The enni. Donkenlauf is a June running event in Neukirchen-Vluyn, organized by AS Neukirchen-Vluyn. It combines classic road races with a children’s programme, featuring the Donki@School contest for the fastest primary school in town and a Bambini-Run for kindergarten children. The school contest attracts over 400 primary school pupils, and AS Neukirchen-Vluyn provides training on six Saturdays before race day.
The 10 km race consists of two 5 km laps, with runners circling the track halfway so spectators can cheer them through the middle of the race. The children’s races draw parents and grandparents to the track’s edge, where approximately 1,000 spectators can gather. The 7.5 km walking route is also open to Nordic walkers, who must use rubber buffers on their poles on the synthetic track; this route counts as a qualifying test for the German Sports Badge.