What makes a good training base
Flat (or hilly if hill-training), pleasant running paths, low traffic, mild climate, easy public transit between training routes. Cities below tick most boxes — better than urban density typically suggests.
Berlin
Berlin world's fastest marathon course. Tiergarten (3.5km circuit), Tempelhof airfield (vast empty space), Müggelsee (lake circuit, longer routes). Plus Berlin Marathon (last Sunday September) — qualify time benchmark. Flat city.
Stockholm
Stockholm Djurgården island (5–10km loops), Söder Mälarstrand. Plus Stockholm Marathon (June). Mild summer 18–22°C ideal training temperature.
Copenhagen
Copenhagen harbor circuit, Fælledparken. Plus Copenhagen Marathon (May). Flat city + Denmark's fitness-friendly culture (cycle paths often runnable).
Amsterdam
Amsterdam Vondelpark, Amstelpark, Amsterdamse Bos (large forest). Plus Amsterdam Marathon (October). Pancake-flat.
London
London Hyde Park, Regents Park, Greenwich-Thames Path. London Marathon (April) — second-oldest major. Hilly compared to Berlin/Amsterdam — better hill training.
Madrid (altitude moderate)
Madrid Casa de Campo + Retiro Park. Madrid sits at 650m altitude — mild altitude advantage. Hot summers (avoid June-August intensive training).
Saint-Moritz / Sierra Nevada (altitude training)
Swiss alpine + Spanish Sierra Nevada serve as professional altitude-training bases (1,800–2,400m). Used by Olympic + elite marathon programs. Day-trip from Zurich or Granada.
Strategy
Choose summer-temperate cities for July-August intensive training. Hotel rooms with desk + mini-fridge for fuel storage. Most cities have Park Run free 5km Saturdays (international Park Run network). Marathon entries via lottery or qualifying times. Read our marathon running + trail running companions.