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I’ve had the Wienburgpark parkrun in Münster on my bucket list for a while, but Richard’s visit has finally made it a reality.
Inhalt / Content
What’s a Parkrun?
A parkrun is a weekly 5km run – organised worldwide by volunteers – that is open to all as participants, helpers or spectators and is free of charge. A parkrun usually takes place on a Saturday morning.
In contrast to a running club, there is (free) registration, official timekeeping and you can earn milestones based on the number of times you take part.
In Germany, the parkrun movement is supported by Brooks and is rather small with around 60 locations. The idea originally came from England, where there are almost 800 parkruns.
Wienburgpark Parkrun in Münster
The nearest parkrun to me takes place in Wienburgpark in Münster. Every Saturday at 9am, you meet at the basketball court and set off from there on the two laps of the park.
I had arranged to meet Richard there, who is visiting the beautiful Münsterland region and has already collected a few parkruns along the way. It was also nice to see Jochen in the team of helpers, as he had invited me to come a few times before.
Organisation
I had registered on the parkrun website in advance and received my scannable code. This is important for timekeeping later on. Otherwise you just turn up at the meeting point if you feel like running.
Before the start, the race organisers explain the course and the route. But everything is also very well signposted and there are additional helpers on the course. New parkrunners (like me) are warmly welcomed by everyone. There were even parkrun tourists today – like Richard, for example.
Those who have reached a milestone, such as 25 or 50 participations, are honoured before the start and receive their certificate.
The Parkrun
Even though there is a timekeeping system, a parkrun is not a race. Everyone is welcome to run, walk or hike along. Even with dogs, children or in company.
That’s why the start is very unspectacular: everyone gets behind the starting line, the timing starts on a signal and you start running.
Richard had involuntarily decided to go for a barefoot run (don’t worry: it wasn’t his first 😉) and so we trotted off at a relaxed pace. We had arranged to meet up for a chat rather than a run anyway.
The route was really nice and we ran sometimes through the forest and sometimes through the park on slightly different surfaces.
There was a clear directional arrow at every turn-off, so that even as a newcomer to the route I always found my way around. There are also marshals who cheer you on and create a really good atmosphere.
The atmosphere remains good at the finish, where everyone is greeted with applause. People stop to chat in small groups and are likely to stay until everyone has crossed the finish line.
You will then receive a small barcode slip which you can then scan together with your parkrun ID. Your participation and time are then entered into the parkrun system.
My Impression
A parkrun like this is a really nice thing. I got the impression in Münster that running is simply celebrated here – for everyone and with everyone. So once again, I would like to thank all the volunteers who make this possible every week!
If Wienburgpark was more conveniently located for me, I would certainly be a regular participant. But now that I’m also a parkrunner, I’ll keep my eyes peeled when I’m on holiday and on other occasions and I’m sure I’ll just run along more often.
