Berlin Marathon 2014: Route, Course Map, Times, Event Details

The 41st instalment of the Berlin Marathon gets underway this weekend, and at least one runner is targeting a record time. Shalane Flanagan has the U.S. Women's Marathon record in her sights.

She'll be one of many who traverse the familiar route around the German capital. There will also be a fascinating battle between fancied African runners Dennis Kimetto and Tsegaye Kebede in the men's race.

Before taking a closer look at the event and its route, here's the relevant schedule information:

Date: Sunday, Sept. 28

Time: (Start) 8 a.m. BST / 3 a.m. ET

Here are the details of the route Flanagan, Kebede, Kimetto and others will be running:

Route

The route will take its traditional pattern, snaking from and back to the Brandenburg Gate, according to Bm.RealBuzz.com. For an interactive view of the course map, including start- and finish-line markings, follow this link.

Michael Sohn/Associated Press

Along the 26.2-mile stretch are some of Berlin's most eye-catching monuments, including the Siegessaule Victory Column and the vibrant public square at Potsdamer Platz. Offering plenty of flat terrain, the Berlin course is famous for its speed. That's most obvious over the lightning-fast 400-meter final stretch.

That's something that will appeal to Flanagan as she chases a place in the history books, according to the marathon's official site:

"

I have tiered goals. I want to run another PR. I want to break 2:20 – that's another big goal for women. And then the American record.

I'm getting older. I feel like if I want to go for one really fast marathon without something big on the line, if I want to give myself one shot to run on a fast course and run to my potential, I shouldn't wait too much longer.

We think Berlin is one of the fastest, if not the fastest courses.

"

Flanagan will be hoping to better the mark set by Deena Kastor eight years ago. However, she won't be the only participant expected to run a strong race.

Kenya's Rita Jeptoo is the top-rated women's runner in the World Marathon Majors standings. Flanagan's focus on the record can't cause her to ignore the considerable challenge from Jeptoo.

Jim Rogash/Getty Images

There will be plenty of focus on Ethiopian Kebede and Kenya's Kimetto. Both are expected to be leading contenders to win the men's edition of the race.

If either is going to take full advantage of the quick track, it's likely to be Kimetto. He has a good recent history of setting fast times on the streets of Berlin, per WorldMarathonMajors.com:

"

Dennis Kimetto (30) placed second in the 2012 BMW BERLIN-MARATHON clocking the fastest time ever for a first-time-marathoner (2:04:16), one second behind fellow Kenyan Geoffrey Mutai. Kimetto´s rise to the top came late as he won his first major race at the age of 27, a halfmarathon in Nairobi. In the following year (2012) he won the RAK Half Marathon (United Arab Emirates) and the Vattenfall BERLIN HALF MARATHON. A few weeks after his Berlin win he ran a world record for 25 k (1:11:18), again in Berlin bettering the mark held by Sammy Kosgei (Kenya) by 32 seconds.

"

The same source notes that five men's world records have recently been set along the Berlin course. Given Kimetto's history, he has an excellent chance to make that figure six.

Of course, that's assuming he can hold off what will be a strong challenge from Kebede, who leads the Men's WMM standings. But Kimetto should also be concerned about countryman Emmanuel Mutai. The competition in the men's field is certainly fully loaded and should be the highlight of this marathon.

Their efforts, along with Flanagan's attempt to write her name in the history books, should be the central talking points of the race.