Dam Tot Damloop 2026

The Dam Tot Damloop takes runners from Amsterdam to Zaandam over 10 miles. It begins on Prins Hendrikkade and concludes on Peperstraat in Zaandam’s city center. Le Champion organizes the race on the second-to-last Sunday of September. The modern running event originated as a fun run in the mid-1980s with 4,300 participants. A competitive men’s and women’s race was added soon after, and a business run introduced a workplace-team element. The name derives from the historical concept of racing from the Dam in Amsterdam to the Dam in Zaandam, though the current start and finish points differ from those original locations. The route follows the connection between the two cities, not a loop, and spectators have gathered in large numbers along the course since its inception. Its history is distinctive: an earlier Dam-to-Dam event was held as a lighthearted objection to the inadequate transport link between Amsterdam and Zaandam. Participants could use vehicles and boats then, while local authorities advocated for the Coentunnel. The race evolved into a significant road event, featuring elite runners, mass participation, and a short trial with skaters.