The KPMG Lentemarathon 2026 officially kicked off on Saturday with the Zorg en Zekerheid 5k Night Run. In a blistering time of 17 minutes and 12 seconds, Klaas Smit was the first man to cross the finish line. In the women’s race, Brooke Nichols finished first in a time of 20 minutes and 11 seconds.Â
This year, for the first time, the KPMG Lentemarathon begins on a Saturday with the 5-kilometre race. For 2026, the organisers have focused entirely on creating an atmosphere for their runners, by staging the shortest race after sunset and decorating the entire course with colourful lights, live DJs along the route, and even the participants were decked out in glow-in-the-dark accessories.Â
In total, the organisers expect to welcome over 11,500 runners across the weekend. The Zorg en Zekerheid Half Marathon was completely sold out, as was the Stadshart Amstelveen Kids Run.Â
Roy van Damme, organiser of the KPMG Lentemarathon, is delighted with the new structure of his event: “The new Zorg en Zekerheid 5k Night Run adds a new dimension to our event. It’s an accessible way for people to experience their first running event. The feedback afterwards was overwhelmingly positive, with particular praise for our atmosphere and organisation – two factors we hold in the highest regard.”
Tomorrow, Sunday 15 March, sees the second day of the KPMG Lentemarathon, featuring the KPMG Marathon, the Zorg en Zekerheid Half Marathon and the PUMA x DailyRun 10km.Â