The race is the distance of a typical marathon (42 km, 195 metres).

It has been held annually since 1991, after being bi-annual for the previous 44 years.

Until 2009 the race crossed the German border through the city of Gronau.

Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge is the current course record holder with his winning time of 2:04:30 hours from 2021.

[1] Kenyan Maurine Chepkemoi holds the women's best mark for the course with her time of 2:21:10 hours from 2022.