Finally running events again - with Ecolabel of course

"Organising the running event was a great challenge and an experiment, but I wanted to show that it was possible." Organizer Jürgen Smrz (fairsport events) is standing in the finish area of the Seestadt individual race and is happy about positive feedback from the arriving runners. As a licensee for the Austrian Ecolabel for Green Events he already has experience with the requirements for environmentally friendly running events with the 2018 certified "fairness run", but this year the safety of the participants is also a big issue.

Jürgen Smrz in the finish area

Secure competition despite Corona

The professional organisation provides security: the number of participants is limited to 250 and here at the edge of the Urban Lakeside there is plenty of space to keep a sufficient distance around the event, even when warming up. Since each participant has been allocated a starting time that is exact to the minute, there is no crowd either at the start number and chip distribution or in the starting area. This is unfamiliar at first, but at the same time it is a relief. The spokesman repeatedly points out safety distances and other measures in a charming and humorous way.

Easy access by bike or public transport

The venue has been practically chosen - the start/finish area can be reached easily and in a climate-friendly way both by subway and by bike, and the well-structured starting times mean that luggage and clothing can be dropped off and picked up again without any problems. Due to the cooperation with a fitness centre in the Urban Lakeside, there is even the pleasant possibility to take a shower right after the race, so that you don't have to go home sweaty even if you arrive by public transport. Or one simply jumps into the Seestadt lake.

Reusable cups and sustainable products avoid waste

Although the distance of 5 km is not insurmountably long, it is refreshing to find a water station at half of the way in this humid weather. The cups are exclusively returnable and can be easily thrown back into one of the containers that are placed along the route after the handing out - there is no rubbish on the floor to trip over or slip on. Also at the finish line the cups are waiting and are neatly stacked by the runners into the provided bucket. The chips for the timekeeping are handed back at the exit and so the only trash can that fills up is the bio bin where the banana peels land. The obligatory wooden participant medal then fits in well with the overall impression.

For those of you who weren't there this time...

...on August 16th there will be the next opportunity to try yourself and run 5 km environmentally friendly on the outskirts of the Urban Lakeside! The registration is still open: https://seestadt-einzel-zeitlauf.at/