Franklin Meilenlauf

Franklin Meilenlauf is a road race held each October in Mannheim, Germany, run on and around the Franklin site — a former U.S. Army housing and barracks area in the city's Käfertal-Franklin district that has been redeveloped as one of Mannheim's largest urban conversion projects since the Americans departed. The event centers on the FRANKLIN Halbmarathon (21.1 km), billed as the first autumn half marathon held on Mannheim city territory, alongside a shorter 6-Meilen-Lauf (about 9.7 km / 6 miles) and children's races. Both main races start and finish at FRANKLIN Field Platz, tracing a single-loop course through the green north of the city and past the ongoing redevelopment of the former military grounds — terrain that was closed to the public for decades. The 2026 edition, on October 11, marks the race's tenth running since it began in 2016. Every finisher receives a medal, and the half marathon route is supported by two water stations and two food stations. Entry fees rise through several pricing tiers as race day approaches, and the first 1,000 registrants receive a free event T-shirt courtesy of VR Bank Rhein-Neckar.