The chairman of the Deggendorf running club, Peter Pisinger, was pleased about a new participant record at the half marathon in Natternberg. Over 550 runners registered for the club’s event. This year, too, the running club had the most participants with 56 members.
“This time we broke the 500 mark. We have been working towards this for a long time. Now we have done it,” said Pisinger.
He sees the reason for the constantly increasing number of participants in the fact that the runners appreciate the good organization of the event and would like to come back. The runners could choose between several routes: the school run (U12) over one kilometer, the youth run (U16) over four kilometers, the hobby run (from 16 years) over seven kilometers and the half marathon.
A total of 60 members of the running club were involved as helpers. The fire department closed the route and the Bavarian Red Cross was on site in case of an emergency. Several refreshment stations were set up along the route, and at the finish there were cakes, fruit, tea and non-alcoholic beer for all participants. The times run were recorded precisely using a laser system and could be viewed in real time on the running club’s homepage. The award ceremony took place in the elypso all-season swimming pool.
The fastest young runner over the four kilometers was Timo Dengler with a time of 16 minutes and 49 seconds. A new record for him. He is actually a cross-country skier and uses running as training. He is happy to have run such a good time so early in the year: “I trained a lot in the winter and it paid off,” said the 14-year-old.
Thomas Wanninger from WSV Viechtach ran the fastest time on the half marathon course. It only took him an hour and ten minutes to cover the 21 kilometers – two minutes less than his previous best time. At the finish he seemed exhausted but happy: “I approached it fairly humanely and was able to push until the end. “So I reached the finish line with a good feeling,” he explains. Only the weather wasn’t ideal: “When it’s going uphill and you still have a headwind, that’s pretty bad.” However, the short sleet in the last few meters didn’t affect him: “You can deal with it.”
Maria Brand set a new course record for women. Even though the time of one hour and 18 minutes was not her personal best, the Regensburg woman was happy to be able to get started again after an injury break. The cold weather wasn’t a problem for them either: “We runners aren’t made of sugar,” says Brand.
All further results will follow in the home sport.
Despite an injury break: Maria Brand sets a new course record for women.
Unstoppable: Thomas Wanniinger runs a new personal best despite the hailstorm.
Timo Dengler: The 14-year-old was the fastest young runner. − Photos: Johann Landgraf