Name: Skatstadt-Marathon Altenburg 2026
Start: 2026-06-13T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-06-13T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Marktplatz Altenburg

Skatstadt-Marathon

About Skatstadt-Marathon

The Skatstadt-Marathon is the major running event in the city of Altenburg in the East Thuringian district of Altenburger Land. The start and finish for all routes are directly on the market square in front of the historic town hall, which is – as the name "Skatstadt" suggests – the home of the German card game Skat. The event offers a hilly marathon circuit, a half-marathon (twice the same loop), a 13.3 km run, a 5.4 km fitness run, a walking event, as well as children's and school runs (3.6 km and 400 m). New in 2026: a pair-relay marathon for two runners aged 18 and over (each runs a half-marathon). Uta Pippig — three-time winner of the Boston Marathon and Berlin Marathon — has announced her attendance as a VIP guest for the 16th edition.

Dates 13 Jun — 13 Jun 2026

Venue Altenburg (16077)

Prices —

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

Skatstadt-Marathon — edition 2026

Tickets →

The 16th Skatstadt-Marathon Altenburg takes place on June 13, 2026. Marathon, half-marathon, 13.3 km run, 5.4 km fitness run, walking event, 3.6 km school run, and 400 m children's run — all routes start and finish at the market square by the town hall. New in 2026: Pair Relay Marathon for two runners. VIP guest Uta Pippig will give a lecture on the eve (June 12) at the Goldener Pflug.

16th Skatstadt-Marathon — June 13, 2026

The main competition day is Saturday, June 13, 2026. All routes — from the 400 m children's run to the full marathon — start and finish on Altenburg's market square in front of the town hall. For the first time in 2026, a pair relay marathon will be offered: two female runners, two male runners, or a mixed team will share the marathon distance, each running a half-marathon.

On the eve (Friday, June 12, 7 p.m.), Uta Pippig — three-time winner of the Boston Marathon — will give her lecture "Mental Fitness for Your Marathon" at the historic restaurant "Goldener Pflug". Pippig is the VIP guest for the event in 2026.

Highlights Skatstadt-Marathon 2026

Uta Pippig (Boston/Berlin Marathon winner) as VIP guest
Premiere of the Pair Relay Marathon
Start and finish on Altenburg's historic market square
Running festival for all age groups — from the 400 m children's run to the full marathon

Programme Skatstadt-Marathon 2026

2026 Competition Program

Friday, June 12, 7:00 PM — Lecture by Uta Pippig "Mental Fitness for Your Marathon" at the Goldener Pflug
Saturday, June 13 — Marathon (42.195 km, hilly circuit)
Saturday, June 13 — Half-Marathon (21.1 km, two loops)
Saturday, June 13 — Pair Relay Marathon (two half-marathons, NEW in 2026)
Saturday, June 13 — 13.3 km Run
Saturday, June 13 — 5.4 km Fitness Run
Saturday, June 13 — Walking Event
Saturday, June 13 — 3.6 km School Run
Saturday, June 13 — 400 m Children's Run

Exact start times per distance in the official announcement document at skatstadtmarathon.de/infos/ausschreibung.

Prices Skatstadt-Marathon 2026

Entry fees are tiered according to distance and registration date (early bird discount). School and children's runs are significantly cheaper. Uta Pippig lecture: special tickets available through the supporting program. Current prices and registration at skatstadtmarathon.de/about/signup.

Practical information

Practical information — Skatstadt-Marathon

Date

Saturday, June 13, 2026 (Main race day). Supporting program already on Friday, June 12, with a lecture by Uta Pippig at the Goldener Pflug, 7 p.m.

Routes

Marathon (42.195 km, hilly circuit), Half-Marathon (21.1 km, two loops), 13.3 km run, 5.4 km fitness run, Walking event, 3.6 km school run, 400 m children's run, Pair Relay Marathon (two half-marathons).

Start & Finish

Marktplatz Altenburg in front of the Town Hall, 04600 Altenburg.

Registration & Prices

Register online at skatstadtmarathon.de. Entry fees are tiered according to distance and registration date.

Getting There

By car: A4 exit Schmölln, then B7/B93 to Altenburg. By train: regular connections from Leipzig (approx. 45 minutes) and Gera. From the train station, it's about a 10-minute walk to the market square.

Marathon in the Skatstadt

Altenburg officially bears the epithet "Skatstadt": the game of Skat was invented here in the 19th century, and the playing card museum on the market square commemorates this. Precisely on this market square — against the backdrop of the historic town hall and Altenburg Castle — all routes of the Skatstadt-Marathon start and finish. The routes lead through the picturesque city center as well as over the hilly landscapes of the Altenburger Land. The elevation difference on the marathon route should not be underestimated — Altenburg is classic East Thuringian hill country, the course is demanding but scenically varied.

Routes for Every Performance Level

The Skatstadt-Marathon aims to be more than just a competition for elite runners. In addition to the classic 42.195 km marathon and the half-marathon, a 13.3 km run (for ambitious recreational runners), a 5.4 km fitness run, and a walking event are offered. Children can try their hand at the 3.6 km school run or the 400 m children's run. This makes the event a true family running festival: from crawling babies to sub-3-hour marathon runners, everyone will find their race.

Pair Relay Marathon — New in 2026

A premiere in 2026 is the pair relay marathon: two men, two women, or one man and one woman aged 18 and over form a team and share the marathon — each runs a half-marathon. This variant is ideal for couples or training partners who want to experience a marathon distance together but prefer to split it.

Uta Pippig as VIP Guest in 2026

For the 16th edition in 2026, Uta Pippig — three-time winner of the Boston Marathon (1994, 1995, 1996) and multiple winner of the Berlin Marathon — will be the VIP guest in Altenburg. On Friday, June 12, 2026, at 7 p.m., she will give a lecture at the historic restaurant "Goldener Pflug" on the topic "Mental Fitness for Your Marathon". The lecture is part of the supporting program for the marathon weekend.

Altenburg — East Thuringian Residence City

Altenburg is the district town of Altenburger Land in the far east of Thuringia, on the border with Saxony. With around 30,000 inhabitants and a unique historical substance (Altenburg Castle, St. Bartholomew's Church, Renaissance Town Hall), the city is one of the hidden gems of Central Germany. The Skatstadt-Marathon carries this identity into the world of the running community — and unites local hobby runners with marathon runners who travel for the hilly course.