Strausseelauf Strausberg

A Century of Running Tradition

The Strausseelauf was first held in 1924, making it one of the oldest continuously held running competitions in Eastern Germany. In 2026, the 90th edition will run the historic course — once around the Straussee, the lake that gives the town in the Märkisch-Oderland district its name. The lake is located directly west of the old town and is lined with a shady shore path, offering ideal conditions for a flat and scenically attractive running course.

Date: October 3, 2026 — German Unity Day

The run traditionally takes place on German Unity Day — in 2026, this will be Saturday, October 3. This date makes the Strausseelauf the sporting highlight of the weekend and draws thousands of participants and spectators to the small town east of Berlin. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. at the Theodor-Fontane-Gymnasium, with the start and finish area located on Fichteplatz.

Organized by the Kultur- und Sportclub Strausberg

The organizer is the Kultur- und Sportclub Strausberg e.V., Athletics Department. The KSC has been supporting the run for decades, taking care of the course, timing, catering, safety, and supporting program. Registrations are possible via strausseelauf.de and the strassenlauf.org portal; the registration deadline is usually a few days before the run.

Altstadtfest as Supporting Program

Parallel to the run, Strausberg's historic old town celebrates its Altstadtfest: stalls, live music in the Energie-Arena, gastronomy, and a children's program fill the city center from morning until 6 p.m. So you can switch directly to the festival day after finishing your race — or, if you are accompanying someone, visit the Altstadtfest while your companion is running.

Disciplines for Everyone

The Strausseelauf typically offers several distances — from the Bambini run for the little ones, through school runs and 5 km, to the classic 10 km and half marathon around the lake. You can find the exact details with course maps and start times from the organizer at strausseelauf.de.