"We get goosebumps every time"

Discovering Düsseldorf on foot? Then go on a jogging tour with Jens and Flo from Run2Know! 

The idea came about when Jens Voß asked himself the same question again and again on one of his many business trips: What to do with the little free time he had on site - do sport or explore the city? "Why not combine the two?", decided the Düsseldorf native, who since then has not only been walking through major cities privately and discovering numerous attractions in the process. Jens now also offers the service professionally. Together with his buddy Flo, he introduces interested parties to Düsseldorf on an extended "sightrunning" tour. In this interview, the two of them tell us exactly what it's all about. 

Dear Flo, dear Jens, who is your offer to explore the city on foot aimed at? For example, business people who want to get some exercise in the evening? Or can basically anyone who doesn't run out of breath after five minutes take part? 

Flo: Exactly, anyone who enjoys running can take part! They don't necessarily have to be business tourists. So far, most of our customers have actually been expats, i.e. people who have moved to Düsseldorf. 

Jens: And that's exactly why we get goosebumps every time! Because running allows us to show our city to people who will live here. We present Düsseldorf as a place where you simply feel at home. 

Flo: Exactly, Düsseldorf is the most beautiful city in the world! 

So far, your route has run from Heinrich-Heine-Allee over the Rhine bridges along Niederkassel and Oberkassel and back. Why did you choose this particular route? And what other routes can you think of, even if someone makes an individual request? 

Flo: This is our home round. A very pragmatic one from a sightrunning perspective. A customer manages to get a good overview of Düsseldorf thanks to the open route. At the same time, we provide a running route that he or she can repeat on their own at any time. 

Jens: We can generally imagine a lot of things, but we want to take it one step at a time. Themed runs such as "Düsseldorf on the left bank of the Rhine", a "Pempelfort tour" or even "sightskating" are ideas we have in the back of our minds. Longer distances would also be feasible. 

What information do you share during your runs? Is it mainly general facts and figures about the city or is it more insider knowledge that perhaps even some Düsseldorfers don't know yet? 

Flo: We definitely don't rattle off annual figures. Instead, we tell what we think is interesting and usually coordinate this in dialog with the customers. It's not just about Düsseldorf, but also about running. You can share lots of personal stories and experiences. For example, I was born on the day of the DFB Cup final in 1979. In this respect, I can tell a little family story with real Düsseldorf sports history, as long as it fits in with the running events. 

What is the maximum size of your groups to ensure that everyone hears everything you say - for acoustic reasons alone? 

Jens: Simply because we "unfortunately" cross two bridges, we want to avoid groups of more than four people. We prefer to do the run individually or with two people. That way, we can best adapt to the runners and also learn something about the people accompanying us. 

How much does it cost to take part in your run? 

Flo: It currently costs 25 euros. We think that's reasonable or even cheap. 

Jens: We are currently experiencing this: Prices are significantly higher in other cities. For example, I just paid 40 euros for a run in Stockholm, whereas in Copenhagen and Barcelona it would have been around 60 euros. 

Flo: So we don't expect to be able to quit our normal jobs in the foreseeable future(laughs). 

How far in advance should new customers ideally register with you? 

Jens: We do need a few days' notice, we coordinate everything with our jobs and families. But we haven't had to cancel a tour yet. 

Flo: We try to be spontaneous and adapt to our customers, and that usually works because there are two of us. 

How many kilometers do you estimate you have walked through Düsseldorf in your private life? 

Jens: My current annual goal is 800 kilometers, 90 percent of which I run in Düsseldorf. I have run a total of 5036 kilometers since 2014. 

Flo: I run a little less, but a good 500 kilometers a year. And a good 95 percent of that is in Düsseldorf. I also do sports like soccer, volleyball and squash, as well as marches. 

Jens: That's right, there are 70 kilometers to walk. That's when we flee Cologne and walk back home from the cathedral(laughs). 

You can find all information about Run2Know at https://run2know.com/de

Pictures: Run2Know