Milwaukee Newest Race: The Pretzel Run
It's Milwaukee's newest race. A 5k with a pretzel awaiting you at the finish line.
“The Pretzel Run has something for everyone from avid runners and athletes, to walkers, families and children. All participants will have fresh pretzels awaiting them at the finish line,” shared event co-chair Laura Pfaff.
The Pretzel Run will be held at 6:30 PM on Thursday, August 25 on the Oak Leaf Trail. The start and finish line will be at Estabrook Park located at 4600 Estabrook Park in Milwaukee. The event will feature a competitive, chip-timed 5K race, a 1.5 mile fun run/walk and a kids’ dash for children ages eight and under. Registered participants will receive a Pretzel Run race t-shirt, 5K run results for the chip-timed course, a fresh pretzel and admittance to the post-run family social at the Estabrook Beer Garden and playground. Prizes will be awarded to the first place male and female 5K runner in each age group. Discounts are available to those who register prior to the race. Event details and online registration are available at www.pretzelrun.org.
The name of the event is far from random. In addition to the famous hot pretzels served at the Estabrook Park Beer Garden, the Catholic Church played a leading role in the early history of the pretzel. Around A.D. 610, European monks developed a Lenten “bread” twisted in the shape of crossed arms, which was the traditional posture for praying. The pretzels were ideal for Lenten eating, as during that period, dairy and eggs were prohibited, and pretzels were made with a simple mixture of water, flour and salt. As the custom spread through medieval Europe, the pretzel’s three holes came to represent the Holy Trinity, and the twisty baked good became associated with good luck, long life and prosperity.
Proceeds from the Pretzel Run will support St. Robert School, which educates 300 students from pre-kindergarten to eighth grade. The Archdiocese of Milwaukee recently awarded the school Exemplary Recognition School Awards for both Academic Excellence and Technology Integration. The esteemed awards were earned by 11 of the Archdiocese’s 109 schools.