"Fit am Nationalfeiertag" — "Keep fit on National Day"

Austrians traditionally celebrate their National Day with a large number of amateur sports events. One of these is the Brucker Fitmarsch und Fitlauf, which is open to both walkers and runners.

It takes place in the small town of Bruck an der Mur, an important road and rail junction in the narrow Mur River Valley, situated 50 kilometres to the north of Graz, Austria's second largest city.

Participants run or walk 8.9 kilometres along a challenging and varied course.

Starting and finishing on the athletics track on the Murinsel, an island in the River Mur, the route runs eastward along the river before it turns south into the Weitental, a wooded valley popular with hikers for its springs and some over 200-year-old trees.

The event charges no entry fees.

In 2009, on a different route, the winners were Jürgen Plechinger and Marika Huber.

Country: Austria

Venue (Map): Bruck an der Mur (Graz 52km, Vienna 141km)

Date: 26 October 2010 (Tuesday, public holiday in Austria)

Race distance: 8.9km; children 0.2-4.6km

Start time: 10:00-11:00 (children); 11:00 (8.9km)

Start and finish: Sportstadion Murinsel

Entries: by e-mail or in person on the day of the event until 9:00

Entry fees: no

Race centre: Sportzentrum Murinsel (open from 8:00)

You get: finisher medal; finisher present to all runners; all walkers take part in a prize raffle

Prizes: trophies to the winners of each category

Showers and changing facilities: Sporthaus Murinsel

Award ceremony: at 12:30

Number of finishers 2009: 48 adults and 126 children

Event details (in German): www.bruckmur.at/pdf/info/AusschreibungFitlauf10.pdf (out of date)

No guarantee is made as to the accuracy or thoroughness of the information on this page.