Here's how to watch the Berlin Marathon 2023 from anywhere, with a choice of live streams, including free options.
This year's BMW Berlin Marathon will be something to remember. Last year's winner and current marathon world record holder Eliud Kipchoge will be running this Sunday, 24 September, in the German capital, which is said to be one of the fastest marathon majors. As always, the anticipation is running high to see how well Kipchoge will feel and if he can knock off a few seconds – a minute and 10 seconds? – from the world record time he set almost a year ago on the same course.
Among the 45,000 elite and amateur runners attending the Berlin Marathon 2024, Amos Kipruto is another big name worth paying attention to. Winner of the TCS London Marathon 2022, Kipruto has his eyes set on that number one place on the podium in Berlin.
Last year's female winner, Tigist Assefa, also returns to Berlin. She ran a 2:15:37 in 2022, the third-fastest time ever run, as well as an Ethiopian national record and a world best time for the year. Also present will be Sheila Chepkirui, who ran an astounding 2:18:51 at this year's London Marathon.
Weather looks a bit toastier than ideal, with highs of 20° Celsius, 56% humidity and winds of up to 9 mph. The race starts comparatively early, and as long as there is no headwind, the elite runners might be able to run good times.
We're sure you'll be inspired to take up running after watching the Berlin Marathon 2023, so check out T3's best running shoes and best women's running shoe roundups. We also have a guide for the best running headphones and the best running watches – essential running gear for training and racing.
Anyway, back to how to watch the Berlin Marathon. There are various free options; if you can't access them the usual way, you can use a VPN to bypass geo-restrictions.
How to follow the BMW Berlin Marathon 2023 from anywhere in the world for free
One of the best (and cheapest) ways to follow the action on the BMW Berlin Marathon 2023 is to download the Berlin Marathon app (external link). The website says you can track runners and "let your selected supporters follow your race live or do without tracking via the app."
However, the organisers add that they do not work with GPS tracking; instead, an accurate projection of split times will be displayed in the app. Inline skaters cannot be tracked due to lower splits but will be included in the live results.
What time does the BMW Berlin Marathon 2023 start?
The BMW Berlin Marathon 2023 takes place on Sunday, 24 September 2023, and the starting times are as follows:
- Handbikes (Elite): 08:50AM CET/7:50AM BST/2:50AM ET/11:50PM PT
- Wheelchairs/Handbikes: 08:57AM CET/7:57AM BST/2:57AM ET/11:57PM PT
- Runners (in four waves): From 09:15AM CET/8:15AM BST/3:15AM ET/12:15AM PT
The time limit to finish the Berlin Marathon is 6:15 hours after passing the time measure mat. The cut-off point at 33km is 3:50 pm CET and 4:35 pm at 38km. Participants who have not reached one of these points by the indicated time must leave the official course and continue on the sidewalk or ride in the "broom waggon" to the finish.
Only participants who can prove all split times and run over the finish mat until the finish time receive an official result and a medal, refreshment, massage and, as the case may be, the poncho. More info on start times can be found here(links to the Berlin Marathon website).
How to watch the BMW Berlin Marathon 2023 in Germany
Eurosport 1 will broadcast the BMW Berlin Marathon 2023 from 9 am CET to 12 pm CET. From midday to 2:30 p.m., RBB broadcasts the BMW Berlin Marathon 2023.
How to watch the BMW Berlin Marathon 2023 from anywhere else in the world
A list of broadcasters in different regions can be found on the BMW Berlin Marathon's website (external link). Unless you're in an area where the event can be watched for free, your best bet is to use the best VPN around to get past those geo-restrictions. A streaming VPN is a very handy thing, as it means you can hop on a server within the US, UK or anywhere else, and it will switch your IP address to make it appear as if you're browsing right from the comfort of your own home.
We recommend setting your VPN to either of these countries (Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland, Georgia, Greece, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Norway, Romania, Sweden, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan) and tuning into the broadcast at olympics.com.
- VPN - standing for virtual private network - offers security and anonymity as you browse online, using set protocols to encrypt your data and make it unreadable to outsiders.
- As a part of that, you can also switch your IP address, which identifies your location.
- Most VPNs offer a list of locations where their servers are based to join. Connecting to them switches your IP to appear as if you're browsing from that country/city. In turn, you can then access content locked to that country.
- When it comes to finding a VPN, you should make sure you find the best one that's suitable for your chosen device, with VPN providers offering compatibility for a ton of devices, including VPN for Mac and even a range of fairly nifty free VPNs.
- Once you've made the decision for the most suitable VPN for your device and your means for using a VPN, sign up and install it.
- To live stream the BMW Berlin Marathon 2023, all you need to do is select a UK server from its list of available servers and connect. You'll then be able to hop over those geo-restrictions, with the likes of BBC iPlayer opening its online gates to you.
- We also want to ensure your money is well spent, so we would recommend going for a VPN that offers a risk-free trial. ExpressVPN is one of many providers that has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- New to VPN? Find out how to use a VPN to unblock geo-restrictions
