Everything you need to know about the JP Morgan Run 2025 in Frankfurt

The JP Morgan Corporate Challenge is the world's largest corporate running event. Organized by the US bank JP Morgan, the race is a 5.6-kilometer course in Frankfurt, all about fitness, friendly competition, and, above all, fun. More than 2,000 corporate teams compete, regardless of their running pace or ability, and spend time together away from the daily grind. This is intended to improve the atmosphere in the workplace.

In 2023, Hessian Minister-President Boris Rhein was among those running. The passionate runner completed the 5.6-kilometer course in 39 minutes and 15 seconds. Alexander Mayer, as the new head of JP Morgan in Germany, is competing for the first time, but he estimates he will be slower than his predecessor, Stefan Povaly, who reached the finish line in less than half an hour during his years as "Head of the Race."

According to official data, the Lufthansa Group had the most runners, with 1,306 finishers. The Association of German Railway Sports Clubs also reached the finish line with more than 1,000 employees, including the winner Amélie Svensson, who finished in 19:08. The fastest man was Josh Tolsdorf of Oddo BHF, who finished in 17:17.

With a combined team time of 1:13:24 hours, DZ Bank 2024 won the team ranking.

Yes, despite the decline in participation, the JP Morgan Run in Frankfurt is still the world's largest corporate run, and alongside the New York Marathon, the world's largest urban run. In 2008, the 70,000-runner mark was broken for the first time. Before the coronavirus pandemic in 2019, there were around 63,000 participants, and in 2022, only around 24,000. But the numbers are slowly recovering: in 2023, there were already around 54,000 participants from 2,000 companies, and in 2024, over 60,000. By comparison, around 30,000 people took part in the 2023 JP Morgan Run in New York.

Experience shows that between ten and 20 percent of registered runners do not show up at the start. For example, the actual number of participants for 2025 is expected to be just under 60,000. This cannot be determined exactly, as the timekeeping system only inaccurately reflects the total number of runners. Many participants avoid the long wait in the starting areas and join the race shortly after the start, unnoticed by the data capture system.

On Wednesday, June 4, 2025. This will be the 31st edition in Frankfurt . The race starts at 7 p.m. near Opernplatz. For the first time, race numbers will be in five different colors. White race numbers should not enter the starting area until 7:20 p.m., and yellow race numbers should not enter until 7:40 p.m. However, the color assignment is not a strict obligation; it is more of a recommendation to improve processes.

Music and commentary will be available in the starting area from 4 p.m. The entrances to the Hochstraße and Börsenstraße starting areas will open at 5:30 p.m. Due to the size of the field, the pre-start procedure can take up to 90 minutes. However, the agency Motion Events, which was appointed as organizer for the first time in 2024, has set its sights on speeding things up.

From the two starting areas on Börsenstraße and Hochstraße, the route goes to the Eschenheimer Tower. From there, participants run along Eschenheimer Landstraße, past Holzhausen Park, and at Goethe University, turn left onto Bremer Straße. Then, they pass Rothschild Park and return to the Alte Oper .

Participants run along Reuterweg into Mainzer Landstraße, turn right onto Friedrich-Ebert-Anlage, then past the Messeturm (trade fair tower) and into Senckenberganlage. The finish line is just before the Bockenheimer Warte.

The fastest runners reach the finish line in just over 15 minutes. Those taking it easy can complete the course in up to an hour. The awards ceremony will take place in the finish area immediately after the fastest participants cross the finish line. Refreshment stations will be located near the Alte Oper, on Bockenheimer Landstraße, and on Miquelallee.

After the race, it's time to celebrate: The teams either go out for a meal and a drink in restaurants or celebrate at one of the party spots in the city. These are located at Eschenheimer Anlage, Bockenheimer Anlage, the Mainufer, Zeppelinallee, and Ginnheimer Straße.

No. The Fitseveneleven fitness studio provides showers at its six studios at Mainzer Landstraße 50, Taunusturm Taunustor 1, Hanauer Landstraße 120, Eschersheimer Landstraße 10, Europa-Allee 92-96 in the Europaviertel district, and Frankfurt School Adickesallee 36a. To shower there, you must show your bib number.

Because road closures during the JP Morgan Run will restrict traffic around the event area, the organizers recommend using public transport, such as the subway or S-Bahn. The "Taunusanlage" or "Alte Oper" stops are the nearest stations.

Anyone wishing to avoid the corporate run should avoid the start and finish areas, as well as the running route. The start area around the Alte Oper will be closed from 1:45 p.m. until 10 p.m., the finish area near Bockenheimer Warte from 4:45 p.m. until 11 p.m., and the route from 6 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. and 11 p.m., respectively. Some parking garages in the city center will also be closed. According to Frankfurt Police, there may also be restrictions on public transport.

Before and during the run, the majority of participants will be concentrated at Opernplatz and Bockenheimer Warte. Thousands of family and friends will be lingering along the route or at the food stalls at the Alte Oper. Following the run, there will be celebrations at the party points, although many participants will also head toward the Römer and the cathedral, as well as the banks of the Main.

According to the Rhein-Main Transport Association, the S-Bahn and U-Bahn trains will run as scheduled and uninterrupted by the running event. However, there will be restrictions on five bus lines starting at 4 p.m.:

• Line 32 operates only between Ostbahnhof/Sonnemannstraße and Miquel-/Adickesallee.
• Line 36 only runs between Hainer Weg and Alte Gasse.
• Line 50 only runs between Ludwig-Erhard-Anlage and Unterliederbach West.
• Line 64 only runs between Ginnheim and Miquel-/Adickesallee.
• Line 75 will stop operating early at approximately 4 p.m.

Most subways offer more space thanks to additional carriages, and some lines run significantly more frequently:

• The subway lines U1 to U4, U6 to U8 offer more space until late in the evening thanks to additional carriages.
• The U4 and U6 lines run significantly more frequently: Until 11:30 p.m., a train runs every five minutes between Bockenheimer Warte and Seckbacher Landstraße (U4) and between Industriehof and Zoo (U6, U7). All three lines stop at Bockenheimer Warte, in the immediate vicinity of the finish line at Senckenberganlage.

On the Metrobus line M34, articulated buses will be used until around 1:00 a.m., which offer more space.

The US bank JP Morgan is supporting the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation and the German Disabled Sports Youth with the JP Morgan Run 2024 in Frankfurt.

The Laureus Foundation aims to support young people in Germany and Austria through sport in the areas of education, inclusion, and health. The German Disabled Sports Youth (DBS) initiates sports and educational programs for young athletes with disabilities and volunteers.

The idea for the corporate run originated with the US financial institution JP Morgan and its predecessor companies, which later merged into it. The event has its roots in New York's Central Park. The very first run took place there in 1977, organized by Bank Manufacturers Hanover, which later merged into JP Morgan. In 1993, the corporate run came from the US to Germany. The bank invited employees from other companies to run a 5.6-kilometer race together, organized as a team run for women's, men's, and mixed teams, without official timekeeping.

The run was intended to bring a company's employees together outside of the office or company party. JP Morgan promised companies a better workplace atmosphere as a result of their participation. With great effort, 527 participants from 57 companies were recruited for the run in 1993.

Within twelve years, the JP Morgan Corporate Run in Frankfurt grew rapidly: 58,467 participants from 2,018 companies ran through Frankfurt's city center in 2005. One year later, there were just over 60,000 participants.

In 2007, over 67,000 runners took to the streets of Frankfurt, and since 2008, the 70,000 mark has been broken occasionally. With this record number of runners, the run in Frankfurt am Main is the largest event in the global JPMorgan Run series. Participants came from more than 250 cities, from Berlin to Munich. JP Morgan Runs now take place in 16 cities, eight countries, and on six continents – from Sydney to Shanghai, Johannesburg, London, Buenos Aires, and San Francisco.

In 2019, 62,772 runners from 2,282 companies registered for the Frankfurt JP Morgan Corporate Run. This made it the largest corporate run in the world and the largest run in Europe. In 2022, after the coronavirus pandemic, 24,000 people participated. In 2023, the JP Morgan Run returned with 54,500 registered participants.