Dan is a runner from Luxembourg. He is 38 years old and works as a consultant. Dan started running a couple of years ago, and does not belong to any running club. However he likes to run with other friends, usually three/four times a week, between ten and twenty kilometers each time, changing courses as much as possible. He doesn't listen to any music while running. He keeps himself informed by reading specialized magazines but not on a regular base. Before running, from time to time, he carboloads with a dish of pasta. In Luxembourg there is no typical food that holds a special status in the eyes of the runners: "Like everywhere else" - notes Dan - "the global distributors of energy-whatever bars are well present".
Running in Luxembourg is subject to the bad weather. Luxembourg, Dan says "is Rain Country", so runners run mostly under the rain. When it is too hot for running, although it rarely happens, then it is "time to suffer". He personally prefers when the temperature is between 16 and 18 Celsius degrees, without too much wind. When asked "What do you wear when you run?" he jokes: "Shoes..." but then adds "No actually all the usual gear, including heart rate monitor. For races longer than 20 kilometers, I use a water bottle too". He owns two/three pairs of running shoes, and he uses a different pair wether he runs in the forests or on the road. Running and mountain biking are very popular in Luxembourg, as there are many forests around. Everyone runs: men and women. Running with dogs is also common and accepted. No religious, cultural activities, philosophies, nor taboos affect running in Luxembourg, and the only hazard are cars when you have to run on the road. What a visiting runner should know is "that there are some fantastic forests about five minutes drive from the city center, also there is a very good paved road running throught the Vallée de la Pétrusse which splits the town in two: this run is about 20 kilometers return". On the other hand no particular thing reveals a visiting runner as a foreigner to the locals.
Dan participates in organized races. In Luxembourg races' distances vary from 10 kilometers to the full marathon. The entry fee is between 10 and 25 Euro (10 and 25 dollars) and the race packet rarely contains food (most things cost extra). From time to time the organizers offer awards. Refreshement points on the course mainly feature water. As per the running scenario, Dan notes that there are "some fun runs where the city tries to get everybody on the road, mostly 5-10 kilometers". Dan's running resume lists no foreign races, two half marathons, the fastest of which he ran in a little less than 2 hours. When asked "In your whole life where and when was your favorite run?" Dan replied "As I came back from a round the world trip, I really enjoyed one run in New Zealand close to lake Manapouri (or something like that), I liked up and down Copacabana when the road was closed off, and when I used to live in New York City I loved Sundays in the park...".
Run The Planet would like to thank Daniel Schneider from Luxembourg for taking part in the Planeteer Spotlight.
