“My wife will definitely be standing at the track and shouting ‘hop, hop, hop, you have to run faster’. You’ll be carried straight to the finish line,” says Hans-Ingolf Ullrich. The 82-year-old from Seewalchen am Attersee proudly carries his Linz Donau Marathon bag and his start number through the TipsArena in Linz. “I’ve already run the half marathon in Linz 15 times. But for the past three years I’ve preferred to do the quarter marathon,” says the energetic pensioner. However, the passionate runner has not set himself a time limit: “I’ll be happy if the finish line is still on Linz’s main square,” he says jokingly.
Pick up numbers and tips
Numerous runners are waiting impatiently in front of the gates of the TipsArena on Ziegeleistraße in Linz. At 12 o’clock there is already a long queue in front of the start number issue. “Let’s get the numbers first and then we’ll have a look at the fair” – an idea that many had on Friday. “We are really very satisfied with the number of participants here in the arena. Many will still take the opportunity on Saturday to pick up their start numbers,” says Julia Kitzmüller from the LIVA marathon organization team.
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Already in sportswear and running shoes or still in a warm raincoat: The participants of the marathon on Friday and Saturday flock to the TipsArena not only for their start numbers. On these days, many get valuable tips from the experts in the sportswear industry and seek advice. “I can only advise everyone to use different running shoes in training to strengthen the leg muscles. And to use well-worn shoes for the marathon – a competition is not a good time for experiments,” says stand operator Arnold Völkl.
Image: Volker Weihbold
Michaela Wendtner agrees with this opinion: “The feel-good factor when running is very important. Different shoes bring more variety to training. And with the right shoes you can get a second or two out of it.” What trend has now prevailed in running shoes: “Runners now clearly prefer comfortable, cushioned shoes. That’s profitable,” says Völkl. And it is precisely this energy that many are following the long preparation period.
The joy of running comes first
Due to an injury, Maria Königsgruber from Bad Hall has to forego participation in the half marathon, but she does not want to miss the quarter marathon: “Everything is perfectly organized, so taking part is all the more fun. When you then cross the finish line, it’s a real pleasure real goose bumps moment.”
This is exactly the moment that around 11,000 competitive athletes and amateur runners will share on Sunday when they cross the finish line following one of the seven competitions of the 21st Oberbank Linz Donau Marathon.
Image: Volker Weihbold
The weather conditions don’t look rosy at the moment, but the joy of running continues in Linz: “We look at the weather report every day. But we are very confident that it will be dry on Sunday,” says Julia Kitzmüller.
“It just has to be fun, then it runs by itself. I’m definitely looking forward to my very first half marathon – and at home at that,” says runner Betina Frank.
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Roadblocks and diversions on Sunday
The preparations begin on Sunday at 4 a.m., from this point on the Mühlkreisautobahn (A7) between Prinz-Eugen-Straße and Dornach will be closed until noon. From 5.30 a.m. traffic in the city will also be restricted. The A7 is bypassed in the direction of Freistadt via the Voest exit, in the direction of the A1 near Treffling. The diversion route leads via Aigengutstraße and Franckstraße to the Steyreggerbrücke.
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The Industriezeile, Rudolfstraße and the Nibelungen Bridge, which will be opened to traffic on one side, will remain passable. The Obere Donaulände, the Römerberg tunnel and the Ebelsberg bypass are also exempt from the closures.
The best parking is at the Plasser & Theurer car park, shuttle buses take the runners to Holzstraße to get to the start at the Voestbrücke.
author
Karoline Ploberger
Editor Upper Austria
Karoline Ploberger
