Terms and conditions
Here please find all important information for our virtual race, the Generali Cologne Marathon 2020 virtual edition. This data is also the terms and conditions. Only when complying to them you are allowed to take part in the virtual race.
Note: You have to take your smartphone with you during the race for the tracking (Note: Tracking or smart watches cannot be used!). The GPS data will be transferred to our service and app provider for analysis and display in the map of the app.
You can run between 8:00 a. m. and 6:00 p. m. on October 4, 2020 (Central European Summer Time/CEST). Within this period the tracking will be activated.
Supported are Apple iPhones iOS 11 and newer as well as Google Android 7 and newer.
Shortcuts: Explanations for the 2020 virtual race | Use and tips | App features in a nutshell
Explanations for the 2020 virtual race
Overview: 3 steps to the Generali Cologne Marathon 2020 virtual edition
- Register online via our website
- Download the new Cologne Marathon app
- Log in in the app – done and start running!
1. Register online via our website
- In case you have already registered for the real 2020 race just confirm the transfer of your data via the edit link in the email we sent you.
- When you intend to newly participate in the Generali Cologne Marathon 2020 virtual edition on October 4 please register here.
2. Download the new Cologne Marathon app
For the participation in the virtual race the use of the new Cologne Marathon app and running with your smartphone are compulsory.
- The Cologne Marathon app is available in the Apple and Google Play Stores:
- Download the corresponding app for your smartphone.
3. Log in in the app – done and start running!
- Once you have registered for the virtual race (see step 1 above) and downloaded the new app (see step 2 above), you will receive an email with your personal login data for the app, your Registration ID (despatch of the login data on the day of the release, on September 25 and October 1, 2020 depending on the day you have registered for the virtual race).
- Log in with your Registration ID.
- We recommend to make yourself familiar with the app already in advance (see “Use and tips” below).
Use and tips
Use of the app
- Make yourself familiar with the numerous features of the app (see below) and click yourself through the navigation.
- Please take your smartphone during the entire run with you for tracking purposes (Note: Tracking or smart watches cannot be used instead!).
- Please select your favourite unit of length in the “Settings” and enable push and audio messages.
- Important recommendation: Please download all audio files, the so-called “Audio Experiences” including the Radio Köln playlist, already in advance when you have a stable WIFI connection. Thus, you ensure that we can provide you with audio information in the app even during your race when the internet connection on your running course might not be ideal.
- Note: If you would like to listen to our audio files no other apps are allowed to play audio content, i. e. no tracking apps like Strava, Runtastic etc, no music streaming by Spotify, Shazam or the like or no navigation apps by Komoot or the like. And better do not accept any incoming phone call during the run.
- Note: Should you take some videos during your run, this action will interrupt the playback of the Radio Köln playlist until the next audio experience. You will receive them onto your smartphone at these spots:
- Marathon: after the start | k 10.5 | 21.5 | 31.7 | 39.8 | 41.7
- Half marathon: after the start | k 5.3 | 10.7 | 15.5 | 18.8 | 20.7
- 10k run: after the start | k 2.5 | 5.2 | 6.5 | 7.8 | 9.7
- In case you want to use a navigation app like Komoot or the like you have to switch off the audio function of the navigation app before start tracking (order: start the course navigation in Komoot, switch off the audio function and then start tracking in our app). Otherwise the audio files will not be played.
Tips for race day
- Charge your smartphone – and when booking the ‘Home Run’ package also your new powerbank by RheinEnergie – on the eve of race day completely.
- Do not forget to take your ear phones for the audio messsages (Audio Experiences) or turn on the volume of your smartphone.
- Open the Cologne Marathon app shortly before the start and activate the GPS locating and “Mobile Data” at the latest. Note: Without these features you cannot take part in the virtual race.
- Please switch manually from “Welcome” to “Live” (one button to the right) on the tracking screen after your start. You will then see your time, distance etc.
- Take pictures and/or videos of yourself and the experiences on race day and post your most beautiful moments with the hashtag #koelnmarathon onto our social wall.
- Should you have technical problems with the tracking please contact Mika:timing directly. Please find this form (‘Results Request Form’) also in the result list when clicking on your name.
Note: Spectators or listeners can also use the app without any login.
App features in a nutshell
Shortcuts: Home screen | Tracking | Results & favourites | Selfie/Photo | Social Wall #koelnmarathon | Partners | News | Live leaderboard | Instagram | Facebook | Push messages | Audio Experiences | Audio Info | Settings | Certificate & finisher badge
Home screen
On the home screen you will find the most important features of the app in a nutshell. Some further functionalities can be discovered in the menu and settings.
Tracking
In order to be able to use our new Cologne Marathon app as a runner for your participation in the Generali Cologne Marathon 2020 virtual edition and track yourself on the course you are to log in in the app with your Registration ID (via email) and your name.
On race day please activate the tracking. It is important to enable Mobile data and to have availability of GPS locating on the entire course.
Note: Only when you track yourself with our app you can take part in the race and will be included in the result list.
You can track yourself live on a map where you really run. By clicking the ‘switch to actual/virtual location we project your position virtually onto our original Cologne Marathon course. You thus are really part of the party in Cologne!
As long as the volumen of your smartphone is turned on or you run with ear phones we will send you information about your performance during the race (see Audio Info).
The app will indicate when you will have reached the selected distance according to tracking data. Thus, the finish time will stop automatically. The tracking however will continue for approximately a quarter of an hour due to technical reasons when you do not stop it. This will not have any effect on the finish time.
After the race you can display and share your certificate and your finisher badge in social media.
We recommend: Please check the energy saving settings on your smartphone so that the tracking will remain active during the whole time of your race. Some producers force apps to close after a longer period of high battery operation.
Results & favourites
Via the starters’ list you can mark other runners as favourites and follow them during the race. Spectators can do the same with you and other runners.
After the race you can display and share your certificate and your finisher badge in social media.
Selfie/Photo
Our virtual race lives on your impressions and those of other runners! Take lots of pictures and selfie with the “Selfie/Photo” feature prior to, during and after the race and share them on Instagram or Twitter with our hashtag #koelnmarathon onto our social wall!
We offer some picture frames for your “Best shot“. Just take a selife/pic, select a frame optionally, save and post it!
Additionally, you can allow us to use your picture/s.
Social Wall #koelnmarathon
Via “Social Wall #koelnmarathon“ you can directly navigate to our social wall and have a look onto your Instagram posts and Twitter tweets and those of other runners with our hashtag #koelnmarathon.
The more and more frequent the merrier! Tell us your personal story with pics and text and share your experiences with us!
Partners
A big thank you to our competent and long partners Generali, RheinEnergie, Saucony, Reissdorf Alkoholfrei, Die Bergische, REWE Group and AWB for the nice collaboration and outstanding support particularly in times of Corona!
Without them even a virtual edition would not be possible! Thank you!
News
You can access all important information on our virtual race in the “News” section.
Live leaderboard
The “Live leaderboard” gives you and spectators a live overview of the race. You can follow the runners and check the split times.
The “Instagram” button leads you to our Instagram account. Go there to see what we communicate of the day.
While clicking on “Facebook” you will navigate to our Cologne Marathon account and you can have a look onto our posts of the day.
Push messages
Please enable push messages in the “Settings” section so that we can provide you with last important information, your split and finish times etc. on race day.
Audio Experiences
With the audio messages we would like to beam you emotionally and directly into the famous “Cologne Marathon world” and support you acustically with “Audio Experiences” – the way as if you would really run here in Cologne! Think of the awesome atmosphere, the spectators, the hosts etc.
We recommend: Run with ear phones (which is normally forbidden) or turn on the volume of your smartphone!
Additional recommendation: Please download our “Audio Experiences” already in advance onto your smartphone when you have a good WLAN connection! Thus you can enjoy them even when the connection on the course is worse!
Audio Info
We will send your split times per kilometre/mile and finish time via personalised audio messages (“Audio Info”) by ‘Emma’ directly to your smarthphone!
We recommend: Run with ear phones (which is normally forbidden) or turn on the volume of your smartphone!
Settings
Within the “Settings” you can select the preferred unit of length for the tracking, activate push messages () and enable audio files (Audio Experiences) during the race.
We recommend: Activate all features! Thus you ensure that we can best provide you with important information during the race!
Certificate & finisher badge
After the race you can display and share your certificate and your finisher badge in social media. Please go to “Tracking” or “Results & favourites”.
