30

Course elevation profile, 8× vertical exaggeration Elevation along the course from km 0 to km 42. The trace runs between -1 and 10 metres, a range of 11 metres, drawn at 8 times vertical exaggeration so the shape is legible. Smoothed over 1 km before this profile was derived. An unsmoothed urban surface carries the buildings and would assert a climb that is not there. The dashed stretches are bridge decks: Professor Uilkensweg, km 1.8 to 1.8; Dorkwerdersluis, km 9.5 to 9.5; Emmabrug, km 18.9 to 18.9; Lepelaar, km 25.8 to 26; Nijdam, km 27.5 to 27.7; Emmabrug, km 37.7 to 37.7. A bare-earth model reads the ground or the water beneath a bridge, not the deck the runner is on, so those runs are interpolated between the ground either side rather than measured, and they under-report the real climb across a span.
0 10 20 30 40 km
0 10 20 26.2 mi

Dashed: bridge

Your 5 gels, at the orange marksFor a 4:00 finish, one every 40 minutes

  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

Get them on AmazonAmazon partner link

  • Groningen's course at sea levelHighest point at 18.0 km, lowest at 30.7 km; 10.9 m from low to high.
  • Through the centre and out to the countrysideCentre plus northern and southern outskirts; start and finish on the Zernike campus.
  • 10:30 start, 5 hours 30 and a 14:10 split10:30 start; 5:30 limit; last split at 14:10 in the Stadspark.
Course notes 3 short reads on the course
km 0 to 42.2GradientGroningen's course at sea levelHighest point at 18.0 km, lowest at 30.7 km; 10.9 m from low to high.

The road runs from 1.1 m below sea level, at 30.7 km, to 9.8 m above it, at 18.0 km: 10.9 m from the lowest point to the highest. The marathon climbs 33.4 m in total, so a watch on the day will count more small rises than this from the bridges over canals and the underpasses. The figures are for the organiser’s 2026 course.

Measured

Whole courseLandmarkThrough the centre and out to the countrysideCentre plus northern and southern outskirts; start and finish on the Zernike campus.

The marathon page says the course leads runners past iconic highlights, straight through the centre and through the northern and southern countryside of Groningen. Start and finish are on the Zernike campus. The course is officially measured, and the organiser warns that the distance on its GPX file can differ from the measured distance.

Sourced

km 21.1 to 42.2Tactics10:30 start, 5 hours 30 and a 14:10 split10:30 start; 5:30 limit; last split at 14:10 in the Stadspark.

The marathon on Sunday 18 April 2027 starts at 10:30 in the Zernikepark, after the 10 km at 8:30 and the half marathon at 9:15. Because of road closures the marathon has a cut-off: the last split, at the athletics track in the Stadspark, closes at 14:10, and marathon runners who pass it later continue on the half marathon course. The overall time limit is 5 hours and 30 minutes.

Sourced

Race weekend

Bib pickup at P4, Zernike Campus

Saturday 17 April Bib pickup

  1. 06:006:00 AM–16:004:00 PM

    Race office open P4, Zernike Campus. Bibs and shirts, if ordered.
Other races (3)

  1. 07:007:00 AM

    Marathon walk start P4, Zernike Campus. Walking the marathon distance.

  2. 08:308:30 AM

    Half marathon walk start P4, Zernike Campus. Walking the half marathon distance.

  3. 10:0010:00 AM

    10 km walk start P4, Zernike Campus. Walking the 10 km distance.

Bib in hand?A number belt holds it without pins through your race top. Clip it on tonight.

Number belt on AmazonAmazon partner link

Sunday 18 April Race day

  1. 07:007:00 AM–11:3011:30 AM

    Race office open P4, Zernike Campus. Bibs and shirts, if ordered.

  2. 10:3010:30 AM

    Marathon start Zernikepark. Start and finish are on the Zernike campus.

  3. Time not published

    Marathon time limit Zernike campus. The marathon time limit is 5 hours and 30 minutes. 5:30 limit: 7:49/km for 42.195 km5:30 limit: 12:35/mi for 26.2 mi
Cut-offs and other races (4)

  1. 08:308:30 AM

    10 km start Zernikepark. Includes the Business Run 10 km.

  2. 09:159:15 AM

    Half marathon start Zernikepark. Includes the Business Run half marathon.

  3. 11:3011:30 AM

    2.5 km Kids Run start Zernikepark. For ages 6 to 12.

  4. 14:102:10 PM

    Marathon split cut-off Athletics track, Stadspark. Marathon runners who pass the last split after 14:10 continue on the half marathon course.

Times as published by the organiser, in Groningen time, checked . Confirm on their site before you travel.

Add to calendar .ics file, times in Groningen time

Entry

Entry through the organiser

Entry details on the organiser’s site →

The organiser, a third party. We take no entries and have no part in the race.

Race fuel

Energy gel
An energy gel sachet
Illustration · drag to turn

5 gels for Groningen, plus 1 spare

Finish

One every 40 minutes, the orange marks on the profile. Groningen stays within 11 m36 ft of height, so they go 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

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

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
A small balm stick
Illustration · drag to turn

Compeed anti-blister stick, 8 ml

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
A pack of blister plasters
Illustration · drag to turn

Compeed blister plasters, medium, 6

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.

Questions about the Marathon Groningen powered by Campus Groningen

Is the Marathon Groningen powered by Campus Groningen course flat?
Yes. It has 33.4 m of climbing over 42.2 km. The highest point is 11 m above the lowest.
When is the Marathon Groningen powered by Campus Groningen 2027?
Sunday 18 April 2027. The start is at 10:30.
What is the time limit at the Marathon Groningen powered by Campus Groningen?
Runners have 5 h 30 min to finish.
Where does the Marathon Groningen powered by Campus Groningen start?
Start: Zernikepark.
Runner talk Questions, tips and race reports from other runners about the course and the city.

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