FAQ - Frequently asked questions

AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Rankings

The Mainova Frankfurt Marathon is part of the AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Rankings 2024.

The Abbott World Marathon Majors (AbbottWMM) is a series of six of the largest and most renowned marathons in the world – Tokyo Marathon, B.A.A. Boston Marathon, Virgin Money London Marathon, BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, Bank of America Chicago Marathon and TCS New York City Marathon.

AbbottWMM also applauds the achievements and passion of everyday champions from around the world! The AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Rankings — a global age group marathon ranking system in nine separate age groups selects the top age-division runners (age 40+) for the AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Championship.

Qualifying period: 1st January until 31st of December 2024.

Runners can earn ranking points from a maximum of two qualifying times during the qualification period.
The highest ranked runners will earn a place at the AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Championships in 2025.
Participants in an AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Ranking qualifying race will earn points according to their age, time and gender, aligned with the following age groups for men and women: 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80+.

More information: https://www.worldmarathonmajors.com/rankings/how-it-works

App

You can now download for free the new version of the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon App 2023 from the current App Stores and experience the Marathon and all its events throughout race weekend on your mobile. The Mainova Frankfurt Marathon App is the ideal companion for both spectators and participants on marathon weekend. You’ll have the best possible access to information about the event including every important piece of information on just one device.

How do I find the App?

Download the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon Tracking & Event App from the relevant Stores: the Tracking & Event App works on Apple iPhone iOS13 and later models as well as on Android Version 7 and beyond. Please make sure you activate the App before the race on the relevant version of your mobile.

Store your Favourites for Viewing

You can store up to 15 runners as Favourites and follow their progress through the race. Your friends and family can also track you while you run the race.

Leaderboard

Results and split times of the fastest men and women can be tracked on “Leaderboard.” The times posted and predicted finishing time are calculated from the split times given at the course checkpoints.

Livetracking

You want your friends and family to follow your progress in the race live? Then register under “My Race” your personal App-Login, consisting of the initials FA followed by a double full stop and your registration code (FM:xxxx) and your family name (AN Other).

How does Livetracking work?

It works by using GPS Data to give your true position rather than only calculating from your most recent checkpoint so friends and family can follow your progress live throughout the race.

How can Livetracking be activated?

  • Activate the mobile Data connection in your fully charged Smartphone.
  • Start the App, select “My Race” and log on with your personal App-Login, using the format: FM:registration code and your family name AN Other.
  • Inform your friends and family that the App can be downloaded free which will enable them to track you.
  • Start the Tracking just before the race and stop it as soon as you cross the finish line
  • To increase the accuracy of the Tracking device, we recommend that you wear your Smartphone on your arm. As far as possible, keep the antenna uncovered.
  • Requirements for optimum performance are as follows: GPS coverage, availability of the mobile phone network as well as activation of your mobile’s Data.

Important:

You only have to log on if you want to use Livetracking. Your friends and family can follow your progress during the race without using the Livetracking option. Your split times will be recorded on the basis of your times at the checkpoints on the course. Livetracking offers a more precise form of tracking your times in the race.

Spectators do not need to provide any log in data to use the App, simply start using it.

News & Infos

Go to “News & Info” which takes you straight into our News section. You’ll find the latest information all about the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon, ranged according to when it was posted.

Support our Charity Campaigns

Since 2017 the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon has been working in conjunction with the Federal State of Hessen as charity partners. In our jubilee year 2023 this partnership will be seven years old. In the light of the 40th anniversary of the Marathon the project “Mission 100.000” has been created. The aim is to break the 100.000 EUR for charity donations in total since 2017. You can become part of “Mission 100.000” and support our charity campaign under the heading “Charity.”

Selfies!

Use our Selfie framework and share a picture of your Marathon Moment on your social media profile with #runtheskyline and #frankfurtmarathon

Important Information for Relay Runners

There is no Livetracking option for relay runners, nor is a login required for “My Race.” Relays can track relays via “Favourites”, the times and positions are based on the calculated split times at checkpoints.

Baby carriages

We wish all mothers and fathers lots of fun while running with their children in the baby carriage. Please be considerate of the other runners and try not to hinder them.

Baggage (clothes) disposal

You can bring your clothes in the official bag to the baggage disposal from 8.00am on marathon sunday in hall 1, level 1. Please stick the number on your bag and allow enough time to check-in your bag. Please note that we only accept clothing bags of the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon. For other luggage we offer a wardrobe (4 € per piece of luggage). There is no other possibility to hand in your clothes bag.

Camping

Camping van parking is located on the Rebstock grounds, block D. There is no power and water connectivity. Please find further information about arrival and camping van parking on https://www.messefrankfurt.com/frankfurt/de/anreise.html

 

Certificates

You can download a pdf-version of your certificate via the results on our website. All participants will receive an official certificate via post after completion by the end of December. A result brochure as a PDF file is available at the end of November on our website.

The participants of the relay marathon can print out an online certificate.

Change of data

If you would like to change your registration data, please click here.

Change of participant

A re-registration of a runner in favour of another is only possible online up to the second sunday of october 2023. You can do this by clicking here.

Then, click on “Transfer my registration to a friend” and enter your friend’s email address. Your friend will receive an email with link to register and will have to pay a race transfer processing fee of 20,- EUR.

Please note that additional services ordered by the runner originally entered such as medal engraving, SMS Service or event shirt cannot be transferred to the new registration. Eventline-Shirts can be picked up at the event weekend at the Marathonmall (Trade Fair (Messe Frankfurt), hall 1, level 2). For this, please get in touch with the help desk at the race number pick up. Here you will receive a voucher for picking up your shirt after showing your ID.

Changing rooms

There are changing rooms located at the fair and exhibition hall 1, level 0.

Church service

The church service takes place in the room ‘Blauer Saal’ of the Festhalle on Saturday at 6pm. All runners and interested persons are welcome to join the church service.

Companionship along the course

It is not allowed to accompany any participant of the race with a bike or any other means of transportation. This would lead to a disqualification of the participant.

Course

The Kenyan Wilson Kipsang won the Frankfurt Marathon 2011 in 2:03:42 hours, which is the current course record. With this best time, the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon is the third fastest city race worldwide. The women’s record was set in 2012. Meselech Melkamu from Ethiopia reached the finish line after 2:21:01 hours and ran the third fastest marathon debut of all times.
The German Athlete Arne Gabius caused the big surprise in 2015; he ran the german record in a time of 2:08:33 hours!
But the Frankfurt Marathon is also a good place for recreational athletes and amateurs. This fact has been proven by an analysis of the website marathon-ergebnisse.de. According to them, the Frankfurt Marathon is the by far fastest among the five largest German marathons. The average finish time is 3:57:56 hours.

The track basically takes course on wide main streets. It‘s very even, between the lowest point (89,4 meters above sea level) and the highest point (117,2 meters above sea level) is only a height difference of 27,8 meters spread over the length of 42195 meters. The course – the shortest way is marked with a blue line – goes through the city centre of Frankfurt am Main on solely asphalted streets. Signs indicate each kilometer and the half marathon, too. There is a big clock showing the race gross time every 5km and at the half marathon.

Course parties

Overall, there will be more than 90 parties along the course to provide a great atmosphere. A variety of cultural and sports clubs from the region will be engaged here while several bands will be playing music. More information.

Disqualification

You will be disqualified if you

  • behave unsportsmanlike or disrespect the official regulations
  • use any means that is not allowed, e. g. you are accompanied by bike
  • fold, shorten or put something over your race number
  • disregard the marked route
  • do not run over the control mats along the course
  • for relay-teams only: if you start in the wrong start corral

Double start (marathon and relay marathon)

It is possible to participate in the marathon and the relay marathon. In addition to an application for both competitions, it’s provided that you have to start in the relay block (starting 10:35am) and not from a an earlier block under his marathon best. An early start leads to a disqualification of the relay team. It is valid for these participants to wear both bib numbers (front: marathon, rear: relay).

Downloads

see here

Dropping out

If you need medical aid, we recommend you to run or walk to the next water station where you will find a medical aid station as well.
If you decide to quit the race, you can either take the bus at the end of the field, or public transport which you can use for free with your race number.
Besides there are shuttle buses to the Trade Fair grounds (km 23,7/27,2/30).
It is not allowed to be accompanied by any means of transportation (bikes, cars, motorbikes) or to use rollerskates, inline-skates, skateboards or any other similar means. It is not allowed to carry animals on the course.

Finish

You will run through the east gate into the ‘Festhalle’, where you will reach the finish line after 60m. There are stands for a total of 7,000 persons (5,000 seats and 2,000 standing rooms). When crossing the finish line and running over the mats, your time is registered. Please try to move quickly out of the ‘Festhalle‘ and towards the building ‘Forum’.

Water stations at the finish area
After leaving the ‘Festhalle‘ and the Forum, you reach the water station at the “Agora”, where you receive your medal and heat sheet. The following products are offered: Rosbacher mineral water, refreshments from Rosbacher, beers from Krombacher, organic apples, soups, cake, bars, etc. It is not possible to go back to the finish line from the water station. Only participants are allowed to enter this area. Please arrange a meeting-point with your family and/or friends somewhere outside this area.

Help Desk

There is a help desk to be found at the registration venue on the race-weekend, hall 1.2.

Hydration backpacks

For top athletes or runners competing for championships or similar, the wearing of hydration backpacks, hydration belts or the carrying of other forms of “hydration bladders” is prohibited according to DLV competition guidelines.

For amateur athletes who are not competing in a championship, such devices are tolerated.

Information Desk

An information desk can be found at the expo entrance “Eingang City”, at the Marathonmall in hall 1, level 2 and at the race number pick up area. Please don’t hesitate to ask our volunteers.

Late registration

Secure your starting place even at short notice. Online registration is possible up to 7 days before the marathon.

For those who have made up their minds at the last minute, there is the option of registering on site at the Marathon Mall, provided that there are still places available.

Late registration is possible on the weekend of the event on Fridays from 12:00 – 19:00 and on Saturdays from 10:00 – 19:00. Late registration is not possible on the day of the event!

You will find the late registration desk in the Marathonmall (Hall 1 Level 2) on the grounds of Messe Frankfurt.

Late registrations for the mini marathon and the relay marathon are also possible on site, depending on the number of places available.

Lavatories

There are mobile toilets at the start and finish area. Please also use the lavatories on the Trade Fair grounds.

You will find two toilets each at 5km and 10km, afterwards every 2.5 kilometres after the water or refreshment stations.

Massage

You will find the showers and changing rooms in hall 1, level 0.

The changing rooms and showers are located directly at the start and finish area and can easily be reached via escalators.

Medical service

Medical service is available on race day at 10am in the Festhalle (festival hall). Moreover, medical service is guaranteed at the finish area. We recommend to call for a doctor as soon as you feel any kind of physical interference.

Please note: Please only start if you are healthy and in good physical condition. If this is not the case, we will allow our medics and marshals to take you out of the race if you are in danger of harming your health.

If you need medical aid during the race, we recommend you to run or walk to the next water station where you will find a medical aid station. If you decide to quit the race, you can either take the bus at the end of the field, or public transport which you can use for free with your race number. Besides there are shuttle buses to the Trade Fair grounds (km 23/25,7/30,8).

Meeting Point

After the race you can meet your friends and family members, who do not have access to the locked areas, at the following two meeting-points: hall 1, level 2, or “P1” (area on the expo grounds between Festhalle and hall 1).

Music while running

Walkman, iPod, iPhone, MP3 player or similar are allowed while running for amateur athletes. Please make sure that you do not interfere with other runners while running. For top athletes or runners who run at championships, music is forbidden.

Pace maker

We offer experienced pace makers with estimated finish times of 2:59:00, 3:14:00, 3:29:00, 3:44:00, 3:59:00, 4:14:00, 4:29:00, 4:44:00, 4:59:00 and 5:29:00. You will recognize the pace maker in the start corrals, as they will be holding a big flag with the finish time written on it.

Participant Shirt

Order your HOKA participant shirt online as part of your registration for the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon. If you have not ordered a shirt yet and would like to change this after your registration, you can order your desired shirt online. All you need is your email and your booking number.
The shirts are also available at our merchandising stand during the Marathonmall, while stocks last.

Pasta Party (The Fattoria La Vialla – Toscana Pasta Party)

The Fattoria La Vialla – Toscana Pasta Party takes part on Saturday from 1.30pm until 7.00pm at the festival hall (Festhalle).

All participants will receive a bowl of pasta (Fattoria La Vialla) and drinks from our sponsors Rosbacher and our beer partner Krombacher for free.

Companions and visitors can purchase pasta with or without a drink for 10€ or 8€ respectively.
More information

Personal nutrition

It is possible to hand in your own nutrition for the race on saturday before the race day from 2pm until 7pm and on race day from 7am until 8am in Hall 1, floor 2 at the information point (only signed bottles: kilometre and race number – no glass bottles). Due to organisational constraints, it is only possible to offer this service to competitive runners (men: faster than 2h45, women: faster than 3h00) and participants who need special nutrition due to medical reasons.

Pretzel run powered by interair

Saturday,  10:00am

Start: Trade Fair (Messe Frankfurt) / Building: Forum

Finish: Square Messe Frankfurt (Maritim Hotel)

The free Pretzel Run through Frankfurt with drinks, original Frankfurt pretzels and medals.

more information

Public transport

Your race number will serve as your public transportation ticket on race day. The race number allows you to use all public transportation (subway, tram and bus) in the RMV district.

(For further information visit www.rmv.de/en)

Race number

Only athletes wearing the race number of the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon are allowed to participate in the race. It is not possible to transfer your race number to any other person. It has to be attached to the shirt-front. No race number belts allowed (s. IWB-Rule 18.17 et seq.)
It is not allowed to change the race number in any way, or to fold it. This would lead to a disqualification. Athletes wearing no race number at all will be disqualified, too.

Race number belt forbiddance

The forbiddance of the race number belt is based on an announcement of the corresponding rules by the IAAF and the DLV (s. IWB-rule 18.17 et seq.). According to the rule, the size, possible brandings and the body part, which the race number must be worn on (on the chest, the bottom must be above the trouser waistband), are explicitly named.
Based on the fact that runners don’t study the international rules before taking part in a race, we consider it to be reasonable to point out the regulation in our information for runners and relay teams.
There is no rule which actually bans the race number belt but the regulation has been enacted in order to give sponsors a precisely selected presentation platform. The two sponsors who are presented on the race numbers with their logos, finance approximately 30% of the overall costs of the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon. The race number is the strongest of all advertising media of a marathon event. Accordingly, it should be the general interest of all participants to provide the sponsors a great appearance in our event to make sure they keep supporting running events and not only TV-sports.

Therefore, we would like to ask you to cooperate and to wear the race number on your chest, like in the good old days.
On behalf of the event, we hope that you can follow our concern and behave correspondingly.

Race number transfer

A re-registration of a runner in favour of another is only possible online up to 8th October 2023. You can do this by clicking on the following link.

Then, click on “Transfer my registration to a friend” and enter your friend’s email address. Your friend will receive an email with link to register and will have to pay a race transfer processing fee of €20. Please note that additional services ordered by the runner originally entered such as ChampionChip, medal engraving, SMS Service or event shirt cannot be transferred to the new registration.

Radio

Race day, 8.00am-2.00pm. There will be news reports about the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon on many radio stations of Hessen, especially at hr1, who is our radio partner. Please refer to the program of your newspaper for exact times.

Registration confirmation

The registration confirmation along with some important participant information about the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon will be sent by either post or email in mid October, depending on the time of your registration. All other participants will receive their entry confirmation via email. The printed entry confirmation must be shown in order to pick up the race number and package. If you didn’t receive your entry confirmation (please check your spam-folder) or lose it, you may also use your passport or ID card to pick up your race documents. The important participant information mentioned above can be found in the information runners.

No registration confirmation will be sent for the Mini-Marathon and the Struwwelpeter-Lauf.

Registration deadline

The registration deadline for this year’s Mainova Frankfurt Marathon is October 20th 2024.

After that you can only register at the registration venue on friday and saturday.
No registration possible on the race day !

Relay transition areas

1st transition area (entry and exit)
– From the start (Festhalle/Messe) to the 1st transition area
(Kurt-Schumacher-Straße, Konstablerwache, Zeil) U4 (10 minutes).
– From the 1st transition area to the finish (Festhalle/Messe) U4, 10 minutes interval.
2nd transition zone (entry and exit)
– From the start to the 2nd transition zone (Goldsteinstraße; Niederrad train station) U4 (10 minute intervals) to the main train station, change to S 7, 8, 9 (15 minute intervals) to Niederrad train station.
– From the 2nd transition zone (Niederrad station) to the finish: S 7, 8, 9 (15 minute intervals) to the main station, change to U4 (10 minute intervals) to Festhalle/Messe.
3rd transition area (entry and exit)
– From the start to the 3rd transition zone (Oeserstraße/Kerbeplatz; Nied train station) U4 (10 minute intervals) to the main train station, change to S 1, 2 (15 minute intervals) to Nied train station.
– From the 3rd transition area (Nied station) to the finish: S 1, 2 (15 minute intervals) to the main station, change to U4 (10 minute intervals) to Festhalle/Messe.

Results

The results will be published on marathon sunday around 2.30pm in hall 1.2 and will be kept up to date. Additionally, you will find the preliminary results online on the race day.
It is possible to raise objection against the results until first sunday of November the latest. All participants of the marathon will receive their official certificate via post by the end of December.

Showers

You will find the changing rooms and showers in hall 1, basement.

Start

The starting line up will be at the Friedrich-Ebert-Anlage towards city centre. The field will be organized in two separate waves: first wave starts at 10am and second wave at 10:10am.
Only runners wearing official start numbers are allowed to enter the starting line up.
There are different corrals for all runners. Please go to your assigned start corral before 9:50am. Your start corral is printed on the race number (1. corral ‘HOKA’, 2. corral ‘Messe Frankfurt’,…) and you are only allowed to enter the corral that you are assigned to. Whether you start with the first or the second wave depends on the corral you are in. Big signs indicating the different start corrals will show you the way to your start corral.
Due to the evaluation of your net time you won’t lose a second no matter what is your corral or wave.
Please follow the instructions of our volunteers in order to ensure a smooth starting procedure.

First wave: start at 10am
1. corral ‘HOKA’
International elite runners and runners with a finish time up to 3:00 hrs
2. corral ‘Messe Frankfurt’
Runners with a finish time between 3:00 and 3:15 hrs
3. corral ‘Stadt Frankfurt’
Runners with a finish time between 3:15 and 3:30 hrs

Second wave: start at 10:10am
4. corral ‘Mainova’
Runners with a finish time between 3:30 and 3:45 hrs
5. corral ‘Rosbacher’
Runners with a finish time between 3:45 and 4:00 hrs
6. corral ‘Krombacher’
Runners with a finish time from 4:00 hrs and all runners, who did not register an expected finish time.

Please come to the start as early as possible in order to avoid unnecessary hectic and confusion.

Start documents pick-up

The start documents are issued directly to the participants according to their start numbers.

You can pick up your start documents at the following times:

Friday, 12:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m

Saturday, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m

Sunday, 7 a.m. – 9.30 a.m

Please note that experience has shown that it can get quite crowded at peak times, which can result in waiting times.

Television

The race will be transmitted live on hessen fernsehen (hr) on race day.

Most likely there will also be TV reports about the marathon on other German TV channels (ARD, ZDF, Bayern3, n-tv, wdr, MDR, RTL).

Time limit

The finish is open until 16:45. Accordingly, the route can be completed in 6 hours (net). This corresponds to an average time of 8:30 minutes per kilometer. After 4:45 p.m. there is no possibility to get to the finish area. Participants who finish later will no longer be recorded by the timekeeping system. This also applies to participants in the relay marathon.

Timing

The race can only be scored by using the timing transponder in the bib.

Training

On the homepage under the heading Training you will find valuable training tips and training theory directly online.

Water and nutrition stations

The stations at 5km and 10km are lined up on both sides; all other stations are one-sided only!
Every 5km the order at each water station is as following: clock, medical aid, own nutrition, Rosbacher mineral water Naturell, Rosbacher IsoFit drinks, tea, troughs with water to dunk in your sponge, litter bins. Starting at 15km, we additionally offer organic bananas.  At 30km, 35km and 40km bizzl Cola is offered. Refreshments (Rosbacher mineral water Naturell and troughs with water) can also be found at 12.5km, 17.5km, 22.5km, 27.5km, 32.5km and 37.5km. The drinks are offered not from bottles, but from cups. At km15 and at KM 30 we provide Gel from Maurten (Maurten Gel 100). Two Toilets can be found along the race track at the aid station at km 5 and km 10. Afterwards each 2,5 kilometres.

Withdrawal

Marathon runners are permitted to withdraw from the race on health grounds. Please click this link and send us a request for cancellation by November 1st 2024 at the latest, along with your medical certificate proving that you cannot participate anymore. After approval of your medical certificate, you will receive an email to confirm that your cancellation has been accepted. In February 2025, you will receive an invitation email with a code to enter the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon 2025. You will only have to pay a processing fee of 20,- EUR. A transfer of this new registration is not possible.

Additional services which have been ordered such as medal engraving, SMS Service or event shirt are only valid for the year in respect of the booking. If you have ordered a shirt in advance, you can collect this on the weekend of the event at the Sportswear Expo in the Marathon Mall. A refund of the entry fee is not possible.