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16 runners, 1,400 kilometers, six days: The relay race from the Hünfeld running club to Landerneau in France is celebrating its 40th anniversary.
Hünfeld – 16 active members of the Hünfeld running club made their way to Landerneau on March 21, 1986. Day and night, twelve men and four women covered 1,400 kilometers in six days. The 40th anniversary is an opportunity to remember the community event. The mayor at the time, Dr. Eberhard Fennel gave the runners a certificate documenting all participants. This certificate – rolled up in a baton – identified them as messengers of friendship.
40 years ago: 16 Hünfelders walk to Landerneau in six days
In addition to good sporting preparation, the exact running route was determined during a route reconnaissance trip and options for relaxation and overnight stay were determined. We ran for 144 hours – divided into day and night runners. Each runner had to complete 7.5 kilometers twice per shift. Anyone who wasn't running drove to the next starting point in one of the support vehicles. Each participant had to cover a total of 90 kilometers.
The organizational team and the runners had laid a good foundation for the project to be successful. Unfortunately, despite almost perfect organization, it was not possible to influence the weather. After the starting signal from Fennel, the runners started in still dry weather. This changed suddenly; A little later, blowing snow, strong westerly winds and persistent heavy rain followed.
However, the weather did not discourage any of the runners. Otto Traud put it aptly: “The last two days everyone was acting up as if they had taken doping.” To applause, he noted that everyone had arrived in the twin town of Landerneau in a good mood, freshly washed and with fresh paint on their faces.
Since the French had not expected the Hünfelders to arrive, the runners were greeted with even louder applause. On the route they were repeatedly greeted, questioned and photographed and finally accompanied by an escort from the police and fire brigade.
The relay team
Herta Gral, Marianne Holzke, Edeltraud Spiller, Waltraud Traud, Helmut Aul, Josef Dietz, Hartmut Fennel, Hartmut Franke, Ewald Gerhard, Manfred Godehardt, Winfried Hillenbrand, Georg Kalb, Markus Lorei, Roland Masser, Andreas Schürmann, Dieter Seiler, Gerhard Spiller, Otto Traud, Reinhold Wiegand.
The support vehicles were driven by: Dorothee Masser, Siegfried Aul, Anke Jost. Gustav Weber and Dorothee Heß accompanied us as interpreters. Dietrich Thiedemann and Peter Trausch from the DRK were there.
Before they began their journey home on Easter Monday, March 31st, the partner community gave them an extensive visit program, including to the Crozon peninsula. There were also moments of culinary enjoyment. Back in Hünfeld, the runners were treated to a cozy atmosphere in the town hall cellar. Here everyone was able to relive the beautiful impressions and memories. Both in Landerneau and Hünfeld there was agreement that the Hünfeld running club had set standards. (hi)
It's not just the relay race that's celebrating its anniversary, either It's the Rhönklub Hünfeld's birthday: It's been around for 150 years now. A 150-kilometer challenge is being organized to mark the anniversary.
