Praise for management duo

Vienna Marathon: Innovations, after-party & records

The new management duo Kathrin Widu and Dominik Konrad

(Bild: VCM / Jenia Symonds)

Did dad praise you? "Yes, but not just me, but our whole team. He's proud of us!" Dominik Konrad answered this question. Background: Dominik has been the sole managing director of the Vienna City Marathon together with Kathrin Widu since this year and is therefore the successor to Wolfgang Konrad, Austria's "Mister Marathon" for decades. So, if the father is happy, everything must have gone smoothly ...

And everything was great! The 41st Vienna City Marathon went off without a hitch. Full of incredible emotions. 42,625 runners were registered in a total of seven events. With 37,354 finishers, the previous record of 36,354 (2017) was even surpassed. All runners were particularly pleased with the improved organization of the finish line. One of the small points that the new management duo has refined. In general, the team of 14 professional employees is perfectly coordinated, as Wolfgang Konrad, who retired at the beginning of the year, has done an excellent job in recent times, which has been recognized worldwide. "But there is always room for improvement," say Kathrin Widu and Dominik Konrad in unison. One focus this year was to create a better atmosphere along the route.

Own Marathin fanfare
"That worked out. The entertainment was certainly better than in previous years, we had more street musicians along the route this year. The atmosphere was definitely better than before," Kathrin Widu was certain. At the Lusthaus, a critical point for the runners, the route was soundtracked with a branding put together by the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. The plan for next year is for the symphony orchestra to compose its own marathon fanfare. Widu: "There were obviously more fans along the route than in previous years!"

(Bild: APA/EVA MANHART)

Of course, there are no exact figures, but around 300,000 spectators are rumored. Race director Hannes Langer, who publishes the specialist magazine "RunUp" in Salzburg, even corrected a negative image of Vienna: "The Viennese are incredibly friendly, something must have happened there in recent years. They are so nice, so warm, enthusiastically cheering on the runners. There was nothing but a friendly atmosphere." Mayor Michael Ludwig will be pleased to hear this ...

"They're just trouble shooters"
So a few things were already new this year in the new "regency". "We still have lots of ideas in the drawer," said Dominik Konrad, "a little bit more every year. Everything in its own time!" During the marathon weekend, he and Kathrin Widu were actually just "trouble shooters" because the team is perfectly coordinated. However, neither of them had to intervene decisively.

Great atmosphere at the after-party

(Bild: VCM Michael Kvick)

"Trust the team blindly!"
Wolfgang Konrad was also an onlooker, only making an appearance in the VIP area. He kept a totally low profile and no longer interfered. "I can trust my successors blindly." He had offered Kathrin Widu and his son all possible help in the event of unexpected events. "It's good to have this back-up," says Kathrin Widu. But the new management duo did not have to take her up on this offer. She herself also said that she had "no sleepless nights" because of the marathon. "I always sleep well." During the day, however, a thousand things went through her head. Dominik Konrad, however, always has sleepless nights. The reason is not the marathon, but his almost two-year-old twins ...

After-party for the first time
One or two marathon heroes didn't have a sleepless night either. An after-party was held for the first time, initiated by young members of the VCM team, who are also responsible for the excellent social media presence. The party went down well, with the winners Chala Regasa and Nazret Weldu as well as the two best Austrians, Mario Bauernfeind and Julia Mayer, in attendance. There was even some wild dancing. Bauernfeind: "I didn't sleep much, the emotions were too high. I also have sore muscles." From running, not from dancing.

At the party: Mario Bauernfeind, Julia Mayer and Timo Hinterdorfer

(Bild: VCM Michael Kvick)

The exact numbers
As always, the VCM announced the exact numbers of registered participants and finishers the day after the big marathon weekend. Here they are:

• Total for all seven events: 42,625 participants registered, 37,633 finishers
• Marathon: 10,024 registered/7455 finishers
• Half marathon: 13,015 registered/12,235 finishers (*)
• Relay: 12,012 registered/11,536 finishers
• 5 km: 3374 registered/2790 finishers
• 1600 m (children's run): 1429 registered/1730 finishers
• 800 m (children's run): 2082 registered/1180 finishers
• Inclusion: 689 registered/689 finishers
  
  (*) The finishers in the half marathon also include those runners who were registered for the marathon but only ran half the distance to the finish.

Room for improvement
The three competitions on Sunday (marathon, half marathon, relay marathon) are pretty much at the limit, but there is still room for improvement in the Saturday competitions. The 5 km road race in particular, which produced sensational races this year, can cope with significantly more than the 3374 runners registered this year. The attractive course on the Ring can easily accommodate 5000 to 7000 runners. Perhaps as early as next year, when the marathon weekend takes place on April 5/6, 2025. Two weeks before Easter is certainly a favorable date!