New trademark

Julia Mayer steals the show from the men

Julia Mayer

(Bild: VCM / Roman Pfeiffer, Matthias Schrenk)

For the first time in the history of the Vienna City Marathon, a woman is taking center stage in the run-up to this classic race. Thanks to her outstanding records in recent years, her additional ingenious PR on social media on all possible channels and her openness towards the media, Julia Mayer has risen to become the big Austrian star of the cross-country scene.

On Sunday, all eyes will ultimately be on the 31-year-old more than on the men. Last year she set a new record of 2:30:42 in Vienna, which she has since improved to a brilliant 2:26:43, which is also the Olympic time.

"The joy of running!"
She competes in race after race with "heart and soul", as she says. This is probably where her new trademark comes from. At the half marathon in the Prater this year and at her fantastic 10 km road record in Paris recently, she formed a heart with both hands as she crossed the finish line. Is this heart dedicated to someone personally? Julia says no. "I am simply expressing my joy. My joy in running, my joy in my successes." Is the heart planned or a spontaneous action? She admits: "I had already thought about it."

Place before time?
Whether she will also show this sign at the finish in Vienna on Sunday is still up in the air. It also depends on how the race goes, how close the finish will be and whether she has time for a heart-to-heart. "I have various scenarios in my head for the last 200, 300 m, depending on how the race goes," says Julia Mayer. She did say at the press conference: "It won't be my best time!" Let's wait and see. A lot depends on the wind and weather. She will therefore only make a final plan after the last weather forecasts on Saturday evening. At least she will start in the group running towards 2:26:50. But it all depends on how she feels - especially on the uphill towards Schönbrunn. Incidentally, she had only planned Paris as a test run for the Vienna City Marathon, but it still turned out to be a super record of 32:28. It is quite possible that a top place in Vienna will be her top priority this year.

"Step towards Paris"
She does not want the Vienna City Marathon to be a test for the Olympic Games. "It's simply another important step towards Paris." One day, she plans to be the best European in a really big race. As steeply as her career has climbed in recent years, this is a very realistic goal. She also says clearly: "I'm aiming for the top in the world."

Of course, she is delighted that her record-breaking runs have been so well received by the public and the media. She has done an enormous amount for running - and of course for herself and her sponsors. When she once switched from soccer to running ("I noticed that I was really fast in the fun runs and that it was really, really fun!"), she soon "put all her eggs in one basket" and became a professional runner. "A lot of people thought she was completely insane!" The madness has normalized. She has long been recognized.

Simply extremely popular
She also enjoys the fact that she then "sits in the TV studio as a runner and not as a footballer" and that she can inspire readers in various newspapers with her statements. "If I get 500 positive responses to an article in a forum, that's great." Postscript: "Then I've already made it!" A few recent scenes from the morning training session before the VCM press conference on the Prater Hauptallee are also very expressive. "Many people recognized me, as they often do, some cheered me on by name this morning, a few took selfies with me." Julia here, Julia there.

She is always open to the media, completely natural, never artificial. Always available. She enjoys talking about her training, her running, her goals, talking shop. That is her life. This fun should also carry her to the finish line on Sunday - despite the extreme exertion of the last few kilometers. Perhaps she will then form a heart again, her new trademark.

Mayer with fifth best time
Julia Mayer is currently in fifth place in the excellent women's field with her record of 2:26:43. Dolshi Tesfu (best time 2:20:40) from Eritrea had to cancel her planned start in Vienna due to visa problems. Belgium's Hanne Verbruggen (2:26:23) also withdrew her entry for Sunday at short notice.

This leaves Helalia Johannes from Namibia (2:19:52), Nazret Weldu from Eritrea (2:20:20), Shyline Torotich (2:22:45) and Revecca Tanui (both Kenya/2:23:09) at the top of the list of participants. A world-class quartet! Julia Mayer follows right behind as the best European.

ÖLV records by Julia Mayer (8):

5 km road race (1):
15:46 Vienna 03.10.2021

10 km road race (3):
32:54 Vienna 11.09.2021
32:49 Karlovac 10.06.2022
32:28 Paris 05.04.2024

Half marathon (2):
1:11:13 Málaga 24.04.2022
1:11:09 Barcelona 11.02.2024

Marathon (2):
2:30:42 Vienna 23.04.2023
2:26:43 Valencia 03.12.2023