Santander RUN & FUN — Mönchengladbach Company Run

A Company Run for the Entire Region

When thousands of runners in company shirts take to the streets of Mönchengladbach on the third Monday in September, it's time for Santander RUN & FUN — by far the largest company run between the Lower Rhine, Bergisches Land, and the Aachen region. Since its first edition in 2012, the run has become a fixture, with several thousand participants from companies, administrations, hospitals, law firms, tax offices, sports clubs, and social organizations taking part.

'The Team Wins' — The Motto for 2026

Unlike traditional public runs, the Mönchengladbach Company Run is not about setting personal bests — but about the collective appearance of the workforce. The 2026 motto 'The Team Wins' makes this explicit: management, apprentices, accounting, and workshop staff run shoulder to shoulder, often in company shirts with logos, sometimes in self-designed costumes, always with a fun factor.

5.5 Kilometers Through Mönchengladbach and Rheydt

The course covers 5.5 kilometers through the city area — alternating between Mönchengladbach's city center and the neighboring Rheydt, depending on the route of the respective edition. The start and finish areas are centrally located, with a large supporting program area: pre-run pasta party, after-run party, stage with live music or DJ set, refreshment stands, photo stations.

Registration — Teams from 3 People

Teams of 3 or more people can participate, fielded by a company, authority, practice, or club. Larger companies send hundreds of employees, while small practices come with the minimum team of three. Registration is via the Team Captain Dashboard on santander-run-fun-mg.de. Per participant: registration fee includes running shirt, timing, pasta, drinks, and after-show.

15th Edition and 100% Climate-Neutral

Since its first edition in 2012, the Mönchengladbach Company Run has grown continuously. The 15th edition in 2026 marks over a decade of tradition. Innovations in recent years include 100% climate neutrality: the event's CO₂ footprint is offset, running shirts are made from recycled materials, water cups are compostable, and the route has minimal logistical impact.

Santander as Title Sponsor

Santander Consumer Bank AG, headquartered in Mönchengladbach (German group headquarters), has been the title sponsor of the run for years — a visible connection between a regionally rooted international bank and the city community. Santander bank employees themselves form one of the largest participant teams.

Mönchengladbach and Rheydt

Mönchengladbach, with Rheydt incorporated in 1975, is located in the western Lower Rhine region, about 30 km west of Düsseldorf. With around 260,000 inhabitants, it is one of the largest cities in North Rhine-Westphalia. Known for Borussia Mönchengladbach (football Bundesliga), its textile tradition, and more recently for the Sparkassenpark as a concert arena. The company run is one of the city's most important social sports events in late summer.