Experiencing the limits at Germany's longest relay race
4,000 kilometres in 16 days: On 5 September 2012, the Chemnitzer Lauf-KulTour starts for the sixth time to circumnavigate Germany - Performance check on 14 August at the Sportforum - Invitation for media representatives to a photo session: Tuesday, 14 August, 12:30 pm, Sportforum
They are almost in the starting blocks: On 5 September 2012 , the 20 participants of the Lauf-KulTour association will lace up their sports shoes in Chemnitz and set off on their journey around Germany. For the sixth time, twelve students from Chemnitz University of Technology want to run around Germany. Together with their eight cycling companions, they will cover a distance of 4,000 kilometres in 16 days, raising money for charitable causes with the support of sponsors such as the City of Chemnitz, the Chemnitz-Zwickau Student Union, the TU Student Council and the company Sigma Germany. This year, they are supporting the UNICEF campaign "Schools for Africa".
The race is run in an alternating system that rotates day and night so that each runner is in action for one hour every eleven hours. According to Lauf-KulTour, this is the longest non-stop relay race in Germany and runs clockwise around the country close to the border. After the start in Chemnitz, the students first run through the Vogtland region into the Bavarian Forest, then westwards across the Alps and then along the Rhine into the Ruhr region. Continuing northwards, they will run along the North Sea coast, pass Bremen, Hamburg and the Baltic Sea before returning along the Oder-Neisse border via the Zittau Mountains.
The aim of UNICEF's "Schools for Africa" campaign is to give 13 million children in eleven countries on the continent an education and thus a better future. UNICEF supports the construction of schools and sanitary facilities, trains teachers and provides furniture and school materials. For every person who accompanies the runners part of the way, one euro goes to UNICEF. The distance travelled does not matter. "The positions of the runners are updated on the Lauf-KulTour website using GPS, so that you can follow our route through 150 cities," says Sebastian Ködel, project coordinator of Lauf-KulTour. "We hope that as many people as possible will follow our run and come to the route as we pass through their home town. Our project offers everyone the opportunity to do good while running," explains the physics student.
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Along the route, the Lauf-KulTour participants will not only collect donations and raise awareness of UNICEF's work in Africa, but also promote the city of Chemnitz and the Technical University . "Every year, the Lauf-KulTour encourages people to do good. Good for yourself by doing sport. Doing good for others through donations and publicity for social projects. The Lauf-KulTour is known in more and more corners of Germany. As ambassadors of Chemnitz as an open-minded and active city of science, the students' commitment is city marketing in the best sense of the word. I am very pleased that Chemnitz is the starting and finishing point of this unique tour of Germany. I wish the athletes and their travelling companions many wonderful encounters and moments on their tour. But above all, I wish them lots of fellow runners who are inspired by this great idea," says Lord Mayor Barbara Ludwig.
To ensure that the participants are optimally prepared for the great physical demands of the run, they have been training intensively since April. At the beginning of August, a three-day simulation training under real conditions was on the programme. To ensure that nothing stands in the way of the start, the final performance diagnostics will take place on 14 August from 10 a.m. in the athletics hall of the Chemnitz Sports Forum. The runners will be examined in two phases by sports physicians from Chemnitz University of Technology. First, the scientists analyse the athletes' physical parameters such as height, weight and body mass index. In addition, a bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is used to determine the athletes' muscle and fat content and an electrocardiogram (ECG) of the heart is taken. These results can then be compared with the values from the first examination in May. In the second section from 12.30 p.m., the athletes' endurance is observed in a practical test. To do this, they run laps of the Sportforum at increasing speed.
"We are very excited about the results," says Ködel and adds: "After these tests, the final team for the Lauf-KulTour 2012 will be put together."
Up-to-date information on the Lauf-KulTour 2012 and live tracking of all athletes via Racemap after the start: www.lauf-kultour.de
Coordination and press contact:
Sebastian Ködel, phone 0178 1615350,
e-mail sebastian.koedel@googlemail.com
Current information on the UNICEF campaign "Schools for Africa": www.schulenfuerafrika.de
Note for media representatives: On 14 August 2012, you can photograph and film the Lauf-KulTour team at the performance check from 12.30 p.m. in the multi-purpose athletics hall of the Chemnitz Sports Forum, Reichenhainer Straße 154.
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