Harz-Gebirgslauf, live.

Over the Brocken from Wernigerode

The 49th Harz-Gebirgslauf starts and finishes at the Himmelpforte in Wernigerode on Saturday 9 October 2027, with the Brocken-Marathon as its hardest distance.

The Harz-Gebirgslauf is organised by the club Harz-Gebirgslauf 1978 e.V. and leads through the Harz National Park. Every October it brings up to 4,000 athletes to Wernigerode, and 3,951 people entered the 2026 edition. Start and finish for every distance are at the Himmelpforte on the edge of town.

The longest course is the Brocken-Marathon over 42.2 km, which climbs the Brocken, the highest mountain in northern Germany, with more than 1,000 metres of ascent. It is open from 18 years and limited to 1,000 people for nature protection reasons, and anyone who has not passed the Brocken by 12:00 is taken out of the ranking. The other running distances are a half marathon of 22.5 km, an 11.2 km run and a 4.8 km run, plus a 2 km children's race and hiking and Nordic walking routes of 11 and 25.1 km.

The organiser warns that the summit has a high mountain climate, so strong wind and a sudden change in the weather are part of the plan. Yellow protective jackets are handed out at the Eiserner Tisch around km 17 for the passage over the top. Just before and after the summit the marathon crosses the tracks of the Brockenbahn, and marshals hold the field when a train approaches.

For spectators the start and finish area at the Himmelpforte is the place to be, with a grandstand and one finish line for every runner, hiker and Nordic walker. The 2027 start times are not published yet. In 2026 the marathon started at 09:00 and the half marathon at 10:15.

On Livebib you can follow a participant who chooses to share their own live position from the phone they carry. This is not the organiser's timing, and the official results come from the Harz-Gebirgslauf.