The Pepernotenrun is a December running event in Franeker, timed around the Sinterklaas season and capped at 1,000 participants. It starts from Jan Rodenhuisplein in the city center and offers races for children as well as longer options for adults, including 5.5 km, 10 km, 16 km, and a half marathon distance of 21.1 km. Beginners, club runners, families, and more experienced runners can all find a distance that fits.
The route goes through Franeker’s historic center, past old streets and monuments, with the start and finish on the central city square. Local runners line up alongside people coming from farther away, and the practical setup includes public transport access, parking, changing rooms, showers, first aid, AEDs, water points, and guarded storage. The clearest tradition comes after the finish: every participant gets hot chocolate and pepernoten.