Nikolauslauf München 2026

Nikolauslauf München opens the Munich Winter Running Series in Olympiapark, with the start on Hans-Jochen-Vogel-Platz and the finish on Coubertinplatz. It is an early-December road running event featuring a 10 km race for runners checking their winter form, a 5 km Fun Run for beginners, and shorter children’s races over 500 m and 1.6 km. The field includes ambitious club-style runners, casual athletes, families, and many people dressed as St. Nicholas. Around 900 runners are expected, giving it the feel of a local winter race. The 5 km lap starts in the middle of Olympiapark, passes BMW Welt and Sea Life, runs along the Olympic Mountain toward the Olympic Stadium area, goes by the SAP Garden Arena, and includes a loop over the Tollwood festival grounds before returning to Coubertinplatz. St. Nicholas himself is present at the event, matching the costume tradition and the December timing. Pre-registered runners receive a souvenir gift, and the finish area maintains the seasonal mood with Xenofit drinks, Erdinger alcohol-free beer, and a traditional buffet with gingerbread and stollen. Start documents are collected at the Olympic swimming hall while stadium construction affects the usual setup, and timing is handled by SAS Timing Systems.