Our column Inside Denmark takes a closer look at the stories we’ve been talking about over the last seven days. This week, editor Becky Waterton writes about Denmark’s Royal Run, held each year on Whitmonday.
I’m not much of a runner, in fact, I’ve run two races in my entire life – the 10km Royal Run and the Øresund Bridge half marathon, which both took place in the same week last year.
This year, I’ve signed up for the Copenhagen half marathon this autumn, and I tried – and failed – to get a place for this year’s edition of the Royal Run.
I’m sad to be missing the Royal Run this year, as I really feel like it’s a special event, especially if you, like me, aren’t a particularly fast runner. It feels genuinely welcoming, with participants under no pressure to be the fastest or to finish within a specific time.
Sure, there are people who treat it as a race to the finish line, but when I did it there were an equally large number of people walking the route. There’s even a family mile where everyone can join in, whether they’re using a running buggy or a walking frame.
It’s also a great event to enjoy as a spectator, waving Danish flags, cheering on the participants and contributing to the festive atmosphere.
When it comes to the Danish royals, I’m fairly ambivalent – I’m not a die-hard fan, but I don’t hate them either. I do think, however, that the Royal Run is a great initiative, and I have to give credit to King Frederik for launching it back in 2018 as a way for the public to get involved in his 50th birthday celebrations.
Whether you’ll be participating or spectating on Monday, I hope you have a great day.
In other news:
Monday is a public holiday, and on the topic of the Royal Run, here’s a list of all the roads in Copenhagen which will be affected.
We’ve also looked into what will be open and closed on Monday.
In a look ahead to the summer, we’ve put together a list of the major international artists playing in Denmark this year.
New data this week revealed that one in ten people in Denmark does not have Danish citizenship ‒ and if you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’re one of them. If you’re based in Copenhagen (or visit often), I’d also love to hear your thoughts on how the city has changed since you first came here.
For travellers, you’ll be happy to know that new scanners are in place at Copenhagen Airport, which should speed up processing times at security.
We also saw some political drama this week, as chief negotiator for government talks, Troels Lund Poulsen, announced his plans to form a right-wing coalition government. Here’s what I wrote at the time about how likely he is to succeed.
Finally, interest rates look like they are set to rise ‒ which is bad news for Danish homeowners.