Sint Nicolaasloop

The Sint Nicolaasloop is a late-autumn running event in Zwolle, Overijssel, held on the Saturday before Saint Nicholas' birthday. It is built around several distances rather than one headline race, with options such as a kids' run of about 1.5 km, shorter runs around 5 to 6 km, an 8 km race, and a 10 English mile route of about 16.1 km. The runs use the rural area north of Zwolle, starting from Sportpark de Pelikaan in recent editions and sending runners out into the open countryside outside the city. The Saint Nicholas theme is part of the day, with Sinterklaas and his helpers appearing at the event. The race started in the seventies, when Skivereniging Zwolle used it as winter-sport preparation for its members, so its roots are more local club training than big-city spectacle.