Actually, Ulrich Koller had only packed the sports shoes “as an alibi” for the one-year family trip through Australia with his wife and children. In the end, however, they were used when he spontaneously accompanied a chance acquaintance to the morning run. And before Koller knew it, he was already in the middle of his first “park run”.
The principle behind the global run, which originally comes from England: regardless of location, groups run every Saturday morning. Always five kilometers, always without pressure. The individual running time will still be measured, and the participants will receive their results by email. Around 300,000 athletes take part in the “Parkruns” (spread over more than 2000 locations) worldwide.
Every week on Saturday
“I was immediately enthusiastic about this running format. The joy of the people was incredibly contagious”, Koller remembers his premiere run in 2019. The Waldinger started a total of eleven times in Australia, it quickly became clear to him, “that I want to take this run to Austria.”
Back at home, Koller wanted to start implementing it right away at the beginning of 2020. But first he was put off by the “Parkrun” umbrella organization, then Corona came. Koller continued to run anyway. When he discovered in 2021 that “park runs” had started in Salzburg, he made a new attempt.
After Salzburg and Vienna, Upper Austria is now the third federal state where there are these free running clubs. The starting shot will be given in Linz on April 16th.
It starts (like every Saturday in the future) at nine o’clock at the new railway bridge, on the Urfahraner side. Interested parties do not have to register in advance before each appointment. However, it is important that you register before your first start (at parkrun.co.at/register). This gives them a barcode that they can use to participate in all “parkruns” around the world. “That’s the advantage of slipping under this umbrella brand,” says the photographer and graphic designer. How often the athletes participate is their decision.
One thing is important for Koller to emphasize: “‘Parkruns’ are not races, there are no winners or losers, only participants.” Fast running is just as permitted as jogging or walking – participation with leashed dogs or prams is also possible. Koller’s claim: “I want to inspire people to exercise.”
Incidentally, in the initial phase you run in the direction of Pleschingersee (after 2.5 kilometers you turn around), later another route is potentially possible. A team of volunteers has already been found around Koller to organize the runs, more helpers are always welcome (information at parkrun.co.at/donauradweg). (jp)
Source: Nachrichten
