“Keep on running” – one week after the big running festival at the Linz Donau Marathon, Vienna is now up to date on Sunday (from 9 a.m., live on ORF Sport+). 36,000 participants are expected for the competitions at the Vienna City Marathon, including traditionally many Upper Austrians. Two locals are in a particular hurry this time: Andreas Vojta and Julia Mayer are each going for the Austrian record.
The development of the two towards long-distance is extremely contrary. Vojta was addicted to running from a young age, soon joined a club and from then on ran all international distances from the stadium round. More than 20 years after his first VCM participation in the children’s run, he is now coming back as a local hope for the 42.195 kilometers. Mayer, on the other hand, only found his feet from football in 2017, when he literally took all development stages at a rapid pace.
The half marathon record (1:11:13 hours) already belongs to her, now she wants to make it in the supreme running discipline as well.
First lady under 2:30?
Mayer would replace two ÖLV record holders at the same time, as Andrea Mayr, who was born in Wels, ran exactly 2:30:43 at the VCM 2009 and Eva Wutti 2020 in the Vienna Prater. The teacher on leave now wants to undercut this mark significantly, as the first local woman to stay under 2:30 hours. “I am extremely optimistic that this will work.”
Her self-confidence fits, although she is a late entrant to this sport. The 30-year-old revealed that she had completed a week of around 200 kilometers. Until a few days ago, this was the case in the high-altitude camp in South Africa. The short schedule of the camp before the marathon is suitable for her, as has been shown on the basis of empirical values. In November, at the start of her marathon preparation, she was afraid of it. “I couldn’t imagine doing so many circumferences and so many qualitatively long runs.”
Vojta is also more than satisfied with his preparation. Everything had gone according to plan. Compared to his previous athletics experience, however, it was new territory: “Going to the marathon feels a bit like entering a new sport. You have the feeling that the pace is too slow. “
Nevertheless, he approaches the task with great respect. “You can’t simulate everything 1:1. You can’t predict what will happen from kilometer 30 to 35 and it’s in the stars.”
Of course, the ideal preparation time and his previous achievements over 10,000 meters and in the half marathon make the Gerasdorfer optimistic that he will be able to beat Peter Herzog’s national record of 2:10:06 hours, set in London in October 2020. “For me, however, the Olympic marathon is the plan. The 2:10 range will be necessary for that.”
Organizer sets the pace
The race stewards do a lot to support Vojta and Mayer. “We have never supported an Austrian at the VCM, as we plan to do this time,” explained Vienna co-race director Johannes Langer.
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