Vilnius city municipality and VšĮ "Sveikas miestas" presents free training on the newly installed 100 km track around the capital of Lithuania. Until the end of September, as many as 11 classes will be held in the most beautiful places in Vilnius, so anyone who wants to will be able to get to know the specifics of off-road running and maybe cover all 100 km.
The new 100 km track around the capital was presented to the public in mid-June. It is designed for walking or running for everyone who likes an active and healthy lifestyle, for professionals and those who are just starting to get to know off-road (trail) running.
"This course is unique for running or walking. It stretches through almost all the sightseeing trails of the city, undiscovered places of Vilnius. When creating the track, we tried to use as little asphalt as possible, so that people would discover Vilnius as they have never seen it before. Those athletes who do not like to run on asphalt will have a training base and will be able to overcome a different section every day", said Vilius Aleliūnas, one of the organizers of the course, a member of the Lithuanian Orienteering Sports Federation (LOSF).
Off-road running coaches will conduct free training from July 20. Every Monday, at 18 p.m., training will take place in a different section of the track. The first session will take place from Table Mountain to the Pučkiori exposure.
"We will aim to introduce people to off-road running in the training sessions. Also, everyone will be able to see this track or find an untried section. Off-road running is slightly different from asphalt running. Here you need completely different tools, inventory, and also different preparation. There are many uphills and downhills on the track. You should not overestimate your strength. This is what these light training sessions will be for, explained V. Aleliūnas. - The plan is to collect two groups. We will have two guide-coaches. One group will be turtles, the other will be hares. One group will be for those who want to complete the course faster, the other will be for those who run more slowly."
The track consists of 10 sections in total. Since one section is 19 km, it will be divided into two parts and the number of sessions will be 11.
"You can come once, familiarize yourself with the markings and signs, and then cover the entire course independently at your own time, but I invite everyone to challenge themselves and cover the entire course together," said V. Aleliūnas.
The website www.vilnius100km.lt, created especially for the route around Vilnius, will help you prepare for the run, where you can find not only maps and descriptions of the sections of the route, but also download apps to your mobile phones.
There is no doubt that this course of great beauty will receive a lot of positive feedback and a lot of interest from off-road runners. The initiators of the track will strive to attract athletes from abroad to this Vilnius track in the future.
"The plan is to organize a large international competition here, in which people from all over the world would participate," emphasized V. Aleliūnas.
Free training schedule and locations
July 20 Monday, 18:00 Table Mountain - Pučkiori exposure;
July 27 Monday, 18:00 Puchkiori exposure - Tuputiškii serpentine;
August 3 Monday, 18:00 Tuputiškės serpentine - Burbiškės;
August 10 Monday, 18:00 Burbiškės - Old Vilnius Road;
August 17 Monday, 18:00 Old Vilnius Road - Pasakū Park;
August 24 Monday, 18:00 Fairytale Park - Šeškinės oz;
August 31 Monday, 18:00 Šeškinės oza - Crying;
September 7 Monday, 18:00 Verkiai - Green Lakes;
September 14 Monday, 18:00 Green Lakes - Verkiai;
September 21 Monday, 18:00 Cries - Antakalnis;
September 29 Monday, 18:00 Antakalnis - Table Mountain.
