40th Season of the “Optimists” Running Series Wraps Up in Valka

The closing event of the 40th season of the “Optimists” running series was held last Thursday at the Valka Municipality Cultural Centre in Latvia. The series is a running activity for families, and an attendee describes the event in an opinion piece for the regional newspaper Ziemeļlatvija.

According to the author, the large hall was full of children and adults who take an interest in an active lifestyle. During the award ceremony, children received prizes, and each family also took home a box of pastries. School students were involved in the event this year. The author thanks Ance Andrējeva-Empele, head of the municipality's Sports and Youth Affairs Division, whose season-closing events she has now attended for the second year.

About the series

The course is set up near the open-air stage, with the “Koklētājs” sculpture as its landmark. Fathers, mothers, children, grandmothers and grandfathers take part, and individual runners also complete the route. The series, which has 40 years of history, has drawn in Estonians as well. The author recalls attending “Optimists” when her own children were still in kindergarten.

Moving more in everyday life

The author writes that long hours at a computer take their toll on her well-being, so she feels the need to move more. She considers that Valka residents have plenty of options for walks and hikes. With friends, she plans to visit Mežaparks to see the newly created environmental object, the “Harp Tree”.

Recently she and her children and relatives, 11 people in all, went hiking near the Cīrulīši Nature Trail in Cēsis, which runs along the bank of the Gauja river. Nearby are Žagarkalns and Ozolu kalns, which serve as ski tracks in winter. The trail, more than nine kilometres long, was slippery, muddy and steep, but the author says the hike was rewarding. She also saw other walkers on the trail with children and dogs.