12 hours of RaceRunning in Aalborg, Denmark

Af Henrik Nielsen
smyrna@joda.dk

On Saturday the 16th of June 2012 a great event was taking place at Skovdalen Athletics Stadium in the city of Aalborg in Northern Jutland, as RaceRunning Aalborg had arranged the fourth 12 hours RaceRunning race. Eleven Racerunners where ready to take up the challenge defying bad weather conditions and the many kilometres.

Before the start signal was given at 9.00 am Danish Member of Parliament Orla Hav (Labour) held a short speech. Hav pointed out the importance of exercise for everybody in society, but even more important, he underlined, are the social relations and the fellow feeling that doing sports can create. And he clearly sensed, he added, that RaceRunning Aalborg is a good place to be. For the athletes, the helpers, the parents, and for the audience.

The politician also tried doing a round on the track borrowing a bike from one of the athletes. Breathing heavily Hav reached the finishing line giving the impression that it was more exhausting than he had expected, and thereby throwing into sharp relief the performance of the RaceRunning athletes of Aalborg. At this particular day Aalborg athlete Michael Thyregod ran 48 laps.

The starting signal was given precisely at 9.00 am and the bikers rushed off with athlete Jacob Birkbak taking the lead. Meanwhile everybody else had breakfast and coffee. The weather was lovely in the morning, but that definitely changed later on. During the whole day the audience participated in various competitions having the opportunity to win some of the nice prizes sponsored by Vela, Super Best, Sifa Bingo, and Nørresundby Bank.

After lunch (sponsored by Super Brugsen) clouds started gathering and the race organizers announced that in case of lightning and thunder reaching Skovdalen area the race would be cancelled due to safety precautions. Luckily that did not happen and the race continued in spite of heavy showers. Some athletes like Sebastian Berke were unlucky having to race during intense downpour, but the young athlete fought fiercely against the weather and was even smiling all over his face eventually when reaching the finishing line!

Hours passed and it was now time for a nice supper prepared by Chinese restaurant Cha Ching. Especially the athletes ate with great delight getting ready for the last exhausting hours of the race.

And indeed the last two hours of running really was very exhausting for the athletes and it got rather painful just staying in the saddle. But eventually – by virtue of an impressive team spirit – athletes Michael, Jacob, Tove, Maria, and Hayla made i through. Actually the record from last years’ race had been beaten by five track rounds, which means that the record for the 12 hours RaceRunning race is now 231 track laps - 92.4 km.

Congratulations to RaceRunning Aalborg represented by Tove, Michael, Malene, Maria, Jacob, Nikolaj, Sebastian, Søren, Hayla, and Rasmus!

And thanks to our sponsors: Vela, Super Best, Sifa Bingo, Guldbageren, Nordjyske, Netto, Eurospar, Sigurd Müller, and Nørresundby Bank.

Latest News