Running Events in Bielefeld 2027: Hermannslauf, Firmenläufe and Böckstiegellauf

Ultra at the Eiserner Anton in March, the Hermannslauf from Detmold to the Sparrenburg in April, two Firmenläufe (corporate runs), triathlon at the Senner Waldbad and a packed September with the Feuerwehrlauf, City Move and the Böckstiegellauf: all the key running events in Bielefeld for 2027 at a glance.

Chris Mühlnickel · 30 September 2026 · 8 min read

Running Events in Bielefeld 2027: Hermannslauf, Firmenläufe and Böckstiegellauf

Bielefeld runs on the ridge. The crest of the Teutoburger Wald (Teutoburg Forest) cuts right across the city, and on it lie the courses that shape Bielefeld's running year: the Hermannsweg with the Eiserner Anton and the Halleluja-Steinbruch (Halleluja quarry), Peter auf'm Berge and the Sparrenburg, where two events finish on the promenade. Down in the city it gets flatter: in the Ravensberger Park, in the Altstadt (old town), at the Obersee in Schildesche and in the Senner Waldbad, where triathlon is held in summer.

This overview shows which events are coming up and who they suit. Where the organizer has already confirmed the 2027 date, it's listed; otherwise we give the date of the last edition for orientation. The Bielefeld season runs from March to September – for the rest of 2026 we haven't found any further confirmed event. As of 30 September 2026.

Which event suits you?

Your goal Events that fit
Your first race bib 5 km at the InSchildesche-Lauf, 5 km at the Feuerwehrlauf, Firmenlauf light at the Sparrenburg
10 km in the city City Move, Bielefelder Feuerwehrlauf, InSchildesche-Lauf
Through the Teutoburger Wald Hermannslauf, Böckstiegellauf, Eiserner Anton Ultra
Ultra and long distances Eiserner Anton Ultra, Hermannslauf
Running in the evening Sparrenburg-Firmenlauf and Nightcup, AOK Firmenlauf, Bielefelder Feuerwehrlauf
With colleagues Sparrenburg-Firmenlauf, AOK Firmenlauf, Company relay at the triathlon
Walking and hiking Hermannslauf, InSchildesche-Lauf, Sparrenburg-Firmenlauf
For a good cause InSchildesche-Lauf
Triathlon Bielefelder Triathlon

March: ultra at the Eiserner Anton

Bielefeld's running year begins in the forest – and goes long straight away. At the Eiserner Anton – Halleluja-Steinbruch Ultramarathon you run four laps of approx. 11.4 km along the Hermannsweg towards the Eiserner Anton and past the Halleluja-Steinbruch, approx. 45.6 km in total. The event is small and young: it's privately organised, has existed since 2024 and took place for the third time on 7 March 2026. There's no dedicated organizer website; registration and timing run via the timekeeper's page. The 2027 date is still to come (my.raceresult.com). If you're planning the Hermannslauf in April, this is a long fitness test in the same forest.

April: the Hermannslauf

On 25 April 2027 the Hermannslauf takes place for the 55th time (hermannslauf.de). It's the event that puts Bielefeld on the running calendar, and it's different from most city events: a point-to-point run over 31.1 km. The start is at the Hermannsdenkmal (Hermann Monument) near Detmold, from there the course follows the crest of the Teutoburger Wald to Bielefeld, and the finish is on the Sparrenburg promenade. So you don't set off in Bielefeld – you arrive there. The start is staggered in several waves.

Alongside the running course, the 31.1 km are also open to hiking or walking, plus the Mini-Hermann over 2.5 km. The main course has a minimum age of 18. The 2026 race information set limits of 7,000 runners, 1,000 hikers and walkers and 400 places for the Mini-Hermann. Around 8,500 people took part in 2026 (radiobielefeld.de). The host club is TSVE 1890 Bielefeld.

What matters most for the Hermannslauf is January. Registration opens in mid-January, exclusively online via davengo, and it's first come, first served. In 2026 it opened on 18 January at 11 am, and after 35 minutes the Hermannslauf was sold out (nw.de). If you don't get a place then, you can still try the bib exchange, which ran until the end of March in 2026. The organizer hasn't published the exact registration start for 2027 yet.

With your team: Sparrenburg and Altstadt

Bielefeld has two Firmenläufe (corporate runs), both in the evening, one at the castle and one in the city centre.

The Sparrenburg-Firmenlauf Bielefeld takes place on the third Wednesday in May, with start and finish on the promenade at the Sparrenburg (Schöne Aussicht car park). The distance is 5 km, plus the Firmenlauf light and walking over 2.5 km each. Afterwards the open Nightcup over 5 km starts, for which you don't need a company. According to the organizer, the sixth edition on 20 May 2026 was fully booked with 62 companies; in 2025, 1,950 people took part. The 2027 date is still to come (firmenlauf-bielefeld.de).

In the city centre runs the AOK Firmenlauf Bielefeld, which took place for the twelfth time on 26 August 2026. Around 5.5 km lead through Bielefeld's Altstadt in the evening, and team spirit and costumes count for more than personal bests here (firmenlauf-bielefeld.com). Ahead of the event, the Neue Westfälische expected around 2,800 participants (nw.de). In summer there's also a virtual option. There's no 2027 date yet.

Summer: triathlon in Senne and laps of the Obersee

In summer, Bielefeld's running year moves from the ridge to the edge of the city.

The Bielefelder Triathlon took place for the 30th time on 28 June 2026, at the Senner Waldbad in Bielefeld-Senne. The swim is in the 50 m pool, the bike course heads towards the Senne gliding airfield, and the run is on laps in the adjacent forest. The Volkstriathlon (sprint-style triathlon for everyone) covers 500 m, 20 km and 5 km, plus relay and company relay rankings and races for school pupils and young people. In 2026 all places were taken. The 2027 date hasn't been published yet (triathlon-bielefeld.de). Like the Hermannslauf, it's hosted by TSVE 1890 Bielefeld.

A week later, things get family-friendly in the north of Bielefeld. The InSchildesche-Lauf goes around the Obersee, with the start at the Seekrug in Schildesche. You can run or walk 10 or 5 km, and there's 2 km for children. For every registration, one euro goes to a children's hospice. The association InSchildesche revived the event in 2024, and it last took place on 5 July 2026; the 2027 date is still to come (inschildesche.de). For a first event, this is a calm setting.

September: fire brigade, City Move and Böckstiegellauf

September is the busiest month in Bielefeld's calendar.

It starts with the Bielefelder Feuerwehrlauf (fire brigade run), traditionally on a Friday evening in early September. The Sieker unit of the volunteer fire brigade invites you to the fire station on the Lipper Hellweg, and the distances are 10 km, 5 km and a 1 km children's race. On the 5 km there's a separate ranking for fire brigade teams (feuerwehrlauf.run). On 4 September 2026 the event took place for the 36th time, and according to the Neue Westfälische almost 700 runners came (nw.de). There's no 2027 date yet.

Right in the city runs the City Move – Stadtwerke-Cup. It's the successor to the "Stadtwerke run & roll City", which took place for the 20th time in 2025, and it ran under its new name for the first time on 13 September 2026. The start is in the Ravensberger Park, and the 10 km lead over three laps along the Ravensberger Straße and around the Stauteich I (reservoir). There's also a school race over 2.7 km and a Bambinilauf over 490 m for the little ones, all embedded in Bielefeld's Tag des Sports (sports day). The big half marathon and skate formats of the former Run & Roll Day no longer exist. The 2027 date is still to come (stadtwerke-bielefeld.de).

At the end of the season, it's back up to the ridge. The Böckstiegellauf starts in Bielefeld but doesn't finish there: the start is at Peter auf'm Berge, then the course runs along the crest of the Teutoburger Wald and past the Böckstiegel Museum to the town centre of Werther. You can choose between 18 km, 10 km and a 2.5 km school race. Ahead of the 22nd edition on 26 September 2026, the organizer reported 1,605 registrations, including the Active Trail & Road Cup. The 2027 date hasn't been published yet (boeckstiegellauf.de).

Planning tips for your running year

Don't miss the Hermannslauf registration in January. Registration opens in mid-January, only online via davengo, and in 2026 the places were gone after 35 minutes (nw.de). So note the day as soon as the organizer announces it, and be ready when it opens. The bib exchange, which ran until the end of March in 2026, is a second chance – but not a sure one.

Other events fill up too. The Sparrenburg-Firmenlauf was fully booked with 62 companies in 2026, all places at the Bielefelder Triathlon were taken, and according to the Neue Westfälische the Feuerwehrlauf was almost fully booked. If you want to be there, register early.

Two events end or begin outside the city. The Hermannslauf starts in Detmold and finishes at the Sparrenburg, and the Böckstiegellauf starts at Peter auf'm Berge and finishes in Werther. Plan your travel there and back accordingly.

Most 2027 dates are still to come. So far only the Hermannslauf on 25 April 2027 is confirmed. For all other events we give the 2026 date; some follow fixed patterns, such as the Sparrenburg-Firmenlauf on the third Wednesday in May and the Feuerwehrlauf in early September.

Don't train alone

Bielefeld's year has one big goal: the Hermannslauf in April. You train for 31.1 km with climbs over the ridge during the winter, and that's easier in a group – especially on the long runs in the Teutoburger Wald. You'll find the right group near you among the running groups and run clubs in Bielefeld.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

When is the 2027 Hermannslauf?
On 25 April 2027, for the 55th time. The course covers 31.1 km from the Hermannsdenkmal near Detmold along the crest of the Teutoburger Wald to the Sparrenburg promenade in Bielefeld; it's also open to hiking or walking, plus the Mini-Hermann over 2.5 km (hermannslauf.de).
When does registration for the 2027 Hermannslauf open?
The exact date hasn't been published yet. Registration traditionally opens in mid-January, only online via davengo, on a first-come, first-served basis. In 2026 it opened on 18 January at 11 am and sold out after 35 minutes (nw.de); after that there was a bib exchange until the end of March.
When is the 2027 Firmenlauf in Bielefeld?
The 2027 dates for both of Bielefeld's Firmenläufe are still to come. The Sparrenburg-Firmenlauf takes place on the third Wednesday in May at the Sparrenburg, in 2026 on 20 May (firmenlauf-bielefeld.de). The AOK Firmenlauf through the Altstadt was on 26 August in 2026 (firmenlauf-bielefeld.com).
Where does the Böckstiegellauf start and finish?
The start is at Peter auf'm Berge in Bielefeld, and the finish is in the town centre of Werther. The course runs along the crest of the Teutoburger Wald past the Böckstiegel Museum, with 18 km, 10 km and 2.5 km for school pupils. In 2026 it took place on 26 September; the 2027 date is still to come (boeckstiegellauf.de).
Is there still a half marathon in Bielefeld?
The big half marathon and skate formats of the former Run & Roll Day no longer exist. The successor is City Move with the Stadtwerke-Cup over 10 km in the Ravensberger Park, in 2026 on 13 September (stadtwerke-bielefeld.de). If you want to run longer, the Böckstiegellauf offers 18 km and the Hermannslauf 31.1 km.
When is the Bielefelder Feuerwehrlauf?
Traditionally on a Friday evening in early September, at the fire station in Sieker. The distances are 10 km, 5 km with a separate ranking for fire brigade teams, and 1 km for children. In 2026 it took place for the 36th time on 4 September (feuerwehrlauf.run); a 2027 date hasn't been published yet.

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