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5 km Runs 2026 in Germany • All Races

Show all 5k races in Germany

Are you looking for a 5-kilometer run in Germany? No problem: In our overview you will find all sports events that offer such a run.

Over the five-kilometer competition distance, you can test your current speed skills. Both beginners and experienced runners can take part in a competition over this distance.

The advantages of a 5 kilometer race

There is actually nothing that speaks against a start over the five kilometers. This statement applies to all target groups. Beginners can gain their first competition experience over this distance without tiring themselves too much and experienced runners can include the competition in between in a season or a preparation for a longer competition to check their form. In addition, the organizational effort for such a race is very low compared to a marathon.

No fear of the man with the hammer

The 5-kilometer race has many advantages: On the one hand, you don't have to be afraid of the "man with the hammer," which often appears in marathons starting at kilometer 30 and is a proverb for a drop in performance. In marathons or half marathons, you run at a slower pace compared to the five kilometers, but you expose your body to high loads for a long time. This means that you also need a long time to recover after the run. For a marathon you have to calculate with three weeks until your body has completely regenerated from these strains. For the half marathon it is one to two weeks. For a five-kilometer run, on the other hand, it's only two to three days. This means that you do not have to expect long-term negative physical consequences or signs of fatigue and can resume your usual training program relatively quickly.

Only the warm-up is a little longer

However, you should warm up a little longer before a five-kilometer race. While the warm-up program for a marathon or half marathon is quite short, you need to prepare your muscles and your circulation accordingly before a competition over very short distances, since you start the race at a very high speed. The warm-up program, especially for fast runners, is much longer than the race duration itself. So it is worthwhile to run in for 10 - 20 minutes, do some "dynamic" stretching exercises (definitely not "static") and do a couple of step-up runs before the race. Then you have laid the final foundation for a successful five kilometers.

But where can you run this distance in Germany?

5 kilometers mostly as a supporting competition of larger running events

There are almost no sporting events in Germany that exclusively offer a run over the five kilometer. Most of the time, the 5k is the shorter competition distance as part of a half marathon or 10-kilometer race. However, we still have a few examples and tips for you:

Nice regional races with a 5-kilometer competition are, for example, the Citylauf Papenburg in March, the AOK-Altstadtlauf Lippstadt in May, the AZ Abendvolkslauf Uelzen in June, the Pönitzer Volkslauf in July and the Mühlhäuser Altstadtlauf in August.

The SportScheck city run series is also ideal for best performances over this distance. At many of the city runs organized by sporting goods retailer SportScheck, it is possible to start over the 5-kilometer distance. These include the night races in Kassel, Bremen and Stuttgart (picture).

The classic 5-kilometer distance is also contested at many women's runs and company runs. Business runs include the company runs in Leipzig, Koblenz, Essen, Bad Kreuznach and Homburg. Well-known women's runs with a 5k are the AVON Women's Run Berlin and various runs in the Women's Run series.

Also worth a visit are the Bocholt City Run, the Schwebebahn Run Wuppertal, the Zollverein World Heritage Run Essen-Stoppenberg, the adidas Runners City Night Berlin, Union läuft - Berlin, the Herzogstadtlauf Straubing or the Ludwigsburg City Run. At all these events, the 5 km is offered as a supporting competition. But there are enough participants at all these runs.

To the overview of all 5km runs in Germany:

All 5 km Races in Germany