“These moments are hard to put into words”

It’s the last few meters just before the finish line on the main square, where the runners of the 20th Linz Danube Marathon once again mobilize all their strength. With glittering pompoms and a rehearsed choreography, the participants are accompanied by the cheerleaders along the country road to the finish. “I’m an athlete myself and I know exactly what it means, how much you need motivation, especially in the last few meters before the finish line. That’s exactly our job as cheerleaders: cheer on the runners again on the last meters”says Marlene Kohel, swinging her pompoms in the air.

What was the best moment of this year’s running spectacle in the state capital for the 18-year-old from Linz? “When the course record was broken. We just cheered and jumped around. It’s hard to put into words such an emotional moment”says Kohl.

The organizers are particularly pleased that the course record, which was set in 2007 with a record of two hours, seven minutes and 33 seconds, was broken precisely on this year’s 20th anniversary. “It’s a really great day. We couldn’t have imagined it any better”says head of organization and race director Günther Weidlinger.

Early fog at the start of the run

When the first runners started yesterday, Sunday, as quarter marathon participants at 8.30 a.m. at the Voest motorway bridge, the state capital was shrouded in deepest fog. An hour later, those participants who have decided to run the half marathon, a relay race or the full distance in Linz started. “You feel like you’re running into a white wall”, “Can you see anything there?”, “A run into nothing” – could be heard from the runners in the starting field.

While some did a short warm-up lap, the others got in the mood for the marathon with music. However, when the last seconds before the starting gun were counted down together and the starting signal sounded, the fog and the early autumn temperatures of almost eight degrees Celsius were secondary. Personal best times and the joy of running were now in the foreground.

The last meters of the marathon

The marathon team and the organizers were also overjoyed at the successful running spectacle. “All the logistics in the background was really a big challenge. We’ve been working through the whole weekend – from the marathon expo and bib number distribution to the last runner to cross the finish line. But the work has paid off”says Julia Kitzmüller, head of the organization team.

“Hop, hop, hop. You can do that” was heard from all sides as the 10,047 runners from 60 nations approached the longed-for goal on Linzer Landstrasse. Driven by the motivating shouts of onlookers and cheerleaders, the last sprint to the finish started: already barefoot with running shoes in hand, together with relay colleagues, old or young. There was a well-deserved medal for everyone – for many a motivation for the next training sessions, because after the 20th Linz Danube Marathon is before the 21st

The marathon in numbers

• 15 years long was the course record held by Alexander Kuzin in 2007. Just in time for the 20th anniversary, the men’s record was broken five more times.
• 10,047 sports enthusiasts did not miss this year’s running festival in Linz – including the participants of the junior marathon as well as hand bikers and inline skaters.
• 60 nations were represented at the anniversary marathon in the Upper Austrian capital, which made Linz the center of running internationally.
• 3 Austrians impressed in the women’s marathon competition. Andrea Haslinger won with a time of 3:07:49.
• 5 tons of bananas as well as numerous boxes of marathon rolls and drinks gave the runners strength for the further kilometers along the race course at nine refreshment stations.