2022: Review

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MY HALF MARATHON
JOHANNES MOTSCHMANN
Grandiose
feeling
Johannes
To be the best German at the
GENERALI BERLIN HALF
MARATHON was a great feeling.
I ran in a good group, but at the
beginning the German recordholder
Amanal Petros was still
Motschmann starts
for Marathon Team Berlin,
which is backed by SCC EVENTS,
the organiser of the GENERALI
BERLIN HALF MARATHON. With
a time of 1:01:45 hours, the 27-
year-old was the fastest German,
finishing in tenth place. Here he
writes how he experienced the
race to his new personal best.
– 3 –

ahead of me. At kilometre ten
or eleven I could see him in the
distance. And then we came closer
and closer. I hoped that we
might still be able to catch him.
And that‘s how it happened.
In addition, I managed to finish
in the top ten of the overall ranking
and to improve my best
performance by 57 seconds
with a time of 1:01:45 hours. For
some, this improvement may
have come as a surprise, but
not necessarily for me. In New
York, I ran 1:03:05 two weeks
before. But the course in Berlin
is much faster. That‘s why I
knew I could run under 62 minutes
on a good day in good
weather.
„The spectators
spurred me on“
The weather in Berlin might not
have been ideal, but it wasn‘t as
bad as I feared. For the first ten
kilometres I was well protected
by the other runners around
me. After I picked up the pace
at kilometre 15, I was alone. I
felt the wind, but the spectators
and their cheering gave
me such a boost that it didn‘t
hurt any more. I had hoped to
achieve such a time. But it was
a great relief to actually run it.
It was amazing how many spectators
came to the course despite
the cold on a Sunday morning.
That helped me incredibly,

and I‘m thankful for the people
who cheered me on. In general,
it‘s always a great feeling for
me to run in Berlin. I‘m part of
the new Marathon Team Berlin
and I‘m in the capital as often
as possible, but I‘m currently
studying in Bochum. I spent the
first half of my marathon preparation
in New York and am now
preparing the remaining weeks
before the Hamburg Marathon
in Germany.
and have set myself a goal of
finishing under 2:11 hours. I ran
my best time of 2:12:18 hours in
Rotterdam in October.
In summer, the World Championships
in Eugene (USA) and
the European Championships
in Munich are coming up. As
they are only about a month
apart, we marathon runners
can only compete in one event.
„I also feel like a Berliner“
And as I‘m part of the Marathon
Team Berlin I also feel
like a Berliner when I compete
in the capital. Running here
through the centre of the city,
with all the spectators and the
great atmosphere, that is really
something special.
The GENERALI BERLIN HALF
MARATHON was a very good
assessment. Things will get really
serious for me on April 24,
when I start at the Hamburg
Marathon. I have trained a lot

„Take a step towards the
European Championships
or World Championships in
Hamburg“
I don‘t know yet whether I
want to run at the European
Championships or the World
Championships. My goal is to
do so well in Hamburg that I
can calmly think about everything
afterwards and then
decide for myself where I
want to run.
At the moment there is a lot of
discussion about the marathon
start time at the European
Championships in Munich. It is
planned for midday, and it can
be quite warm there, which is
not pleasant for us marathon
runners. I follow this discussion
and an earlier start time
would of course be more pleasant
– simply because it is very
hard to run in the heat. But at
the end of the day, everyone
has the same conditions. I am
prepared to run at any time.
– 6 –

E V E N T V I D E O
T H E
Contents
10 The highlights
That was the 41st GENERALI BERLIN HALF
MARATHON: the 21 best photos from the
race weekend in the capital.
46 Facts and figures
Who were the fastest athletes? How many
debutants were at the start? And how many
octogenarians crossed the finish line at the
Brandenburg Gate? Here are all the answers.
64 At the front
This is how the elite race went: course record
by Sheila Kiprotich Chepkirui, top time for
Alex Kibet and personal bests for Katharina
Steinruck and Johannes Motschmann.
84 Visiting friends
More than 22,000 runners reached the finish
line just beyond the Brandenburg Gate.
More than a third of them came from abroad.
We spoke to some of the finishers, who
shared their half-marathon happiness with
us in this magazine.
8

108 What‘s coming up next?
Women‘s Run, Team Relay, SwimRun, VeloCity
and then the Dress Rehearsal for the BMW
BERLIN-MARATHON: Overview of the upcoming
events in spring and summer 2022.
120 The inline skating race
Felix Rijhnen and Josie Hofmann provided a German
double victory in the elite race. The half-marathon
on wheels simply whetted the appetite for more.
134 Who’s that running?
In the event magazine we introduced Elmina Saksi,
Christian Giza and Marcel Sandow. Now you can
read all about how the 41st GENERALI BERLIN
HALF MARATHON went for each one of them.
IMPRINT
Finisher Magazine GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON
Publisher
SCC EVENTS GmbH
Responsible for content
Christian Jost, Jürgen Lock
Production
DLM RunMedia GmbH, Köln
Editorial Team
Vincent Dornbusch, Jochen Schmitz,
Christian Ermert, Jörg Wenig,
Anja Herrlitz, Gerte Buchheit
Graphics
CNG sports & media GmbH, Köln
Photos
Petko Beier, Annegret Hilse, Thomas Wendt,
Sebastian Wells (OSTKREUZ), Tilo Wiedensohler
(camera4), die sportografen, Andreas Schwarz
9

M O R E
E X P O
P H O T O S

Even running celebrities need some selfies before the race: Here, an Olympic champion
in the modern pentathlon takes a photo with her little sister, who competed in the
marathon at the 2021 Olympics: Lena Schöneborn and Debbie Schöneborn. One won
gold in Beijing in 2008, the other ran in Sapporo last year, finishing as the fifth best
European in 18th place.

Finally, the youngest runners were allowed to run
again: After the 2021 bambini races had been
cancelled due to COVID, mascot Fridolin Flink was
now able to send the kids back out onto the course
at the former Tempelhof Airport, where the
HALF MARATHON EXPO also took place.

In front of the imposing backdrop of a „candy
bomber“, which supplied the city with food during the
Berlin Blockade in 1948, the youngsters competed on
inline skates at the former Tempelhof Airport.

Clear to start: At 10:05 a.m.
on Sunday morning, the elite
embarked on the course of the
41st GENERALI BERLIN HALF
MARATHON.

Für
Regenerations-
Künstler.
ERDINGER Alkoholfrei gratuliert
allen Siegern und Finishern des
GENERALI BERLINER HALBMARTHON!
ZUM GETRÄNK DES JAHRES 2021>>

After the start, the runners were allowed
to remove their masks and follow the
green line, which was intended to guide
them to more sustainability in running;
more about this on page 60. Only very
few runners dropped their masks on the
ground, most simply pocketed them and
took them with them to the finish.

19

At four kilometres, they reached the
Charlottenburg Palace, were warmed up
and could enjoy the amazing atmosphere.
M O R E
P H O T O S

What would the GENERALI BERLIN
HALF MARATHON be without the
thousands of spectators who keep the
runners highly motivated everywhere
along the 21.097-kilometre course?

Does anyone still doubt that
running in Berlin really can
make you happy?

Supporting the runners with a
little oompa oompa in front of
the rebuilt Berlin City Palace.

For some, running is not
enough, they also need a bit
of extra weight to make them
happy. Let‘s hope that the
menhir on the back of this
Obelix, who was also
supporting Ukraine, was
made of papier-mâché.

SCC EVENTS would like
to thank its official
sponsors and partners
for their kind support
Der Polizeipräsident in Berlin | Berliner Feuerwehr
Der Tagesspiegel | Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG)
ADAC | | Mall of Berlin | WWF
Bezirksamt Mitte von Berlin
Berliner Tiefbauämter: Mitte-Tiergarten, Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf,
Tempelhof-Schöneberg, Kreuzberg-Friedrichshain
Renault Retail Group Deutschland GmbH Niederlassung Berlin
Höffner Möbelgesellschaft GmbH & Co. KG
Senatsverwaltung für Inneres und Sport
Senatsverwaltung für Stadtentwicklung und Umwelt Abt. III — Geoinformation
Berliner Leichtathletik Verband e.V. | alle Medien

From a tourist perspective, the Gendarmenmarkt square is one
of the most beautiful sections of the route. And between
kilometres 19 and 20 you can start looking forward to the finish.

There were 20 runners older than 80 at the GENERALI BERLIN
HALF MARATHON. One of them is Ruth Richter from Berlin,
who reached the finish line in 2:57:44 hours.

Running with a hydration pack is gradually becoming more
popular even in big city races. It reduces cup consumption, and
you can take a sip whenever you want. At the same time, this
ensures more independence and sustainability.

Shortly before the finish line,
you can let your emotions run
free. Where can you actually
observe greater outbursts of
happiness than with running?

Shared happiness is double happiness.
This is especially true when you can finally
hold the finisher‘s medal in your hand.

Non-alcoholic beer plays a not
entirely unimportant role at the
finish of a half marathon.

... and those who can still jump for joy after a half
marathon are clearly already getting in the mood for
the next big race. There were plenty of happy leaps
in Berlin, as a glance at www.scc-events.com reveals.

41ST EDITION IN REVIEW
Splashes
of colour

It was cold. It was grey. But the mood was very
different from the weather. Colourful, full of
life, international, peaceful. The 41st GENERALI
BERLIN HALF MARATHON showed what the
whole world could be like. Our photographer
had this view from the Victory Column.
Texte: Jörg Wenig

Running has returned with
force to Germany‘s streets.
The 41st Generali Berlin Half Marathon
recorded a total of more than
33,000 registered participants
from 121 nations, including 32,267
runners, with the remainder distributed
among the inline skaters,
wheelchair and handbike athletes.
That is almost 8,000 more than
last year, when the race, which
traditionally opens the spring running
season, had to be moved to
August due to COVID.
Lots of debutants
„We are proud about that,“
said Managing Director Jürgen
Lock from the organiser SCC
EVENTS. He was particularly
happy that among the more
than 33,000 registrations there
were about 15,000 runners taking
part in the GENERALI BER- This is a trend that has recently
LIN HALF MARATHON for the also been observed at running
first time. There has never been events in the USA.
such a high number of firsttime
participants at this event. from Ukraine that preoccupied
In light of the terrible images
olourful. Tolerant.

everyone at the race, the athletes
demonstrated that they
stand up for basic values such
as cosmopolitanism, tolerance
and acceptance.
„Perhaps there is something
good that has come from the
COVID pandemic—many people
have started running. And they
are now attracted to events like
Cosmopolitan.

41ST EDITION IN REVIEW
More than 22,000
run through the
Brandenburg Gate
This time, more than 22,000
runners reached the finish line
at the Brandenburg Gate. Altthe
GENERALI BERLIN HALF
MARATHON,“ said Jürgen Lock,
who is pleased that the proportion
of women participating in
Berlin is growing steadily and
now lies at 40 per cent. „This is
also in line with the development
in the USA, where many half marathons
already are seeing more
women than men,“ said Jürgen
Lock, who was also happy to
announce that title sponsor Generali
has extended its commitment
until at least 2024.
With most COVID measures in
Germany ending the first week-
end in April, the hygiene and safety
concept was limited to an
obligation to wear FFP2 masks
in all areas of the event except
during the race. „Even though
this was no longer a legal requirement,
we wanted to continue
to play it safe,“ says Jürgen
Lock.
– 50 –

Masks were compulsory before the start.
Even though this was no longer required by
law, the GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON
played it safe.
hough the weather conditions
were not ideal due to the low
temperatures, there were also
several strong times in the extended
top group. A total of
91 runners, including seven
women, finished under 1:10
hours. This is a record for the
GENERALI BERLIN HALF MA-
RATHON. The previous best in
this respect was 65 in 2019.
If you include the competitive
amateur athletes, another
record was set: 538 runners
finished under 1:20:00 hours.
Among them were 45 women.
Here, too, the previous record
of 317 athletes was set in 2019.
Faster and faster thanks
to new shoe technology
However, two factors also play
a role in these records. The running
shoe revolution, which has
been causing a flood of best
times for a few years now, is
certainly also having an effect
on ambitious amateur athletes.
In addition, compared to previous
years, the sheer number of
starters at the GENERALI BER-
LIN HALF MARATHON has sky-
– 51 –

rocketed. Relative to the number
of participants, the best
amateur results were achieved
well before the turn of the millennium.
One exciting record was set in
2022 by a Kenyan woman despite
the cold: Sheila Kiprotich
Chepkirui won the race with
starting temperatures just above
freezing with a world-class
course record of 1:05:02 hours,
thus providing the highlight of
the event. With a personal best
of 1:09:38 hours, Katharina
Steinruck (Eintracht Frankfurt)
was the best German, finishing
in sixth place. As expected, there
was also a Kenyan winner in
the men‘s race: Alex Kibet won
with a time of 58:55 minutes
and achieved the second fastest
time in the history of the
race. Johannes Motschmann,
who starts for Marathon Team
Berlin, had a surprising 10th
place finish with a personal best
of 1:01:45 hours.
Franziska Giffey, the newly elected mayor of Berlin in 2021, gave the starting
signal for the first time at the GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON.

organisiert von
organized by
28. August 2022
Die Anmeldung startet am 7. April 2022 !
The registration starts on April 7, 2022 !
Der Berliner Straßenlauf – Die Generalprobe
ist ein Halbmarathon in Berlin mit langer Tradition.
Viele Läufer:innen nutzen ihn als Testlauf für
den BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, der vier Wochen
später stattfindet.
The Berlin Road Race – Die Generalprobe
is a half marathon in Berlin with a long tradition.
Many runners use it as a test for the BMW BERLIN-
MARATHON, which takes place four weeks later.

The jitters
before the
start

With temperatures between 2° and 3°C, everyone had to find their own way to
cope with the cold before the start. While some donned old bathrobes, winter jackets
or rubbish bags, some dressed as if it was at least 15 degrees warmer and
kept warm with thoughts of the race.

Just about hit the
record cold temps
It was freezing cold at the GE-
NERALI BERLIN HALF MA-
RATHON 2022. Shortly before
the start on the Straße des 17.
Juni, the temperatures were
only just above the freezing
point at 2° to 3°C. But it was
not the coldest race in history
and certainly not the one with
the most unpleasant weather
conditions. Twice in the past it
was just as cold – and also wet.
In 1996, it was only 2°C, but in
addition it was sleeting and the
temperature did not rise above
3°C all day. In 2022, it was
considerably warmer in the afternoon
with 7°C. The Kenyan
Charles Tangos won the race
in 1996 in 1:02:50 hours, while
the women‘s race was won by
a Swiss woman: Ursula Jeitziner
in 1:11:19. In 2003, too, the
temperatures during the race
ranged between 2°C and 6°C.
It was also windy and the precipitation
alternated between
snow and hail. Then, as now,
the winners were Kenyans:
Paul Kirui won in 1:01:05, his
compatriot Magdaline Chemjor
finished in 1:11:12. By the
way, the warmest Berlin half
marathon took place in 2011:
the average daily temperature
on April 3 was 16.4 °C and the
highest value measured was
24.9°C.
– 56 –

Heat foils at the finish line
were rarely as important as
at the GENERALI BERLIN
HALF MARATHON 2022.

Support for refugees
There were 51 participants from Ukraine at the start of the GENE-
RALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON. Some of them fled to Germany to
escape the war, like Tetjana Kuzina, who ran to second place in the
New York Marathon in 2006 and then built up a livelihood in Kiev
as a running coach in the running club she founded. Russia‘s attack
on her home country forced her and her two children to flee to Germany.
When the war is over, half marathon organiser SCC EVENTS
plans on supporting the 46-year-old in rebuilding the club. The fact
that she was allowed to give the starting signal together with the
Governing Mayor Franziska Giffey was the symbolic beginning of this
partnership.

Sixteen years ago, a runner
from the Ukraine finished
second in the New York Marathon
in 2:26:05 hours. 2006
was the year of Tetjana Gladyr:
In spring, she had already won
the Rome Marathon and set a
Ukrainian record with a time of
2:25:44 hours. Since her marriage
to Oleksandr Kuzyn, who
also ran a top marathon time
of 2:07:33 at the Linz Marathon
in 2007, she has been called
Tetjana Kuzina and has made a
name for herself in Kiev as the
best-known running coach in
the city, if not in the whole of
Ukraine. That came to an abrupt
end with Russia‘s invasion
of her home country, which was
started against international law.
She had to temporarily give up
the running club she had founded
and fled to Magdeburg with
her eleven-year-old son and fiveyear-old
daughter. Her husband
now takes care of humanitarian
aid for the people in Kiev together
with the other male members
of the club. SCC EVENTS
plans to partner with Tetjana‘s
running club after the war to
help with reconstruction. Psychological
help will be the most
important thing,“ she says, mentioning
the race her club always
organises on August 24, Ukraine‘s
Independence Day. The race
takes place in many Ukrainian
cities. Supporting this race with
donations would also be a great
help and the beginning of the resurgence
of the running scene in
Ukraine when the war is finally
over.
Berlin‘s Governing Mayor Franziska
Giffey expressed her solidarity with
Ukraine together with Tetjana Kuzina
before the start.

0
To avoid paper,
P R O G R A M M E
B O O K L E T S
the magazine for the
event is now only available
in digital form. With
success: over
30,000 people
read it.
11,000
H E AT F O I L S
white foils were
directly prepared
for recycling by
landing in a baling
press after they
had warmed
the runners.
E N E R G Y PA C K S
25,000
Maurten‘s
Gel 100 energy
gels were
consumed along
the way.

P I N S
100,000
safety pins were
distributed so that participants
could not only pose
with their race numbers in
photos but also attach
them to their shirts.
M A S T E R C L A S S
20
participants in the
GENERALI BERLIN HALF
MARATHON were over
80 years old. They
reached the finish
line with times
between 1:54 and
3:12 hours.
About 300 signs were put up along the course so that no
one would park their car in the way and everyone would
know where the race was passing by.
– 61 –

Compared to the
first race under
COVID conditions
in 2021, the GE-
NERALI BERLIN
HALF MARATHON
has become more
international
again. In 2021, a
good 25 percent
of the participants
came from abroad,
in 2022 it was
almost 35 percent.
This corresponds
roughly to the
pre-COVID level.
Top ten nations*
Country
Percent
Germany 66.6
Denmark 7.1
Great Britain 2.4
Netherlands 2.3
Poland 2.1
France 1.9
Italy 1.8
Norway 1.7
Spain 1.7
USA 1.5
*) according to the percentage of
the total number of participants.
The 41st GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON registered a total of 23,212
runners from 121 nations in the various events, with 23,017 finishing. The
largest group of foreign runners was once again the Danes, who accounted for
7.1 per cent of the total field.
The fastest women in Berlin
The fastest men in Berlin
Time Runner Country Year Time Runner Country Year
1:05:02 Sheila Kiprotich Chepkirui KEN 2022 58:42 Eric Kiptanui KEN 2018
1:05:15 Joyciline Jepkosgei KEN 2021 58:55 Alex Kibet KEN 2022
1:05:21 Nancy Meto KEN 2021 58:56 Patrick Makau KEN 2007
1:05:45 Sifan Hassan NED 2019 58:57 Felix Kipkoech KEN 2021
1:05:50 Joyce Chepkemoi KEN 2022 59:07 Paul Kosgei KEN 2006
1:06:34 Irene Kimais KEN 2022 59:14 Dennis Kimetto KEN 2012
1:06:48 Viola Chepngeno KEN 2022 59:14 Leonard Komon KEN 2014
1:07:16 Edith Masai KEN 2006 59:14 Abraham Cheroben KEN 2014
1:07:32 Valary Aiyabei KEN 2021 – 6259:15 –
Wilson Kiprop KEN 2012
1:07:34 Deena Kastor USA 2006 59:22 Ezekiel Chebii KEN 2012

40
percent of the
participants are now
women. And there are
more and more of them,
as the trend from the
USA is already demonstrating.
T E N D E N C Y: R I S I N G
During the GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON, about 200,000 drinking cups
made of recycled PET were needed to provide all participants with sufficient water.
The majority were returned to the recycling process after use. A big thank you goes
to the participants for this. Most disposed of their cups correctly – in part with the
help of targets that were attached to the bins by the organisers.
Tatjana and the two Ivannas fled to Germany from the war in Ukraine and were
among the approximately 2,200 volunteers who were on duty at the GENERALI
BERLIN HALF MARATHON. They received the bags of clothes and returned them
after the race to the participants. Tatjana even has a very special connection to the
event: race director Mark Milde found her a flat where she can stay with her mother
and two children. „We are happy to be able to give something back by working
here,“ says the English teacher from Chernivtsi in southwestern Ukraine, whose
husband remained to help with the many refugees who are in the city as it is considered
safer than the rest of Ukraine.

THE ELITE RACES
High speed
on Berlin‘s
streets
A new course record for the women. The second
fastest half marathon time in Berlin for
the men. Sheila Kiprotich Chepkirui and Alex
Kibet from Kenya did not let the cold stop
them. The highlights from a German perspective
were the personal best times of Katharina
Steinruck (Eintracht Frankfurt) and Johannes
Motschmann, who runs for Marathon Team
Berlin.
Text: Jörg Wenig

At the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church
between kilometres eleven and twelve, Alex
Kibet had already broken away from the
field and was running alone towards victory.

With her course record of 1:05:02
hours, the women‘s champion
Sheila Kiprotich Chepkirui stole
the limelight.
The Race Director
was right
– 66 –

Mark Milde, the race director
of the GENERALI BERLIN
HALF MARATHON, had made a
good prediction when he suggested
a few days before the start
that it would once again be the
women who would produce the
best performances. And that is
exactly how it turned out.
For many years the women‘s
course record for the GENERA-
LI BERLIN HALF MARATHON
was practically untouchable. In
2006, Kenyan Edith Masai triumphed
in 1:07:16 hours. It took
13 years for this best time to finally
fall: in 2019, Sifan Hassan
(Netherlands) ran 1:05:45. Now
there has been a Kenyan „hat
trick“ for this course record: in
2021, Joyciline Jepkosgei (Kenya)
improved the record to
1:05:15, and now her compatriot
Sheila Kiprotich Chepkirui set a
new one with 1:05:02 hours.
Temperatures of 2°-3°C at the
start and even light snowfall
immediately beforehand were
not really ideal conditions for
record attempts. Nevertheless,
31-year-old Sheila Kiprotich
Chepkirui stormed away from
the start. Led by pacesetters,
she passed the 10-kilometre
mark in 30:32 minutes and was
on course for a finish time of
1:04:25 hours. But after reaching
the 15-kilometre mark at
45:55, she couldn‘t quite keep
up the fast pace. „I got really
cold in the last five kilometres,
so I lost some time because
of that,“ said Sheila Kiprotich
Chepkirui. „I actually wanted
to beat my personal best of
1:04:36, but at least I broke the
course record.“ Now the Kenyan
wants to start preparations
for her marathon debut. She
was asked in Berlin where she
plans on running it. „Maybe I‘ll
come back to Berlin in September,“
Sheila Kiprotich Chepkirui
answered. In the list of the fastest
half marathon times ever
run worldwide, her Berlin result
puts her in a respectable 18th
place.
– 67 –

THE WOMEN‘S RACE
Top Ten Women
Place Runner Country Time
1. Sheila Kiprotich Chepkirui KEN 1:05:02
2. Joyce Chepkemoi KEN 1:05:50
3. Irene Kimais KEN 1:06:34
4. Viola Chepngeno KEN 1:06:48
5. Samantha Harrison GBR 1:08:12
6. Katharina Steinruck GER 1:09:38
7. Mekdes Woldu FRA 1:09:43
8. Clara Evans GBR 1:10:17
9. Bojana Bjeljac CRO 1:10:43
10. Giovanna Epis ITA 1:11:07

For the first time, four
runners faster than 1:07 hours
Her compatriots Joyce Chepkemoi
and Irene Kimais finished
second and third at the
GENERALI BERLIN HALF MA-
RATHON with times of 1:05:50
and 1:06:34, respectively. For
the first time in the history of
the event, four runners stayed
under 1:07:00 hours in one
race, as Viola Chepngeno (Kenya)
finished fourth in 1:06:48.
The incredibly strong performances
by these four Kenyans
puts them in the top ten times
ever run in Berlin.
As the best European woman,
Britain‘s Samantha Harrison
had personal best of 1:08:12 minutes.
This placed her fifth for
the event and 14th in the list of
the fastest times ever run at
the GENERALI BERLIN HALF
MARATHON.
Only one spot behind the Briton,
Katharina Steinruck ran
to a strong sixth place. Once
again, the Frankfurt runner
showed that she is a force to
be reckoned with in cold temperatures.
She ran a steady
race and was even able to make
some gains at the end. She improved
her personal best by 27
seconds with a time of 1:09:38
hours.
Katharina Steinruck has
fun running to a new
personal best
„For me the conditions were
great; it was fun,“ said Katharina
Steinruck, who beat her
own German best of 1:10:05
hours in Berlin. This was also
her personal record. In the list
of the fastest German runners
of all time over the half marathon
distance, Katharina Steinruck
moved up to ninth place.
The second-best German was
Laura Hottenrott (PSV Grün-
Weiß Kassel) in eleventh pla-
– 69 –

ce in 1:11:14, 15th was Victoria
Brandt (LAC Olympia 88 Berlin)
with 1:13:19. The best runner
of Marathon Team Berlin
was Deborah Schöneborn,
who finished in 16th place also
with a time of 1:13:19. „It was
a smooth race; I am satisfied.
I ran on my training for the
Hamburg Marathon and had
not prepared for the half marathon
specifically,“ said the
Berlin runner, who hopes to
secure qualification for the
European Championships in
Munich in Hamburg on April
24. One more runner from Marathon
Team Berlin was at the
start: Christina Gerdes ran to
34th place in 1:17:39.
These runners were presented at the press conference two days before the
race. Their results: Johannes Motschmann (1:01:45/10th), Debbie Schöneborn
(1:13:19/16th), Katharina Steinruck (1:09:38/6th), Sheila Kiprotich Chepkirui
(1:05:02/1st), Abel Kipchumba (59:58/3rd), Amanal Petros 1:02:21/15th) and
Philipp Pflieger (1:03:05/20th).

Halbmarathon-Bestmarken
MÄNNER-REKORDE
FRAUEN-REKORDE
Streckenrekord
Streckenrekord
58:42 Eric Kiptanui (KEN) 2018
1:05:16 Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN) 2021
Weltrekord
Weltrekord
57:32 Jacob Kiplimo (UGA)
Lissabon/POR (2021)
1:02:52 Letesenbet Gidey (ETH)
Valencia (2021)
Europarekord
Europarekord
59:13 Julien Wanders (SUI)
Ras Al Khaimah/UAE (2019)
1:05:15 Sifan Hassan (NED)
Kopenhagen/DEN (2018)
Deutscher Rekord
Deutscher Rekord
1:00:09 Amanal Petros (TV Wattenscheid)
Valencia (2021)
1:05:18 Melat Kejeta (Laufteam Kassel)
Gdynia/POL (2020)
Berliner Rekord
Berliner Rekord
1:01:50 Rainer Wachenbrunner (SC Berlin)
Berlin (1992)
1:07:58 Uta Pippig (SCC Berlin)
Kyoto/JPN (1995)
HÖFFNER,
DIE GANZE WELT
DES WOHNENS
SCHON 24× IN
DEUTSCHLAND.
www.hoeffner.de
Amanal Petros will
als erster Deutscher
den Halbmarathon
unter einer Stunde
laufen.
© Norbert Wilhelmi
Höffner Möbelgesellschaft GmbH & Co. KG • Am Rondell 1 • 12529 Schönefeld

THE MEN‘S RACE
Alex Kibet crosses the finish
line as the champion in 58:55
minutes. Berlin‘s Governing
Mayor Franziska Giffey is thrilled.
– 72 –

Only one Kenyan
consistently
fast in the cold
In the men‘s race, a leading
group with the Kenyan favourites
broke away early. The group
passed the 10-kilometre mark after
28:00 minutes. This was not
quite the pace that would have
been necessary for the course
record of 58:42 minutes, but the
record was not yet completely
out of reach. The intermediate
time indicated a result of just
over 59:00.
But only one from the group of
Kenyans was able to run consistently
fast in the cold and also
make gains: Alex Kibet, who had
– 73 –
entered the race as number two
on the start list with a best time
of 59:06 minutes, pulled away
from his competition soon after
the 10-kilometre mark. The
31-year-old passed the 15-kilometre
mark at 41:45 minutes,
already with a 27-second lead
at this point, and was almost
on course to set a new course
record thanks to his increased
pace. But in the end, it was not
quite enough. Just like the women‘s
winner Sheila Kiprotich
Chepkirui, Alex Kibet also lost
some time in the final part. Ul-
© imago images/Camera4

timately, though, he triumphed
in 58:55 minutes. Although the
Kenyan missed the course record
by 13 seconds, he achieved
the second fastest time ever
run at the GENERALI BERLIN
HALF MARATHON and a personal
best.
Amanal Petros finishes
in well over an hour
„I wanted to run much faster,
but it was difficult in the cold.
I didn‘t break the world record
today, but at least I won the
race,“ said Alex Kibet. Second
and third place went to his compatriots
Joshua Belet (59:53)
and Abel Kipchumba (59:58),
putting three runners under
one hour. In total, there have
been 31 sub-60-minute finishes
recorded in the history of the
race. It was also Amanal Petros’
(TV Wattenscheid) goal to
break the hour mark, who holds
the German record with a time
of 1:00:09 hours.
Johannes Motschmann
convinces with best time
But the strongest German road
runner clearly could not cope
with the cold and after a good
start he only finished 15th with
a time of 1:02:21 minutes. Johannes
Motschmann, who runs
for Marathon Team Berlin, was
surprisingly the best German.
He had overtaken Amanal Petros
at about kilometre twelve.
„My goal was to run under 62
minutes here,“ said Johannes
Motschmann, who finished
tenth in 1:01:45, not only beating
his own best time of 1:02:42, but
also achieving a German best
time for the year and breaking
an old Berlin record. In 1992,
Rainer Wachenbrunner had run
1:01:50 at the Berlin Half Marathon.
Johannes Motschmann
was now five seconds faster. He
also displaced Rainer Wachenbrunner
at tenth place in the
list of the fastest German half
marathon runners of all time.
– 74 –

Philipp Pflieger was another
runner from Marathon Team
Berlin at the start. He ran to
20th place in 1:03:05 minutes.
Philipp Pflieger had some bad
luck during his preparation
when he twisted and injured
his right ankle during training
in Kenya. Both Philipp Pflieger
and Johannes Motschmann
next plan on competing in the
Hamburg Marathon on April 24.
A real fighter: Even
though his dream
of running a half
marathon in under
an hour was clearly
out of reach,
Amanal Petros did
not give up an inch
as he crossed the
finish line.
Top Ten Men
Place Runner Country Time
1. Alex Kibet KEN 0:58:55
2. Joshua Belet KEN 0:59:53
3. Abel Kipchumba KEN 0:59:58
4. Josphat Kemei KEN 1:00:03
5. Zerei Mezngi NOR 1:00:42
6. Dominic Lobalu SUI 1:01:01
7. Geoffrey Koech KEN 1:01:17
8. Evans Kipkemei KEN 1:01:33
9. Pietro Riva ITA 1:01:36
10. Johannes Motschmann GER 1:01:45

PORTRAIT
KATHARINA STEINRUCK
The ice queen

In all three cold races Katharina
Steinruck broke through time
barriers, despite the fact that
in Dresden in March 2021 and
now in Berlin the temperatures
were close to the freezing point:
In Dresden she won the 10K in
31:59, then a year ago in Enschede
in the Netherlands she ran to
the biggest victory of her career
and set a personal best in the
marathon of 2:25:59 hours. Now
she finished sixth at the GENE-
RALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON
as the best German runner with
her first time under 70 minutes.
With a time of 1:09:38 hours, she
moved up to ninth place in the
list of the fastest German half
marathon runners of all time.
How did she do it in the less than
ideal, cold conditions? Katharina
Steinruck gives a simple answer:
„I dressed warmly!“ Indeed,
Dresden, Enschede and Berlin – these are the cities where Katharina
Steinruck has run her best times in the 10K, in the marathon and now in
the half marathon since March 2021. And all three had something in common
at the races: it was cold.

PORTRAIT
KATHARINA STEINRUCK
In her mother’s footsteps
She also triumphed in a number
of world-class city marathon
races, including London, Berlin,
Osaka and Tokyo. Katharina
Steinruck‘s father Wolfgang had
coached his wife to the top of the
world and was a national coach
for many years. He also coached
his daughter until 2013, when his
wife took over this role. She is
currently also the national marathon
coach for women.
The fact that Katharina Steinruck
was able to fulfil her greathe
32-year-old from Eintracht
Frankfurt ran with long tights,
a long-sleeved top, gloves and
a cap or thick headband in all
three races, in Dresden, Enschede
and Berlin.
The fastest in
thick clothing
More clothing usually reduces
performance in running. Katharina
Steinruck seems to have
invalidated this rule for herself.
At the Enschede Marathon, the
British commentators on the
English live stream, including exworld-class
runner Steve Cram,
even speculated whether a woman
had ever run a faster marathon
dressed so thickly.
Could changes in her gear lead
to faster times, so Katharina
Steinruck might dare to attack
the family record of her mother
Katrin Dörre-Heinig (2:24:35
hours) in the marathon? „That‘s
a nice goal - and a super challenge,“
answers Katharina Steinruck.
New shoe materials, from
which all top athletes benefit
these days, could help to actually
achieve this once unrealistic
goal.
Katharina Steinruck comes from
a family of runners. Her mother
was one of the best marathon
runners in the world in the 1980s
and 90s. She won the bronze
medal at the 1988 Olympic
Games in Seoul and also at the
1991 World Championships in Tokyo.
– 78 –

Rejoicing over her first half marathon
in less than 70 minutes: In Berlin,
Katharina Steinruck was the best
German in sixth place with a time of
1:09:38 hours.

PORTRAIT
KATHARINA STEINRUCK
test sporting dream, an Olympic
start, last year was a belated satisfaction.
In Sapporo, where the
marathon races were held, she
finished 31st. Five years earlier,
she seemed to be on a good path
to the Games in Rio. But back
then the cold actually stopped
her. Very unusual weather conditions
at the 2016 Zurich Marathon
made qualification impossible.
Freezing cold and snowfall
meant that Katharina Steinruck,
like many other top athletes, had
to abandon the race completely
hypothermic.
She can handle the cold,
but not the heat: European
Championship start at risk
But Zurich was an exception. In
general, Katharina from Frankfurt
can handle the cold, but
not the heat. In view of the surprisingly
late start times of the
marathon races at the European
Championships in Munich in August
(the women are to start at
10.30 a.m., the men an hour later),
the athletes are threatened
with an unpleasant and medically
risky heat race at midday.
„If the European Athletics Federation
won‘t consider changing
the start times, it will mean that
some of us will compete at the
World Championships instead.
We actually have a very strong
team that could be very successful,
but the conditions would
make us weaker,“ says Katharina
Steinruck, who would really prefer
to run at the European Championships
in Munich. The World
Championships will take place a
month before in Eugene, Oregon
(USA). There, the marathon races
start at 6.30 a.m. each day.
„For me it is also about achieving
a fast time this year. I don‘t want
to finish in 2:33 hours and then
have this result be my best time
of the year,“ says the runner. „A
marathon is not a 1,500-metre
race where you can start somewhere
else two weeks later.“
– 80 –

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REGISTER
Do it
again!
This way to your registration for the
42. GENERALI BERLINER HALBMARATHON
on April 2, 2023
Registration starts on May 12, 2022
www.generali-berliner-halbmarathon.de
83

Pure joy
After a cancelled GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON in 2020 and a
postponed one in 2021, it finally took place again this year on the traditional
date in spring. More than 22,000 runners crossed the finish line
at the Brandenburg Gate. We talked to some of them and shared a lot of
their happiness.
Texts: Christian Ermert, Anja Herrlitz Photos: Andreas Schwarz
The Victoria Park Harriers come from London. The running crew includes
several hundred runners, including these four who travelled to Berlin. Benjamin‘s
half marathon was his second race in the German capital; he finished
the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON a few years ago. He even really enjoyed the few
snowflakes at the start. „It made for a very special atmosphere.“

Antonino and Nicola travelled to Berlin from the southernmost tip of Italy to
run in the GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON. They come from Palermo in
Sicily. It was their first time running a race in Berlin. „We experienced a wonderful
atmosphere,“ the two raved afterwards.
– 86 –

Stephanie comes from Hamburg and completed the half marathon with a hydration
backpack. Exemplary. She thus combines the sustainability aspect with
her own advantage. „I‘m always very thirsty when I run and I want to drink when I
want to, not just at the aid stations. And of course it‘s great that drinking cups are
saved this way.“ She also runs a lot on trails in nature, where hydration packs are
standard. But she also found the run through the city: „Super!“
– 87 –

Reinhard comes from Berlin and felt like his race was „pretty easy. The last
two kilometres are always a bit hard, but I‘m in good training.“ The lawyer and
notary has already completed so many half-marathons and 25-kilometre runs in
Berlin that he doesn‘t even know the exact number. For him, running is a passion.
„One day without running - I can already feel it.“
– 88 –

Irene and Charly are mother and daughter – and ran the half marathon together.
They both still live in Berlin, but Charly will soon be moving to Boston. When
she is living in the US, they both want to run the New York Marathon together.
Irene has run the half marathon in Berlin many times since she moved to Berlin in
1995. The 54-year-old‘s enthusiasm for running has also infected her 25-year-old
daughter and son, who are now passionate runners themselves.
– 89 –

Pascal not only has a passion for running, but also for the football club Hertha
BSC, which is currently in the lower ranks of the Bundesliga. „But I have hope
that this season will still turn into something,“ he says. His first half marathon in
two years went well. „Although I didn‘t prepare that intensively for it, my goal was
to stay under two hours and I managed that,“ the tax official says.
– 90 –

Ralf and Julian were on Berlin‘s streets as Captain America and Batman.
„Simply because they are super,“ is the simple answer from the runners
from Berlin and Brandenburg to the question of why they showed up as these
superheroes. This is the sixth time the two have been out and about at the
GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON and BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. „It was
super as always. Especially because there were finally spectators again. Actually
like before COVID times,“ the doctor and the engineer agreed.
– 91 –

Didi from Karlsruhe has been dreaming of a start in Berlin for a long time. „The
marathon is always fully booked, so I registered for the GENERALI BERLIN HALF
MARATHON extra early to be able to take part,“ he says. „It was awesome. The
course was fun, the organisation was great!“ Actually, it‘s a wonder he‘s never run
in Berlin before, because he runs a lot, including ultra races. But running through
the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin was something very special for the double bass
player in a rockabilly band.
– 92 –

Matthias and Tomoko from Berlin are not only together as a couple, but also
are together out on runs too. Both have already run at the GENERALI BERLIN
HALF MARATHON several times, mostly together. They found the cooler temperatures
this year on race day just right. „The weather was fine,“ says the Japaneseborn
runner. „It was cold, but it was perfect for running,“ adds Matthias. „No snow,
no rain, sun in between and a great atmosphere.“
– 93 –

The GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON was the second half marathon for
Manuela from Berlin, who had already competed in the capital last year. „You
can‘t say much more than that it was really great,“ she said at the finish. „And this
year the atmosphere was even better and there was even more action along the
course than last year,“ said Manuela, who started running three and a half years
ago.
– 94 –

Torsten and Tim – father and son – travelled from Münster to the German
capital. „Today was just brilliant,“ Tim said after the run. „At first we thought:
What sh... weather, but then it was just perfect.“ After both had been ill with CO-
VID in January, they had feared for their start, but fortunately were able to run
after all. With their shirts, both wanted to send a clear message: „No war, peace
for Ukraine,“ said Torsten. And Tim added: „They‘d all be better off if they just
went running.“
– 95 –

– 96 –
Paul from Great Britain was at the
start of the GENERALI BERLIN
HALF MARATHON for the first time
and travelled especially for the race.
„It was absolutely fantastic,“ he enthused
at the finish. „Berlin is one of the
most beautiful cities I have ever been
to.“ For him, it was also his first visit to
the capital. „It was a bit cold, maybe,“
he said with a laugh. But he definitely
wants to come back when it‘s warmer.
He was particularly impressed by the
friendliness and helpfulness of the people.
„It was really great! People were
standing all along the course, calling
my name and cheering me on.“ The
56-year-old started training three years
ago. „I had so much energy, I had to do
something,“ he recounted with a laugh.

Sarah and Mathilde from Aarhus, Denmark, ran their first half marathon in
Berlin. „At least the first official one,“ they added with a laugh. „It was totally fun
for us. The atmosphere, the drums, the people cheering us on, the weather and the
flat course – it was really great.“ The two students are supported by a German who
runs the bakery „und Butter“ in their home country. „The best bakery ever,“ the
two agree, which is why they also wear its name on their shirts.
– 97 –

Sören from Oldenburg celebrated his half marathon debut at the GENERALI
BERLIN HALF MARATHON. „A buddy of mine signed up and so I wanted to give
it a try too.“ The 25-year-old student teacher has not regretted this decision one
bit. „It was great. The atmosphere was great and it really pushed you on. I‘ll probably
be back next year.“
– 98 –

Nicole and Stefan from Brandenburg an der Havel have run half marathons
before, but never in Berlin. „It was exhausting, but also really awesome,“ Nicole
said at the finish. „So many spectators!“ Especially the last metres through the
Brandenburg Gate, the loud music and the cheering spectators thrilled the two
and released their last reserves of strength. In autumn, the two will return to run
the full marathon in Berlin. For Nicole, this will be a premiere.
– 99 –

Stanley Itai is originally from Zimbabwe, but currently lives in Munich, where
he works as an economist. He has already run a few half marathons and now
finally wanted to do the same in Berlin. In the German capital, he was particularly
struck by the good organisation and the great atmosphere. „I particularly liked the
fact that the course led past so many historical sights. That gives you energy!“ He
also used his short trip to Berlin, which he took with a friend, to watch a basketball
game.
– 100 –

Mother Randi and daughter Stine are from near Oslo. 67-year-old Randi was
already at the start of the GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON last year, but for
her 43-year-old daughter it was a premiere. At home, each runs for herself, but
in the German capital they both shared the course together and enjoyed it very
much. The cheering spectators along the course were especially good for putting
the duo in a good mood.
– 101 –

Kim and Torsten did not run together on the course, but Torsten was waiting
for Kim at the finish line. „The weather was so good today that we were both
much faster than we had planned,“ Torsten told us enthusiastically at the finish.
Donnerwetter (Gosh), one can only say in reference to the hashtag on Kim‘s shirt!
– 102 –

Michael is actually from Sweden, but lives in Berlin. The GENERALI BERLIN
HALF MARATHON, where he was competing for the fifth time, was a home game
for him, so to speak. „But today I was really exhausted after 13 kilometres,“ he admitted
at the finish. „But it was still fun, and I got the motivation to run more again
now.“ When he‘s not running, the artist designs sculptures.
– 103 –

Yaroslav, Pavlo, Kostiantyn and Dmytro are from Ukraine but live in Vienna.
„Today, the four of us ran together for Team UStream – Ukrainian Stream to make
a statement against the war in Ukraine.“ They come from different parts of Ukraine:
Odessa, Kiev, Kharkiv, where Kostiantyn‘s apartment building was razed to the
ground like large parts of the whole city and no longer exists. The four live with their
families in Austria, where they also work. They were somehow able to enjoy the run
in Berlin despite the war. The organisation – simply super. The support of the spectators
along the route – simply great. The weather – ideal. Above all, they were thrilled
by the drummers: „They make you fly and not run.“
– 104 –

Maria Teresa, Angel Vicente and Melania all three come from Barcelona
and were at the start of the GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON in
Berlin for the first time. „It was wonderful! Just everything: the atmosphere,
the people along the course, the beautiful sights we ran past,“ they enthused
at the finish line. And the three know what they are talking about, as they
run regularly – mainly half marathons. And most of the time you see them at
the start as a trio. And even though they are used to different temperatures
at home, they found the conditions on race day „cold, very cold. But it was
fantastic!“
– 105 –

Cathrin and Simon travelled from Regensburg in Bavaria to the capital to compete
in the GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON. „It was a real family event,“
Simon told us. „My sister and brother-in-law were there too. My dad was actually
going to run too, but then he was injured.“ Even though the last four kilometres
were tough, they both enjoyed the race. „The best thing was definitely the atmosphere
and the vibe. And that you could finally be out with so many other runners
again.“ For the research assistant at the university and passionate footballer, it was
his second half marathon, although his premiere was several years ago. Cathrin,
who is training to be a child and youth psychotherapist, celebrated her debut in
Berlin.
– 106 –

The Power
of Berlin

R E G I S T E R
JULY 3, 2022
VELOCITY
BERLIN
N O W
The Reichstag, Brandenburg Gate, TV Tower, Humboldt Forum,
Gendarmenmarkt, Kurfürstendamm, Charlottenburg Palace, Museum
Island, Berlin Wall Memorial and Potsdamer Platz are simply ten tourist
and cultural-historical sights that no city tour of Germany‘s capital
should do without. And Berlin also has a lot to offer in terms of
sport, even apart from football, basketball, ice hockey and the BMW
BERLIN-MARATHON. Berlin also does cycling: after the Velothon was
dropped from the event calendar, the premiere of the VeloCity Berlin
will take place in 2022.
Interview
In this interview, Sven
Alex, sporting director
of VeloCity Berlin,
not only provides an
overview of the course
and participation requirements,
but also
explains why VeloCity
Berlin is a good race for
triathletes.
109

© Imago Images/Philipp Szyza
Cycling in Berlin has always been a kind of sightseeing: at one time the Velothon
led past the Reichstag & Co. This year, for the first time, sports enthusiasts
can compete at the VeloCity in either a 60- or 120-kilometre race.
The motto of VeloCity Berlin is: „The
Power of Berlin.“ Why is that?
For two reasons: First, because
you can cycle with such
speed through Berlin on the
closed-off roads, and second,
of course, because this city
simply gives power to the participants
on this „guided city
tour of a different kind“. The
atmosphere and ambience
are unique, not just out in the
greenery in the middle of nowhere,
but right in the middle of
the city, around the Brandenburg
Gate.
110

What distances can the participants
power up on?
It is a 60-kilometre circuit,
which – depending on your ambitions
– has to be completed
once or twice. After the start,
the route leads directly to the
government district, past the
TV Tower to Kreuzberg and
Kurfürstendamm, and after a
detour through the Grunewald
forest to the Charlottenburg
Palace and the Victory Column,
on to the finish. The finish on
the grand boulevard Strasse
des 17. Juni will give you goosebumps.
What more could an
athlete’s heart desire?
Is the VeloCity Berlin suitable for all
cycling enthusiasts?
The VeloCity Berlin is an agegroup
race for everyone who
meets the following requirements:
a bicycle with two independently
functioning brakes,
a helmet, enough power
in your legs for 60 or 120 kilometres
and (smile) payment of
the entry fee. By the way, everything
from Dutch bikes to racing
bikes is allowed, with the
exception of time trial bikes,
tandems and e-bikes. Friends,
colleagues and club members
can also register for a team
classification in which the five
fastest cyclists are scored.
How interesting is the VeloCity Berlin
for triathletes?
Very interesting. I‘m pretty sure
that’s the case, even if most
tri-athletes frown upon drafting.
There aren‘t that many
bike races in Germany where
you can go full throttle on a
closed-off course. A bike race
is also more challenging than
it looks at first, and drafting
here definitely doesn‘t mean „I
can just let my legs hang loose“.
If you want to keep up with
the group, you should not only
have good cycling technique,
be able to read the develop-
111

ment of the race and keep up
with hard starts, but also have
the stamina to keep up with
the high pace for 60 or 120 kilometres.
The VeloCity Berlin is
therefore ideal as preparation
for a middle- or long-distance
race in the second half of the
season. At the finish line, everyone
can assess how their own
cycling form is doing and which
adjustments need to be made
to their training.
What kind of supporting programme
can participants, friends and families
as well as spectators look forward
to?
We envisioned VeloCity Berlin
as a sporting event for the
whole family. The day before
the adults start pedaling on
Sunday, youngsters can get a
taste of the race atmosphere
with various shorter distances
along the Strasse des 27. Juni,
from toddlers on beginner running
bikes up to 12-year-olds.
The whole family is „entitled to
start“. Everything is all set for
a sporty weekend. In addition,
those interested in cycling can
find out about the latest trends
at the Expo with typical cyclingrelated
exhibitors and dealers.
Last question: What should participants
avoid doing?
In order to be able to enjoy the
beautiful finisher‘s medal and
the ERDINGER Alkoholfrei at
the finish line, all participants
should adhere to the basic rules
of fairness and take actions
to protect our environment.
Athletes who toss bottles or
bar or gel packaging outside
the refreshment points will be
punished with time penalties,
as will deliberate obstructions,
leaving the course or lining up
in the wrong starting block.
112

#laufengegenkrebs 14. 05. 20 22
von
starken
Frauen
..
fu r
starke
Frauen
Jetzt
anmelden
&
auch virtuell
mitmachen!
berliner-frauenlauf.de
Folge uns auf @sccevents

HIGHLIGHTS 2022
Must Runs
D
L
H
B
Berlin
(& Rides)
by
Brandenburg

MAY 14, 2022
Die wichtigsten
Lauf-Events in der
Hauptstadt und im
Brandenburger Umland
By strong women,
for strong women
berliner-frauenlauf.de
18.000 women celebrate their special party at
Germanys biggest womens run in the heart of Berlin.
Distances
10 km (Running, Walking, Nordic Walking)
5 km (Running, Walking, Nordic Walking)
500 m/1,000 m Kid‘s Run

JUNE 9, 2022
Easy done!
Run in a team of 4 on a wonderful lap through
the historic city Brandenburg an der Havel.
The special team event in the middle of the summer.
Distances
4x5 km Relay
500 m/1,000 m Kid‘s Run
teamstaffel-brandenburg.de
– 116 –

JUNE 26, 2022
Refreshingly
different!
www.swimrun-rheinsberg.de
Running across the forest or passing the castle Rheinsberg
and swimming through the cristal-clear lakes of the
surroundings – that is the ultimate experience of nature!
Distances
21,4 km SwimRun | 11,3 km Sprint SwimRun
4,4 km SuperSprint SwimRun (for Newbies)
0,9/1,8/2,7 km Youth SwimRun
500 m/1,000 m Kid‘s SwimRun

JULY 3, 2022
We ride
Berlin!
velocity.berlin
The exciting premiere of the new bicycle race on
Berlins big boulevards, passing the big sights of the
capital and finishing near the famous Brandenburg Gate.
Distances
60 km Bike Race City
120 km Bike Race City
Youth- and Kid‘s Race
42,195 km Bike Race Fixed42
VeloCity

Die
AUGUST 28, 2022
General
probe
The half marathon with the special atmosphere is taking place
in Berlins residential area. It has a long tradition and many
runners use it as a rehearsal (“Generalprobe“) for the highlight of
the year four weeks later, the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON.
Distances
21.0975 km | 10 km | 500 m/1,000 m Kid‘s Run
FURTHER SCC EVENTS
berliner-generalprobe.de
Berliner Wasserbetriebe 5x5 km TEAM-Relay June 15 – 17, 2022
GERMAN MANAGEMENT RUN June 15, 2022
adidas Runners City Night July 30, 2022
BMW BERLIN-MARATHON September 24/25, 2022
Berlin New Year‘s Eve Run December 31, 2022

The Power
of speed
The inline skaters celebrated a
successful start to the skating
season. The joy of the fast tour
through the capital was not dampened
by the occasional snowflake.
The GENERALI BERLIN HALF
MARATHON simply whetted the
appetite for more.
T H E
R A C E
V I D E O

THE RACE OF THE INLINE SKATERS
German
double victory
– 122 –

In the professional race, a spectacular sprint led Felix Rijhnen (Powerslide)
to his third victory at the GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON.
He beat Frenchman Martin Ferrié (EOSkates) by a razor-thin margin in
33:49 minutes. A German also won the women‘s race: Josie Hofmann
(Powerslide) from Erfurt in 37:53 minutes.
In the men’s race, a group led
by Valentin Thiebault (FRA/
Powerslide) initially broke away.
At kilometre 15, Felix Rijhnen and
Martin Ferrié managed to close
the gap to the leaders and then
pull away. By the finish, they had
extended their lead to almost
50 seconds. In the final sprint,
Rijhnen beat Ferrié by a razorthin
margin. In the mass sprint
of the chasing pack, sprint specialist
Valentin Thiebault (FRA/
Powerslide) secured third place
in 34:41 minutes.
„I am super happy that I could
win after such a long and hard
season on the ice. I am surprised
how well it went today, especially
since I could not prepare so
well due to illness. I was able to
make full use of my experience
over the many years in Berlin.
It‘s just too bad that Kathi
couldn‘t be there since she has
COVID,“ said Rhijnen after the
race. His wife Katharina Rijhnen
(formerly Rumpus) has won the
GENERALI BERLIN HALF MA-
RATHON four times herself.
The Top Men 2022
Place Skater Time
1. Felix Rijhnen (Darmstadt/POWERSLIDE/MATTER World Team) 33:49
2. Martin Ferrié (FRA/EOSkates World Team) 33:49
3. Valentin Thiebault (FRA/POWERSLIDE/MATTER World Team) 34:41

THE RACE OF THE INLINE SKATERS
A deep reach to
the finish line ...

... leads to
victory
In the women‘s event, it
was also a duel on the final
stretch that decided the race.
Josie Hofmann and Marine
Lefeuvre (FRA/EOSkates) distanced
themselves from the
field by the halfway mark. By
the time they approached the
finish, they had extended their
lead to more than 1:30 minutes.
Particularly noteworthy
was the spectacular, especially
deep reaching step with which
Hofmann pushed her wheels
to cross the finish line first in
37:53 minutes. Following Lefeuvre
(also 37:53 minutes),
Belgian Sabrina Gaudesaboos
(EOSkates) finished third in
39:25 minutes. „My goal clearly
was to win today. But having
just switched from the
ice back to the streets, I didn‘t
know how good I would be. My
long-term goal is definitely the
Olympics on ice, but I won‘t be
letting inline skating out of my
sight,“ the winner explained.
The Top Woman 2022
Place Skater Time
1. Josie Hofmann (Darmstadt/POWERSLIDE/MATTER World Team) 37:53
2. Marine Lefeuvre (FRA/EOSkates World Team) 37:53
3. Sabrina Gaudesaboos (BEL/ EOSkates World Team) 39:25

Here‘s what’s coming up
next for the inline season
30 July 2022
adidas Runners City Night
The fastest night in Berlin
Register now!
Known as the „Ku‘damm without a
speed limit“, the adidas Runners City
Night is a very special summer highlight.
It takes the participants down
10 kilometres of Berlin‘s most popular
shopping street. Fitness skaters can
use the race as a relaxed introduction
to the sport, while the pros will
be fighting for position and engaging
in high-speed duels. The registration
deadline is July 18, 2022.
September 24, 2022
BMW BERLIN-MARATHON
The world‘s largest inline marathon
Register now!
Just like at the GENERALI BERLIN
HALF MARATHON, the double distance
also gives everyone their money‘s
worth at the BMW BERLIN-MARA-
THON. While ambitious skaters hunt
for new personal best times, fitness
skaters can simply take it easy and
enjoy the sightseeing tour through
the capital. The most important thing
to know is that you can still sign up –
unlike the runners‘ marathon, which
is already fully booked.
Successful start for the
GERMAN INLINE CUP
2022
With their victories, Josie Hofmann
and Felix Rijhnen also
took the lead in the GERMAN
INLINE CUP 2022, which celebrated
its kick-off here. In
addition to the professionals,
the fastest fitness participants
were also honoured. Here the
leaders were Walter Silvano
(CH) and Sina Reyer (Erfurt).
After further stops in Germany
and Austria, the finale of
the most important European
race series will be held on September
24 at the BMW BERLIN-
MARATHON, for which inline
skaters can still register until
August 25.

Natur, Sport und
Kultur vor den
Toren Berlins
Auf rund 230 Kilometern verläuft die Flaeming-Skate
durch Wälder, Wiesen und Felder, fernab von störendem
Straßenverkehr. Die zwei bis drei Meter breite Bahn aus
feinstem Asphalt führt vorbei an idyllischen Dörfern und
Städten im Niederen Fläming und Baruther Urstromtal.
Unweit von Berlin kann man hier in der Natur aktiv
Urlaub machen und die Freizeit genießen.
www.aeming-skate.de

THE RACE OF THE FITNESS-SKATER
I N L I N E
P H O T O S
M O R E
A total of 1042 inline skaters registered
for the GENERALI BER-
LIN HALF MARATHON. Of them,
784 started on the Strasse des
17. Juni and skated past the Victory
Column. After completing the
21.0975 kilometres, 769 of them
reached the finish line just beyond
the Brandenburg Gate, passing all
the important sights of the city.
You can find even more photos in
the gallery in your finisher magazine.
Simply open the large photo
gallery on the next page.
– 128 –

– 129 –

EQUIPMENT
Energy for
your training
May we introduce you to the new Solarglide 5 from adidas? It is a reliable
all-around running shoe with an environmentally conscious design
that provides runners with optimal energy return. It supports you when
training for all distances.

PRODUCT NOVELTY: THE SOLARGLIDE 5 FROM ADIDAS
WOMEN‘S VERSION
The latest addition to adidas‘
popular Solarglide product
family puts regular running first.
The adidas Solarglide 5 is designed
to provide runners with the
perfect fit. As with the Ultraboost
22, the women‘s model of
the Solarglide 5 has been explicitly
adapted to the specifics of
the female foot anatomy.
The midsole of the running shoe
has been completely redesigned
compared to the previous
Solarglide 4. The new model is
equipped with a double bubble
boost midsole in the forefoot
and rearfoot. This consists of
hundreds of fused capsules that
– 132 –

provide the necessary energy
boost with every step. A fully
featured EVA platform, called
the Control Platform, allows for
smooth transitions in motion.
Between the Bubble Boost midsole
and the Control Platform
is an advanced LEP 2.0 system,
where LEP stands for „Linear
Energy Push.“
This provides additional support.
In addition, the newly designed
crash pad in the heel
area optimises the landing with
every step. The interaction of
all midsole elements provides
an outstanding running feel in
the €140 shoe. The proven Continental
outsole remains the
first choice in the new style. The
running shoe has a 10mm heelto-toe
drop and weighs 335
grams in the sample size.
The environmentally conscious
– 133 –
design of the Solarglide 5 includes
a knit Primeblue upper that
is partially made from Parley
Ocean Plastic. This material is
made from processed plastic
waste collected from remote
islands, beaches and coastal
areas before it enters the ocean.
The Solarglide 5‘s step-in comfort
has been optimised, with
materials that provide greater
comfort and a softer feel in the
heel and tongue areas.
MEN‘S VERSION

Who’s that
running?
ELMINA SAKSI
Mother of three Elmina
Saksi from Sweden reached
the finish line at the Brandenburg
Gate in 54th place
after 1:20:45 hours.

Texte: Christian Ermert & Anja Herrlitz
The GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON 2022 is one of the biggest half
marathon events worldwide. More than 32,000 runners were registered.
More than 22,000 reached the finish line at the Brandenburg Gate on
the first Sunday in April. Among them were Elmina Saksi from Sweden,
Marcel Sandow from Brandenburg and Christian Giza from Berlin. We
have already presented all three of them in the Event Magazine. Now we
asked: How did it go? How much fun was it on the streets of Berlin? And
did they achieve their goals?
Texte: Anja Herrlitz
Finally running together with
so many other athletes
again! Elmina Saksi had been
looking forward to it – and now
enjoyed it to the fullest in Berlin.
The 42-year-old from Norrköping
in Sweden – about 160
kilometres southeast of Stockholm
– works as a teacher at a
grammar school and has three
children aged nine, eleven and
thirteen. And she has loved
running since she discovered it
later in life in her 30s.
She now trains six times a
week, often early in the morning
before her family wakes
up. At the beginning of March,
she won the Antalya Marathon
in 2:59:01 hours. What does she
love most about running? Doing
it with others! That‘s why
the small races with about 50
others in industrial areas during
the COVID pandemic were
nice – but not comparable to
runs like the Berlin Half Marathon,
where tens of thousands
– 135 –

WHO’S THAT RUNNING?
line up at the start. „I missed
it so much!“ she emphasized
even after the race. „It was so
wonderful. It‘s just totally different
to do a race together with
so many others.“
Only 53 women were
faster than Elmina
That‘s why the low temperatures
didn‘t bother her much.
„Yes, it was cold, but luckily not
so windy. And there were still
so many spectators. That really
made me happy,“ she says enthusiastically.
And the spectators
pushed her forward along
the course. She reached the
finish line at the Brandenburg
Gate after just 1:20:45 hours –
only 53 women, including some
professional runners, were faster
overall than Elmina Saksi.
„For the first 18 kilometres it
looked like I could run even faster,“
she says, „but at the end I
was very tired.“ She still improved
her best performance by
90 seconds, which made her
very happy.
Restaurants, sightseeing –
enjoying life
And the nice thing: she wasn‘t
the only one who ran a personal
best. Two friends who had
travelled with her were also
faster than ever before. „We
had a lot to talk about afterwards!“
And not just about the
run. The three of them used
their three days in Berlin to finally
have time for nice things
again after the COVID period
with its many restrictions.
For restaurants. For time in the
Tiergarten. For friends who
showed them sights like Checkpoint
Charlie. Elmina Saksi
likes Berlin. The liveliness, the
coolness. She wants to come
back with her family maybe as
early as this summer – to enjoy
life, to walk and to discover
even more beautiful sides of
the German metropolis.

WER WHO’S LÄUFT THAT DENN RUNNING? DA?
CHRISTIAN GIZA
Things went wrong at his
half-marathon premiere
in 2021. This year, Christian
Giza took a better
approach to the race, was
able to enjoy it and even
shed a tear or two of joy.

Festival atmosphere
and tears of joy
Even before the starting signal
was given on the morning
of the GENERALI BERLIN
HALF MARATHON, Christian
Giza already had the first highlights
behind him. He enjoyed
the atmosphere on the way
from the main station to the
Reichstag; the crackle that is
always in the air on such a race
morning; countless runners on
their way to the start with their
half marathon bags. „It had
something of a festival atmosphere,“
says the 45-year-old.
A quick selfie in front of the
Reichstag and then off to the
starting block. „That was so
wonderful. And I‘m not ashamed
to say that I had tears in
my eyes twice from happiness
and emotion,“ he says. „It‘s so
special when everyone claps
rhythmically, counts down the
last seconds until the start and
then slowly starts moving. Everyone
rejoices and cheers.“ Even
the cold and the short sleet and
snow shower before the start
could not dampen our joy.”
No collapse
like last time
Christian Giza had already started
at the GENERALI BERLIN
HALF MARATHON last year – his
premiere. And a lot of things
went wrong. He started too fast,
drank too much and ate too
much, and then the collapse at
– 139 –

WHO’S THAT RUNNING?
kilometre 17. He struggled to the
finish line after 2:16 hours. And
that was exactly what he wanted
to avoid this time. The time was
of secondary importance. „And
this time it went really well!“ he
reports. The pace was right, he
was never out of breath. Around
him there were only people running
at the same pace, so „it was
really pleasant to run.“
Getting in the mood with
his race kit pick-up
Of course, his legs got heavy on
the last two kilometres – but it
was nothing in comparison with
last year. With a time of 2:13:36
hours, he was even about three
minutes faster than at his premiere.
The fact that it went so
well on the course was certainly
due on the one hand to his
training. On the other hand, he
had already gotten himself in
the right mood the day before.
„I already love picking up the
start documents at Berlin‘s old
Tempelhof airport,“ he reveals.
A great building, joyful and excited
people, loud music - that
sets the mood. „I spent half
the day on Instagram, looking
at posts with #berlinhalf from
people all over the world,“ he
says. And in the evening he
watched the sports documentary
„Run for Good“ about the
ultra runner Fiona Oakes. And
he took a few things from it for
his run. „She said, for example,
that there are so many people
who can‘t run at all. And
she‘s just happy that she can
run.“ He kept telling himself
that over and over during his
run. And he learned from her
to not count the kilometres he
had already covered, but rather
count down the ones left to
run. A number which, of course,
gets smaller and smaller. „That
really helped me a lot.“
On the course, Christian Giza
enjoyed running – especially
at the places where many
spectators stood cheering on
the runners. „And then when I

ran through the Brandenburg
Gate, I had tears in my eyes,“
he says. „I run through there
several times a week in training,
but it‘s even more awesome
during a competition.“
Ready for the next
half marathon in Berlin
The day after the run, he noticed
his effort. His legs hurt,
but Christian Giza also kind
of enjoys the pain. „After all,
you‘ve worked for it,“ he says
with a laugh. Now that he paid
his dues at the first half-marathon
and has come through
so much better at the second,
he wants to hone his performance.
He plans on reaching
for the two-hour mark in the
future – even if that means he
probably won‘t be able to avoid
the not-so-beloved tempo training.
He will definitely sign up
for the next GENERALI BERLIN
HALF MARATHON as soon as
possible.
Christian Giza has learned from his mistakes at his premiere. This year he was
able to enjoy the run and the atmosphere on Berlin‘s streets.

MARCEL SANDOW
Normally Marcel Sandow takes part in competitions with his club „Kreuz
& Quer - SwimRun e.V.“, that alternating between running and swimming.
At the GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON he skipped the swim and had
a lot of fun.
– 142 –

“Kreuz & Quer”
criss-cross
through Berlin
Pretty cold and uncomfortable
with the sleet and snow
showers – that‘s what many
were likely thinking before the
start of the GENERALI BERLIN
HALF MARATHON. Not so Marcel
Sandow from Zehdenick in Brandenburg.
„I like running in these
temperatures,“ he says. „Around
zero degrees is best for me personally.
That‘s when I run my fastest
times.“ His reasoning is quite
simple: at such low temperatures
he has to drink much less while
running and thus has to stop less
often than when it is much warmer.
Sounds logical. And anyway,
Marcel Sandow is probably also
hardened by his hobby. He laces
up his running shoes, but usually
mixes in a swimming session in
between. Even in the winter. It‘s
called SwimRun. The sport originated
in Scandinavia, but it is
becoming increasingly popular
here as well.
Through forests and lakes
Marcel Sandow discovered it for
himself last year and since then
has regularly taken part in competitions
with his club „Kreuz &
– 143 –

WHO’S THAT RUNNING?
Quer – SwimRun e.V.“. Then it‘s
off through the woods and in
between there are always lakes
to swim across.
A great atmosphere
once again
Of course, he skipped the swimming
part during the half marathon
weekend. Marcel Sandow
enjoyed the good atmosphere
on and along the course. „It‘s always
a highlight in Berlin. Once
again, there were lots of people
along the course, plus the drummers,“
he said afterwards enthusiastically.
Before the start,
his sister was interviewed by the
television station RBB and they
appeared together briefly on
television.
It did not bother him that this
time, with a time of 1:45:18 hours,
he was not able to improve his
personal best of 1:35:44. „It was
clear to me that that wouldn‘t
happen. I have had pain in my
knee for some time and could
hardly train in the four or five
weeks before the race,“ he explains.
An MRI examination had
to be postponed and just now
had it done after the GENERA-
LI BERLIN HALF MARATHON.
„I just ran anyway and luckily I
didn‘t have any pain either,“ he
said, leaving his biggest worry
unfounded. It was only two days
after the race that his knee started
to hurt again.
Marathon in the fall
Let‘s hope that the MRI examinations
don‘t show anything
serious. Marcel Sandow has already
planned his next competition.
In June, he will compete
in the Berliner Wasserbetriebe
5x5 kilometre team relay and in
the SwimRun Rheinsberg. And
in September he wants to enjoy
the atmosphere on the streets
of Berlin again – then on the full
42.195 kilometres at the BMW
BERLIN-MARATHON. He already
has his race confirmation.

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NEVER STOP RUNNING!
Photo: ® skynesher / iStockphoto
Get your charity ticket now: wwf.de/charity-run
GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON · SwimRun Rheinsberg · Cross Challenge ·
Berliner Wasserbetriebe 5 x 5 km TEAM-Relay · BMW BERLIN-MARATHON ·
StWB 5 x 5 km TEAM-Relay · Berlin New Years Eve Run
WWF Germany is official charity partner of GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON
Run to save our forests!

Thank you
for being
part of it!
We look
forward to
seeing you
again in
Berlin!