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"Cult run" - only one week!

Coffee and Cake culminate the long preparatory training

2004-09-19

One week before the 31st real,- BERLIN MARATHON, on Sunday, September 19, 2004, the traditional “Cult Run” took place, starting at the same spot in the Waldschulallee in Berlin-Charlottenburg as in 1974. The race is a tribute to the 1st Berlin People’s Marathon (as the BERLIN MARATHON was then called), which occurred on October 13, 1974.

Waldschulallee 80 – a legendary starting line
At 9:00 a.m., 183 runners stood in the narrow Waldschulallee number 80, near the corner of Neidenburger Allee at the now legendary starting line.

After a short speech by the initiator of the BERLIN MARATHON, Horst Milde, the field was sent off at a comfortable pace on the old course for a ”super oxygen recuperation run“.

From 286 to 35,000 participants ...
In 1974, 286 runners started and 244 made it to the finish—the start of a running tradition that has been echoed around the world. Next Sunday, 35,000 runners from 89 countries will take to the start on the Straße des 17. Juni at 9 a.m. That is a development that no one had expected.

From rower to runner
Bernd Hübner, a member of a rowing club who ran in the premiere in 1974 (and every BERLIN MARATHON since then), was of course at the remembrance run as well, setting the pace together with Dr. Detlef Kuhlmann, who is responsible for the literature marathon. Many of the participants were members of the exclusive BERLIN MARATHON Jubilee Club, and together with Bernd Hübner they reminisced about old races.

The motivators
Hübner, like Kuhlmann, has lead the training for numerous running groups several times a week all year long—and from MARATHON to MARATHON. Through their volunteer commitment, they have helped many beginning runners to participate in the marathon and other races.

All together to the intersection of Havelchaussee and back The group ran the 17 km together on the original course from 1974 on the Kronprinzessinnenweg in the Grunewald forest, parallel to the Avus highway, to the turning point on the Havelchaussee and then back to Mommsen Stadium.

After about 2 hours with sunshine, a light wind and about 17 degrees, Sabine Milde greeted the participants with a table full of diverse delicious cakes, coffee, tea, and refreshing water—as a group finish for all of the hard training and as motivation for the 31st real,- BERLIN MARATHON on this coming Sunday.

Photos: Bernd Hübner