Race information for the Cologne Half Marathon
Competition rules
The Cologne Half Marathon will be organized on October 4, 2015 according to Deutscher Leichtathletik-Verband (DLV) e. V. and International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) regulations under supervision of the Leichtathletikverband Nordrhein (LVN) e. V.
The age classes are as follows: 16-17 years, 18-19, 20-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80 years and older. Most relevant for this categorization is the date of birth.
There is a separate scoring for each gender, relevant is the net time.
Entry requirements
You must be at least 16 years of age on race day (birthday in 1999 and older) and possess an official bib number and a chip.
The limit for participants is a maximum of 13,000 runners.
Please note that, due to a strict timeframe, you are to complete the competition within a time of 3:00 hours (time limit 11:50 a. m.). Otherwise you will be taken off the course and brought to the finish area by bus. The course has to be blocked then for the ensuing competitions.
You are to pay the following entry fees depending on the time period you register:
| Period | Amount |
| through December 31, 2014 | € 40.00 |
| through April 30, 2015 | € 45.00 |
| through September 17, 2015 | € 50.00 |
| through September 27, 2015 and October 2 to 3, 2015 | € 59.00 |
Registration
Just register easily and comfortably online on this web site. You will immediately receive the email confirmation. An additional official email confirmation of participation containing the last important information will in September 2015.
Single-person registrations via phone or email will not be accepted! The online registration will be closed on September 27, 2015 (as long as the participant limit is not reached).
Late entries will further be accepted at the expo, NO registrations on race day.
Group registration as of January 2015
As soon as you have at least 10 persons in a group you may contact us for a group registration. You then have to pay the entry fees of the previous period only. And this is how it works:
- Please send us an email containing the binding number of persons, the name and the email address of the team leader and the group name.
- The team leader will then receive a code for each group member for a reduced online registration.
- The group members are to register within a given period of 14 days after reception of the codes with the group name (Note: Consider a consistent spelling!). Failing this the reduced entry fees will be cancelled and the regular tariffs will be charged.
- Companies may additionally request an invoice.
- For the participation you need a timekeeping chip. In case you do not have one you may rent it for € 6.00 (for participants with a German residence and a German bank account) or € 10.00 (for participants without a German bank account or credit card account) per person. If you do not return the rented ChampionChip by 5 p. m. on race day, you authorise us – as confirmed during registration – to collect the purchase price of the ChampionChip (€ 25.00) from the stated bank account after the event. In this situation, the ChampionChip will be deemed to have been purchased.
Changing competitions
In case you wanted like to change competitions from half marathon to marathon or marathon to half marathon you could apply prior to September 1, 2015 at the latest.
Changing competitions costed € 10.00.
When changing competitions from half marathon to marathon also the remaining amount of the entry fee was charged. Most relevant was the entry fee at the time of changing competitions to the date of the original registration.
When changing competitions from marathon to half marathon no remaining amount was reimbursed.
Marathon expo
Our new expo located in XPost Köln, the Running.EXPO, offers diverse novelties from the fields of running, fitness, wellness, and health. You may also be provided with information on latest trends and products and you may talk to experts. The event is free and the public is welcome. Please pick up your race packets here.
Our opening hours (may be subject to change):
Friday, October 2, 2015, 10:00 a. m. to 8:00 p. m.
Saturday, October 3, 2015, 9:00 a. m. to 6:00 p. m.
By presenting the official email confirmation or personal ID the race packets may be collected at the corresponding desks.
We explicitly advice you to collect your race packets on the first expo day.
Timekeeping
Timekeeping is exclusively carried out by Mika timing with the RealTime ChampionChip. You must wear a chip to get an official finishing time!
You may use your own ChampionChip or rent one on bail for race day. In order to enable a careless arrival without any cash money we will charge your account with the rental fee already at the time of your registration.
Participants within Germany are to pay a rental fee of € 6.00 per person when registering via S€PA direct debit. With the signature on the registration form or the acceptance of the General Terms and Conditions in the online registration you further entitle us to charge your bank account with the remaining purchase price of € 25.00 in the case of non-return on race day prior to 6 p. m. The chip is bought then and may be re-used at other competitions.
Germans and foreigners paying per credit card are to pay a rental fee of € 10.00 for a single-use chip which may be used on race day in Cologne only. Please return this chip after the event.
Please fasten your ChampionChip in the lacing of your shoe respectively.
Make sure that you overrun all chronometry mats along the course. Lacking interval times may cause in disqualification.
Kit bag drop-off/pick-up and showers
The kit bag drop-off for half marathoners and marathoners may be found on Mindener Straße in Deutz near the start. Please hand the bags in at the trucks that will shuttle them 15 minutes prior to the start to the post-finish area on Gereonstraße/Unter Sachsenhausen next to Cologne Cathedral.
NOTE: All relay team members may drop the bags on Neumarkt prior to the start and pick them up at the same place after the event.
Showers with warm water are available in the finish area (Gereonstraße/Unter Sachsenhausen).
Starting times
Starting times (may be subject to change):
8:30 a. m. half marathon
10:00 a. m. marathon including school marathon and relay team marathon
Disqualification
Our race will be organized according to IAAF and DLV guidelines and specification of the organizing institution.
A violation of these provisions will directly lead to disqualification, i. e.:
- starting without any bib number or any chip
- starting with more than one chip
- starting in the wrong starting block ahead, to be monitored via chronometry!
- lacking interval times
- alteration of the bib number such as concealing or deviating the sponsors bar
- transfer of bib number and/or chip to another person
- abandoning or shortening the course
- exceeding the given time limit
- undershooting the required age
- carrying along baby buggies, baby joggers etc.
- carrying along animals
- carrying along or using other technical devices
- accompanying on bikes, inline skates etc.
- taking illegal performance-enhancing substances (doping)
- violences against DLV and/or IAAF competition rules
Certificates, awards and special scorings
All participants finishing within the gross time limit will obtain a medal.
Preliminary certificates may be downloaded this certificate in the internet with a click on your name in the result list and print it.
A final and official certificate including elapsed time and overall scoring will be available in the internet approximately two weeks after the event (expiring the period for objection).
The on-stage ceremony awards of the three fastest female and male athletes will be held directly after their finish in the finish area.
