AVT Valentijnscross – Wierden

The AVT Valentijnscross is a cross-country running event held at recreation park Het Lageveld in Wierden. It takes place on the second Saturday of February, near Valentine's Day. Atletiekvereniging Twenterand organizes the event, which is designed to be accessible to all. Children, recreational runners, club runners, and competitive athletes can each find a suitable race. The program includes several distances, from short 1 km races up to 10 km, with 5 km and 10 km being the primary options for most adult participants. The course utilizes the park's varied terrain rather than sticking to smooth paths. Runners will encounter sand, grass, hills, forest sections, natural tracks, and mostly unpaved ground. This changing surface is central to the race's design, as it challenges balance, strength, coordination, core stability, and endurance simultaneously. The event has been organized annually since 2012, beginning as a small local run and gradually attracting participants from the wider Salland and Twente region. Facilities such as changing rooms, showers, nearby parking, and first aid support are provided.