Skatstadt-Marathon Altenburg

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.