Berlin Marathon Race Report -from Isabel Cruz
September 18, 2008
Helloooo,
My legs are hurting, I can’t go out. I can only watch CNN so much (the other channels are in German), and I think I’m catching a cold. Thanks God I have my laptop and friends to write to.
The race was a PR for me and my new friend Haile! If you follow sport news you might already now that Haile Gebrselassie has won his third straight Berlin Marathon and broke his own World record becoming the first runner to finish under 2 hours, 4 minutes. He clocked 2:03:59, I clocked 4:17 ; ). And he is in this year medal, which celebrates his last year record! How much more exciting can this get, I actually shook hands with the person pictured in my medal!
Extremely organized–What else to expect from the Germans? Absolutely nothing to complain about the race, which is in fact flat as a pancake. No up or down hills, just flat, no wonder World records are set here. They had bananas, apples, water, tea and massage tents along the race. It is a good Boston qualifier if you have previous time to put you ahead of the crowd, otherwise like it happened to me you’ll waste a lot of time zig-zaging people. My plan was to brake the race in 5Km that I was going to run under 30min each. I followed my plan diligently, everything was under control until I got to 35Km at 3:31, from there on people started to slow down a lot and walk, I just didn’t have the energy to pass people, I could only run straight. I totally lost my concentration at 40Km (4:02) as the view was as fantastic as I describe below, to finish at 4:17.
Berlin is the most history filled course I ever ran. The whole race you’re seeing something of historic importance, but the finishing is something cinematographic, out of history books, beats the New York finish at Central Park 10:1. The finish is just after you cross the most well-known landmark in Berlin, the Branderburg Gate (1791). The grandeur and historic significance is overwhelming, specially after you have ran more than 40Km. Napoleon took the Quadriga (the statue on top of the gate, the goddess of Victory driving a chariot drawn by four horses) to Paris in 1806 as a spoil of war after conquering Berlin. It was returned to Berlin in 1814 after�German victory over France. It went from being a symbol of victory to a symbol of the Third Reich when the Nazis reached power as it became the starting point for Nazi parades.The gate was heavily damaged during WWII East Berlin restored the gate, while West Berlin recast the Quadriga from its original molds. It was incorporated into the Berlin wall in 1961 when East German soldiers closed off their half of the city and started building the Berlin Wall at this point. For 28 years, the Brandenburg Gate was a symbol of a divided Germany. When the wall fell in 1989 the people in their enthusiasm to bring down the wall damaged the gate and its statue on New Year’s Eve 1989.Today it has been restored to its original splendor and as a symbol of the reunification of the two sides of Berlin and a place for celebrating marathon records. The massive number of runners (~40,000) crossing the Brandeburg Gate towards the former East Germany is kind of symbolic of the people tearing down the wall, liberation the East Germany from the soviet�oppression. WOW, who said history is boring?
Enough history, did I tell you there were FREE GOOD BEER waiting for you at the end? I had 2, it was the first marathon I actually didn’t want to go home/hotel and drop dead after. They don’t rush you home, they want you to stay around and celebrate. There is a lot to do around, food and drink stands (is not illegal to drink in the open) , bands and performances. At least 1/3 of the bands playing at the race were Brazilian drums. There are parties going on everywhere, now I understand why they like Brazil so much. They might just build a new wall around Berlin and declare it part of Brazil!
Interestingly the people running here never heard of the concept of run 10 walk one, besides the quick stop at the water stations (I saw very few runners carrying�water bottles, or gels or anything else). I was impressed that very few people were doing walking breaks (until they start to annoy me after 35Km).
Ok, I have bugged you enough, back to CNN.
Isabel
P.S. I had a goodlaugh with this Berlin runner dressed as Frenchman carrying flowers and the sign: Don’t make war, make baguettes!
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