On May 9–10, Lidzbark Warmiński became – for the ninth time so fat – the scene of sporting excitement during its Running Festival. The Nicolaus Copernicus Academy had the pleasure of being one of the event’s sponsors, with particular involvement in the Night Run with Copernicus, which combines physical activity, history, and education.
The festival program included two main races. The Night Run with Copernicus took place over a 5-kilometre course through the streets of Lidzbark Warmiński, with the start and finish at its High Gate. The run began at 8:00 p.m. and concluded at 9:00 p.m. with an awards ceremony under the starry sky of Lidzbark’s Old Town.
On the second day, the Snail Half-Marathon took place over a distance of 21.0975 km, leading from Górowo Iławeckie to Lidzbark Warmiński.
This year’s edition of the Festival attracted over 300 participants. A record number of 200 people signed up for the Run with Copernicus.
Jacek Wiśniewski, Mayor of Lidzbark Warmiński, participated in both main races of the festival, starting the first one with bib number 200 – a symbolic reference to the number of registrations
The Nicolaus Copernicus Academy’s participation in the Running Festival in Lidzbark Warmiński was aimed at promoting a healthy lifestyle and highlighting a lesser-known aspect of Nicolaus Copernicus’s life – the race’s patron resided at the castle in Lidzbark Warmiński for nearly ten years, serving as a physician and administrator of the chapter’s estates. Thanks to his medical education, diligently cultivated intellect, and conscious concern for his health, he lived to the advanced (for the time) age of 70, while the average life expectancy for men in Copernicus’s era was 30–40 years.
The Nicolaus Copernicus Academy’s participation in the Running Festival in Lidzbark Warmiński was aimed at promoting a healthy lifestyle and highlighting a lesser-known aspect of Nicolaus Copernicus’s life – the race’s patron resided at the castle in Lidzbark Warmiński for nearly ten years, serving as a physician and administrator of the chapter’s estates. Thanks to his medical education, highly developed intellectual culture, and conscious concern for his health, he lived to the advanced (for the time) age of 70, while the average life expectancy for men in Copernicus’s era was 30–40 years.
The Academy was represented by Prof. Andrzej Rynkiewicz, MD, from the Chamber of Medical Sciences of the Nicolaus Copernicus Academy, who is a cardiologist by training. The professor participated in the awards ceremony and led short talks on the importance of physical activity and a healthy lifestyle. Event participants could also test their knowledge about Nicolaus Copernicus and his long stay in Lidzbark Warmiński.
The Running Festival was organized by the Sports and Recreation Centre, the City Hall, and the Lidzbark Cultural Centre.
We congratulate the organizers and participants on a wonderfully athletic weekend: promoting a healthy lifestyle against the backdrop of Nicolaus Copernicus, in the beautiful outdoor settings of Lidzbark and the surrounding areas.
