Nearly 23,000 runners are planning to participate in the 4 Mijl marathon between Haren and the Vismarkt in Groningen. While most shops will remain open, a number of streets will be closed or effectively inaccessible on Sunday.
Translation by Traci White
The Vismarkt, Herestraat, Hereweg and Verlengde Hereweg will be open to pedestrians, but not for crossing. Anyone who needs to cross the marathon route can use a pedestrian bridge on the Zuiderdiep and the tunnel under the Herewegviaduct. The Museumbrug, Westerhaven, Visserbrug and Zwanestraat will be used as detours.
The Akerkhof, Brugstraat, Kleine der A and the Astraat between the Stoeldraaierstraat and the Westerbinnensingel will be closed on Sunday. The shops on these streets will also be closed for the day.
4 Mijl van Groningen
This will be the 32nd edition of the Menzis 4 Mijl van Groningen, and 1,000 teams are participating this year. The Groninger Internet Courantreports that the marathon has several new additions this year, including an app this year for spectators to track the runners. The 4Mijl also has a mascot for the first time: Timey, a creature who lives inside the Martini Tower and resembles a friendly shark.
Participants can travel by train between Groningen and Haren for free between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m., providing they can show their bib number. The marathon is raising money for the transplant centre at UMCG, and 40 volunteers will be collecting money from the crowd during the event. The funds raised will be used to create a training programme for patients who have undergone an organ transplant.
