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Running a marathon had never really been on the radar for Marcus Schewe. “I actually was quite happy with my shorter distances as a triathlete.” The 46-year-old from Berlin preferred his role as a volunteer at the running events. “For years, my wife and daughter and I had enjoyed helping out at the water stations by handing out drinks to the exhausted runners at such events.” However, when Marcus helped out for the first time at the BERLIN-MARATHON in 1992, he made an interesting observation, which helped turn him into a passionate runner. “It was our task to hand out ISO drinks to the marathon runners at kilometre 41. So many people came by who looked so out of shape. I kept thinking to myself: If they can do it, than I certainly can too.” And why not? Marcus Schewe was an experienced athlete—he has been active since he was little, whether out in a canoe, playing American Football and doing triathlons. “I had always been open for trying new things. Why not a marathon?

The Berlin hygienic technician began training—and slow and steady he worked in a healthy manner towards his goal, finishing his first marathon in 2010. “Of course, it had to be the BERLIN-MARATHON,” he emphasises. “Living in the capital with the marathon directly at your front door, I don’t understand why you would go to Hamburg or Frankfurt for the ultimate distance.” Marcus became a repeat marathoner after his first one and has participated in every BERLIN-MARATHON since. “My favourite part of the course is at the roundabout “Wilder Eber”. The cheerleaders from Natty’s Dance Factory are always there and they always get the runners pumped up to keep running,” Marcus reports with a grin. Right after the spot at “Wilder Eber”, where many runners hit the wall, is where Marcus likes to pick up his pace. “That is where a lot of the video cameras are set up. Once they are out of sight, I slow the pace to a comfortable walking speed. By then, the asphalt is covered with sticky power bars that the runners ahead of me have half-eaten and tossed down.” Marcus is one of the many runners for whom the finish time is unimportant. “When I am competing, I orient myself more towards the “erasers” in the latter ranks than toward the speedy “pencil tips”.  I mainly run to gain a little endurance for my triathlons, which are my true passion. And you have to be able to run for those too, of course.”