Relay marathon

Organiser of the Generali Cologne Relay Team Marathon is the Köln Marathon Veranstaltungs- und Werbe GmbH.

Competition rules

The Generali Relay Team Marathon will be organised according to International competition rules (Internationale Wettkampfbestimmungen (IWB) of the Deutscher Leichtathletik-Verbandes (DLV) e. V. and International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) rules under the supervision of the DLV.

The first 10 relay teams will be ranked according to their finish time (gross), all others according to their net time. This means that whoever crosses the finish line first wins.

Four runners form a relay team that is to absolve the total distance of 42.195 kilometres (12 – 11.5 – 6 – 12.7 k).

There is not any separate scoring for each gender and/or age classes.

This competition is open for private, club and school teams.

Participation

For the participation in the relay team marathon you have at least be 14 years of age on race day (birthday in 2012 and older). Relevant is the year of birth not the birthday.

The limit for the relay team marathon is 1,000. 970 starting slots are in free sale, further 30 are reserved for our partners, sponsors and travel agencies.

A registration is only possible via this official website.

Health

We recommend an adequate sports medical examination to all participants prior to the participation. As an indication please check the Sport Health Check on the registration page.

Data process agreement

Registrations will only be possible via this website. Deadline will be September 20, 2026, provided that the participant limit has not been reached before.

The relay team runners should arrive early enough at the transition zones to be able to orientate themselves.

The team members will share the total distance of 42.195 kilometres. These four stages will have different distances:

• 1st runner approx. 12.0 k
• 2nd runner approx. 11.9 k
• 3rd runner approx. 6.0 k
• 4th runner approx. 12.3 k

At the end of each stage the runner will have to enter the transition zone and hand over the team bib number with the belt to the next runner of your relay team.

The next runner should have lined up in the transition zone before early enough waiting for the runner in the section according to the team bib number.

Please consider not to disturb other relay teams in the transition zone.

Find an overview of the transition zones here:

• transition zone 1
• transition zone 2
• transition zone 3

Race packets

In order to be able to participate your team captain will have to pick up your bib numbers and race packets in person at the Running.EXPO. This expo will take place in MOTORWORLD Cologne and be opened on Friday, October 2, from 12:00 a. m. to 8:00 p. m. and on Saturday, October 3, 2026, from 9:00 a. m. to 6:00 p. m.

Chronometry

The time of your relay team will be measured with a transponder attached to the bib number by race result.

A participation and chronometry is exclusively possible with this special transponder.

Please fasten your team bib number with the number belt and wear it on the hips. And pin the back numbers on the backs.

Please do NOT use magnetic pins or the like for fixing the bib number. They can have a negative impact on chronometry and the detection of your times.

Make sure that you overrun all chronometry mats normally every 5 k along the course. Lacking interval times may cause in disqualification.

Ranking

The first 10 relay teams will be ranked by gross time and will be marked by * in the result list. All other relay teams will be added by net time.

Please note that, due to a strict timeframe and municipal provisions, you are to complete the competition within a time of 6:00 hours net. The course has to be opened for public transportation then. Should your relay team exceed this time limit your runner will be addressed accordingly by the marshals and the broom wagon driver. The runner has to leave the course then and can be brought to the finish area by the broom wagon or public transportation.

Start

The start will be located on Opladener Straße next to Ottoplatz/Bahnhof Deutz.

Starting blocks

The starting blocks will be kicked off approximately every 4 minutes. The first runner of your team will have to pin the team bib number visible with the belt and the back number on the reverse of the shirt. No start without any bib number!

Starting times

(may be subject to change)

10:30 a. m. marathon including relay teams and school marathon

The order of the starting blocks will be RED – BLUE – YELLOW – GREEN.

IMPORTANT!

Those who will feel ill on race day should stay at home. You will not only risk an infection of other participants, but also your own health. No wrong ambition please!

Finish area

The finish area will be located on Komödienstraße next to the city’s landmark, Cologne Cathedral. After the finish crossing the final runner of your relay team you can meet again outside the closed area to pick up your kit bags.

Please desist from a mutual finish crossing of all four relay team runners in respect for the marathoners. These have run the 42.195 kilometres on their own and thus are exhausted accordingly.

Awards

Directly after crossing the finish line within the given time limit your last runner will obtain all four finisher medals for the team members. The award ceremony will take place after the finish.

You can have a look onto a first, unofficial preliminary certificate with a click on the name of your relay team in the result list. Your official certificate with the final time and positioning will be available approximately one week after the race (after the period for objection) at the same place.

Note: Within this period positionings may change.