To me, another visit to Berlin was an opportunity to also visit somewhere else. Whilst I'd thought about returning to Munich so Carmen could see Neuschwanstein Castle, before suggesting it I decided it was worth seeing what other options there were. I realised Poland was only next door and knew they had parkrun, but it was Carmen who discovered they had parkruns beginning with the letter Z for the Alphabeteer challenge. At the time there were five in Poland, with Zielona Góra being the closest to the German border. There didn't seem to be much there for sightseeing, so I suggested we take the train or fly to Kraków instead for Zielony Jar parkrun.

“Krakow, this Krakow in which every stone and every brick is clear to me."

-- Pope John Paul II, former Archbishop of Kraków

Berlin and Kraków are linked in more ways than simply sharing a border with neighbouring countries. Their histories have been intertwined for centuries through trade, culture and conflict, with the events of the Second World War leaving a mark on both cities. It felt fitting that our trip would connect them too; not just through history, but through running.

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