The Crown Prince Family of Denmark completed the Royal Run yesterday in honour of Crown Prince Frederik’s 50th birthday.
Crown Prince Frederik ran the one-mile race in Aalborg, Aarhus, Esbjerg, and Odense, then ran the 10km Race in Copenhagen/Frederiksberg. Each city was themed towards a specific aspect in Crown Prince Frederik’s life: Aalborg, children; Aarhus, student life; Esbjerg, military life; Odense, his life with Crown Princess Mary;
Crown Prince Frederik’s day began in Aalborg, where he completed the one-mile. In Aalborg, the race had a particular focus on children, so he met with a group of children from the Happy Moves program. Over 9,000 people ran in Aalborg.
Following the race in Aalborg, Crown Prince Frederik travelled to Aarhus to officially start the 10km race and a one-mile race. Once he launched the races, he ran his own one mile, then greeted the 10km runners at the finish line. Over 12,000 people ran in Aarhus.
Crown Prince Frederik then arrived in Esbjerg to start the race and run his own one mile. He presented medals to the 10km runners. At this race, Crown Prince Frederik ran with veterans, and to honour his own military history, two “Royal Run ornate F-16 fighters flew over the Royal Run area as a greeting and homage to the Crown Prince,” according to the Danish Royal Family’s website. Over 6,500 people ran in Esbjerg.
In Odense, Crown Prince Frederik was joined by Crown Princess Mary. Here, the couple ran with runners born in 1968 and with Olympians, as a tie-in to how they met at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.
Crown Princess Mary ran the 10km race while Crown Prince Frederik did the one-mile race. Over 6,000 people ran in Odense.
Crown Prince Frederik ended the day in Copenhagen/Frederiksberg. Earlier in the day, Crown Princess Mary raced there with Prince Christian, Princess Isabella, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine in the one-mile race.
Queen Margrethe greeted the runners as they passed Christian IX’s Mansion, and the Crown Prince Family cheered on their father at the castle square. Approximately 26,273 runners completed the race.
“When I am 50, next year I want to celebrate the day with a race where all of Denmark can participate,” Crown Prince Frederik announced last year.
“I’ve always had a lot of sports and physical activity and not least running. The Royal Run should be a race aimed at the experienced runners but equally to those who tie their running shoes for the first time, and everyone is welcome regardless of age.”
The Royal Run was hosted by the Danish Sports Federation, DGI and the Danish Athletics Association, with support from Moving for Life, the Nordea Foundation and TrygFonden.
