In 2026, the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon will be the first marathon in the world to offer continuous split time measurement at every single kilometer for all runners. Once again, the event is introducing a technological innovation that will permanently change the entire marathon scene.
The Mainova Frankfurt Marathon has already set the pace as an innovation driver on several occasions, with ideas later being adopted by other international organizers – from digital participant services to professional chip timing for popular sports. Now Frankfurt is once again at the forefront as a pioneer: a marathon that shows the race more completely and transparently than was previously possible.
This development is made possible by the latest timing technology from Race Result AG, the leading innovation company for professional timing systems. The system allows for an unprecedented density and precision of measuring points along the entire route. What was long considered almost impossible – real-time kilometer times for tens of thousands of runners – is becoming a reality in Frankfurt.
A new running experience: real time instead of projections
Previously, split times were only measured every 5 kilometers and at the half marathon. In between, projections were used to estimate how the race was progressing. With the new technology, what is happening on the course is now visible second by second:
Changes in pace
Tactical decisions
Performance improvements and slumps
Catch-up races and battles for position
Every runner and every team receives a complete performance and pace profile covering 42.195 kilometers. This means that the race is not just run—it can be experienced, understood, and evaluated like never before.
Closer than ever before – for fans, companions, and the media
For fans and companions, this innovation means a completely new way of participating:
They can follow runners digitally in real time – whether in person live at the track or online worldwide. This creates closeness, excitement, and an emotional connection that extends far beyond the finish line.
The media and live commentators also get a new tool
Position changes, pace increases, and race decisions are now immediately visible, even when the camera is not there. This enables much more precise, dynamic, and dramatic live reporting at the front of the field.
“Running has long been data-driven – and we are now making this data available to all participants, supporters, and media professionals with unprecedented accuracy,” says race director Jo Schindler. “With 1 kilometer = 1 split time, our marathon will become the most transparent running event in the world, which is a real leap forward for the sport of running. Frankfurt has often been a technological pioneer – and now it is once again.”
1 kilometer = 1 split time = 1 euro
Although 33 additional measuring points will be installed along the route, the entry fee will only increase by one euro. This is made possible by the close partnership between motion events as the organizer and Race Result as the technology partner and timekeeper.
A total of 45 measuring points will be used in future: start, finish, half marathon – plus every single one of the 42 kilometers.
In order to implement this technological advancement, the entry fee will be increased by just 1 euro. The additional revenue will be invested entirely in measuring equipment, signal technology, and data analysis. For participants, this means: more service. More insight. More personal added value from every single kilometer.
About the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon
The Mainova Frankfurt Marathon is one of Germany’s most traditional city marathons and one of the largest running events in Europe. Every year, it attracts thousands of runners from all over the world to one of the fastest marathon courses in the world – with an emotional finish in Frankfurt’s Festhalle.
