Wiener has 90 countries:

“We collect marathons like other soccer picks”

These two Mexicans were one of the eye-catchers at last year's Vienna City Marathon. This year, runners from 146 nations will be taking part. Many of them will also collect country points.(Bild: Matthias Mödl)

The elite field makes the sporting headlines at the Vienna City Marathon every year. But there are also wonderful stories among the amateur runners. Like that of Anton Reiter from Vienna, who collects marathons like soccer picks and has run in 90 countries.

Anton Reiter ran his first marathon 23 years ago. Sunday will be his 469th (!) in Vienna. The native of East Tyrol smiles: "You could say that I've pretty much fallen into the sport." The former top civil servant is also a member of the Country Marathon Club: "Everyone who is part of this club collects marathons and countries like other soccer picks." Reiter currently holds 90 countries.

Anton Reiter ran marathons in Guyana, Suriname and French Guyana in March.(Bild: Zur Verfügung gestellt)

Start at 3 o'clock in the morning
In February, the 70-year-old ran in Doha, Tanzania and Kuwait. From March 11 to 18, the passionate sportsman took part in a tour of South America. The English travel agency Go4Adventures offered three marathons in six days, first Guyana, then Suriname and finally French Guiana. Due to the tropical heat and high humidity, the start time was sometimes as early as 3am. Reiter smiles: "A real collector is pretty pain-free."

Reiter keeps all the marathon medals.(Bild: Zur Verfügung gestellt)

Long since a major economic factor
Also in terms of finances. The basic costs for the trip amounted to 2500 euros. But that didn't even include the travel expenses. The extreme sportsman, who lives in Vienna, says: "Marathon tourism has long since become a major economic factor."

Members of the Marathon Country Club: Deborah Lazerson from San Diego (center), Anton Reiter (right) and the Swiss Alex Scherz.(Bild: Zur Verfügung gestellt)

US runner scores 100th marathon country point in Vienna
Deborah Lazerson from San Diego was also in South America. The runner from California will also be competing in the Vienna City Marathon on Sunday and celebrating a special anniversary - her 100th "country point". This puts her in 16th place in the club ranking, with the US American Brent Weigner in the lead with an incredible 196 countries ahead of the German Klaus Westphal (171 countries).