Volksmarching: Get fit and see Germany today

Walking on trails through fields and woods, enjoying the opportunity to see Germany from a different perspective, and spending quality time with friends and family all are part of the attraction of volksmarching.

Plus, it’s a great way to relieve the stress of everyday life, too. You’ll quickly find it’s easy to get started in the sport. Whether it’s an occasional weekend or something you plan the rest of your schedule around, you’ll find event staff and participants to be welcoming and friendly. There’s always someone who will speak English, so don’t let language be a barrier to having fun.

Your first event will be an adventure in something new, and subsequent walks will be highly anticipated. Wear comfortable shoes and clothing on that first trail. You can bring a bottle of water with you but know that there’s free sweetened tea at the start and control points. Take a friend or family member along and have a great time.

So, are you interested in volksmarching now? Here’s a quick guide to the sport.

» Fifty countries and regions around the world — including most European countries — participate in the sport of volksmarching under the umbrella organization Internationaler Volkssportverband, or IVV. Sanctioned activities include walking, bicycling, cross-country skiing, swimming, and inline-skating or roller-blading.

» Events are generally held on weekends and occasionally during the week. Distances are most often 5, 10 and 20 kilometers (about 3, 6 and 12 miles, respectively) but trails of other lengths are also offered, such as 42-kilometer marathons (about 26 miles) and 50 kilometers (about 31 miles).

» Find the starting point by checking the newspaper (read the “Take a
Hike” feature on the previous page), the DVV and IVV calendars, or by visiting www.wiesbaden.army.mil/hunion/Takeahike.htm or www.dvv-wandern.de.

» Plot your driving route to the location. Postal codes and street names are often provided for use with GPS navigation devices. IVV directional signs are generally displayed to assist drivers; yellow traffic signs may be used to guide you to the host town as well. Most start halls will also display the IVV flag.

» Buy your start cards in the hall. In Germany, look for the Startkarte signs. Prices there are €1.50 for distance and event credit only (orange-colored cards) or €3.80 for the credit plus a souvenir (gold-colored cards). Start cards for marathons (green-colored) are sold for €4.70 (including patch and certificate) or €2.70 (credit only). Some clubs will offer the previous year’s souvenir (known as a B-medal) for a slightly reduced price, and others will charge a nominal fee of €1.50 for late registration.

» Important: Write your name and local address on the start card in order to receive insurance coverage.

» Start times occur within a window of several hours as stated in the event brochure. All participants must return to the start hall by a specified time (Zielschluß); the start and finish times are determined by a pace of 5 kilometers per hour (which roughly works out to a 20-minute mile).

» Trails will range from flat, concrete sidewalks and roads to hilly, barely-there trails through woods and fields. Strollers can negotiate most trails rather easily; the folding strollers with small, plastic wheels will likely prove to be frustrating.

» Routes may be marked in a variety of ways: colored tape around a tree or hanging from a branch, chalk or sawdust on the ground, or signs staked in the ground or attached to trees. Watch carefully for the markings.

» Control points along the marked trail will stamp your start card and offer refreshments. Watch for a sign or ground markings that indicate the trail split (Streckenteilung) where the routes separate into different distances.

» Optional record books to keep track of distance and number of events completed may be purchased at the walk. The cost for each book is €3.50 (a special first record book that tracks events and distance for walks 1-10 is available for free.) The price includes a certificate and pin when the book’s requirement is completed. Participants may also purchase a cloth patch corresponding to the award level earned. Always ensure that your complete local, non-military address is legibly printed on each record book.

» Upon completing the walk, look for the Stempelstelle (stamp point) where walkers have their distance and/or event books stamped for credit and the Medaille ausgabe table where the souvenirs are distributed. The official stamp placed in your record book is recognized worldwide.

» Distance milestones are reached every 500 kilometers up to 2,000 km, and then every 1,000 km thereafter. Event milestones are at 10, 30 and 50 events, and then every 50 events thereafter. When submitting a record book for the award you’ll also need the completed book that immediately precedes the current achievement. For event and distance awards beginning with 100 events and 3,000 km, the award is a certificate only; pins and patches must be purchased separately.

» Join a local volksmarch club for the fun of being with people who enjoy the sport. Ramstein and Kaiserslautern have clubs active to one degree or another.
This isn’t meant to be a comprehensive guide to the sport, but it should be enough to help you feel comfortable about trying a new activity during your stay in Germany.

For questions or for more information, e-mail volksmarch@gmail.com.