Franklin Meilenlauf
The Lowdown
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.
Race Day
Weather Forecast
Elevation
Terrain Profile
Relatively flat course
Participants
Field Size
Medium-sized race
Crowd Rating
Spectator Support
Moderate spectator support
FRANKLIN Field Platz (start/finish)
Franklin site (former U.S. Army housing and barracks area)
Käfertal-Franklin urban conversion district
Grüner Norden (green north) of Mannheim
Other distances available during the event weekend:
Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
DE
Average rate for 3-star accommodations near the start line
Eligibility
- Minimum age 18 (born 2008 or earlier) for the FRANKLIN Halbmarathon
- Minimum age 16 (born 2010 or earlier) for the 6-Meilen-Lauf
Required Documents
- Valid photo ID for bib pickup
- Signed liability waiver / event terms of participation
Entry Methods
- Online registration via the my.raceresult.com platform linked from the official site
- Group registration for companies and clubs via a downloadable Excel template
Cancellation & Refund Policy
No public general-refund policy found on the official site as of this record's authoring
Estimate: entry fees are typically non-refundable for withdrawal; bib transfer to another runner may be permitted under year-specific terms published closer to race day — verify directly on the registration platform
Single-loop, largely flat-to-gently-rolling asphalt course on former U.S. military grounds
First 1,000 registrants receive a free event T-shirt from sponsor VR Bank Rhein-Neckar
2026 marks the race's 10th edition; it began in 2016, with no editions held in 2020 or 2024
Children's and junior races also take place on race day
Training for this race?
Track your training, follow a plan, and prepare for race day with MarathonOS.
Scan to download
Community
Stories, tips, and race-day snapshots from runners who have tackled this course.
Community Reviews
Learn from fellow runners and share insights that will help the next person toe the line.