10K races near Alkmaar

Rondje Bergen is a running event in Bergen, North Holland, taking place on the first Sunday of October. It features short youth races of 1 and 2 kilometers, alongside 5K, 10K, and a 10 English mile option (16.1 kilometers), providing suitable distances for children, first-timers, club runners, and more serious participants. The route begins within the village: youth races are confined to the center, while longer distances traverse Bergen’s center, the Bergerbos, and the North Holland dune area. The event incorporates Bergen’s character as an artist village, establishing it as a relaxed gathering spot for runners and spectators, with old woods, wide lanes, dunes, and village streets combined within this local race day.

The Oosterhoutse Trail is a trail race in Oosterhout, offering 10 km, 18 km, and 26 km distances. It takes place on a Saturday in October. The start times are staggered, with the 26 km race beginning first, followed by the 18 km, and then the 10 km. The event marks its 10th edition, making this running an anniversary one. Organizers describe the course as challenging and varied. More route details are expected, and information from the previous edition's route is provided for context.

Vestingloop Edam sends runners over the old fortifications of Edam, in North Holland, with the finish on the Baandervesting near the chain bridge. It is an October road race with four options: 1 km and 2.6 km youth runs, a 3-mile recreational run, and a 10 km race that has both competitive and recreational fields. The event is organised by AV Edam, is affiliated with the Atletiekunie, and caps entries at 1,000 runners. The route over the Vesting is the part that has stayed constant since the first edition in 1954, even though the distances have changed from the original 5 km. The youth races start at the Baandervesting, while the 3-mile and 10 km runners start on the Noordervesting; the 10 km is almost four laps. Timing is handled by bib chips for the 3-mile and 10 km races and shoe chips for the youth races, with medals for the first three boys and girls and cash prizes in several 10 km age categories.

Zeezichtloop Petten is an October race day in Petten, Noord-Holland, with 5 km and 10 km runs, walking, and a free kids run. The event was formerly called the Kermisloop, and the renamed version carries on a local tradition that is more than 50 years old. The route starts in the village, follows the dike with views of the North Sea, goes through dunes and forest, and returns to Petten. Runners get timed results, the 5 km and 10 km races count toward the club competition, and early entries can have the runner’s first name printed on the bib.

The Gooi Half Marathon debuts in the Dutch region of Het Gooi, starting and finishing at Het Arsenaal in the fortified town of Naarden Vesting. Scheduled for November, it includes more than just a half marathon: participants can opt for a quarter marathon or a kids run, and a walking tour is also available. The event originated from organizer Mees Kremer's relocation to Naarden and his appreciation for the local forests, heath, river landscape, and historic surroundings. The half marathon course highlights well-known locations near Naarden, such as Muiderberg, the Naardermeer, and Valkeveen. The majority of the route is paved, with some forest path segments, meaning trail shoes are unnecessary. Kremer is organizing the event with Tempo AV from Bussum, receiving support from the municipality of Gooise Meren. The race is being developed as a community day for Naarden, Bussum, and neighboring villages, utilizing traffic-calmed roads and minimizing road closure times at intersections.

Boerenkoolloop Warmenhuizen is a local Dutch running event in Warmenhuizen, Noord-Holland, taking place on the first weekend of November. It serves as both a competition and a recreational run, typically offering 5 km and 10 km distances, along with a short youth race in select years. The memorable aspect is the finish-line package: each participant receives ingredients for boerenkool, including kale, potatoes, sausage, and gravy. The event is affiliated with the Atletiekunie, attracting both club and casual runners. Recent editions have seen increasing participation and a new men's course record.

Urban Trail Haarlem is a run through the center of Haarlem, with a route designed to showcase the city from both its interior spaces and its streets. It is part of the Dutch Urban Trail Series, which takes runners into notable Dutch cities for a sporty city-discovery run instead of a standard road race. The Haarlem event is limited to 3,000 participants and is now in its sixth edition. The course connects running with culture and architecture, focusing less on achieving a fast time and more on moving through Haarlem’s inner city via locations a normal race would not typically access. The start is at Oudeweg 91-95, and the event offers practical race-day amenities such as public-transport access, first aid, a guarded cloakroom, and late registration if spots remain.

The Hafkamp Groenewegen De Ronde Venen Marathon starts and finishes in the center of Abcoude, a village about 3 km south of Amsterdam. It is a November running event in the municipality of De Ronde Venen, with a full marathon, a duo marathon, a 10 km race, and a mini-marathon. The full marathon is a paved, single-loop course through the Groene Hart, the green rural area between major Dutch cities. The duo marathon gives two runners one marathon to share, with partners alternating between running and cycling. The course visits all eight villages in De Ronde Venen and mixes village roads with open countryside. Runners pass rivers, meadows, a former railway line, a cattle farm, and the Botshol nature reserve. The official description calls the route fast and varied, which fits a course that keeps changing without leaving the flat Dutch landscape. The De Ronde Venen Marathon Foundation organizes the event, and the race is aimed at both recreational runners and more competitive runners who want a full-distance road marathon close to Amsterdam.

The Hollands Duin Trail begins at Vrijstaat Nederzandt in Noordwijk, on the Dutch coast. Routes are set within the protected Hollands Duin nature reserve. This trail running event offers four distance options: 6 km, 10 km, 21 km, and 30 km. The shortest route includes 15 meters of elevation gain, and the longest route has 100 meters. The challenge stems more from sand, turns, and narrow paths than from significant climbs. The course guides runners through Noordwijk's dune area, onto the beach, and along forest paths featuring ample single track. All routes are marked, and aid stations are situated at fixed locations. Trail Events organizes the race, now in its fourth edition. The primary appeal is the location: runners navigate between coastal dunes, open sand, and woods, all within the Noordwijk area.

The AVA Zorg en Zekerheid Westeinderloop is a road race in Kudelstaart, Netherlands, beginning at Wim Kan Dreef 4. It takes place on a Sunday in late November and offers runners multiple options: a kids run, a G-run, 5 km, 10 km, and a 10 English mile race covering 16.1 km. AV Aalsmeer organizes the event, which is affiliated with the Atletiekunie, the Dutch athletics federation. The participant limit is 2,000, making it a local club race suitable for families, recreational runners, and those attempting the 10-mile distance. The arrangements are functional, including late registration, changing rooms, showers, massages, a guarded cloakroom, parking, first aid, and AEDs available on-site.

The Bolsward Sinterklaasloop begins with Sinterklaas firing the starting shot outside Sporthal De Middelzee. This Dutch road-running event coincides with the Sinterklaas season, featuring a 7.2 km course through and around Bolsward on the final Monday before Sinterklaas. Separately, AV Suomi organizes a Sinterklaasloop in Santpoort-Noord, offering youth and adult races of approximately 1 km, 5 km, and 10 km. The Santpoort-Noord race incorporates the holiday theme by having runners compete against Piet. Its schedule distinguishes the short youth run from the 5 km and 10 km races for men and women. The Bolsward race employs electronic timing, publishes results online, and utilizes around 25 traffic controllers. As an evening event, participants are requested to wear reflective gear or lights, and registration is exclusively online, with no on-site sign-ups.

Corrid'ath des Lumières is a timed evening corrida in the center of Ath, in Belgium's Hainaut province. All participants start from the Quai de l'Entrepôt at 19:00. Runners can select either a 5 km or 10 km distance; walkers are also welcome on the shorter route. The route remains a surprise, but it primarily crosses the city, passing Ath's well-known landmarks. The event fosters a festive atmosphere, featuring musical groups, circus performers, photographers, and opportunities for participants to wear costumes.