Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 64, November 2014 | Page 10

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organiser,
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also organised
let
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two local runners to
ran
show us the way, while
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being escorted through peak
ass
ado
hour traffic by two BMW’s. After my
r’s
massage I had to report to the Doping
Control Station with the rest of the elite
field, and the rest of the day was spent exploring
historic Berlin.

It was awesome to share my new marathon PB
with so many special people in my life.
– BY RENE KALMER

I

was over the moon when I got an invitation to be part of the
women’s elite field for the 41st BMW Berlin Marathon, and with BMW
and Adidas as the main sponsors of the race, I knew that we were
in for world class treatment. I was also very lucky that my boyfriend
Andre was able to join me – it is always great to have company at a
major event, and between Andre and my sister Christine, they know
exactly how to calm my nerves before a big race. Andre was also
under clear instructions not to judge my Candy Crush addiction prior
to the race...
We arrived in Berlin on Thursday morning and went for a little
shake-out run in the Tiergarten, a park close to the hotel, where
the marathon starts. The highlight of the day was spotting the Old
Mutual Two Oceans Marathon stand at the Race Expo and catching
up with Capetonians Stefanie Schultzen and Kathleen McQuaide.
Then on Friday my agent Brendan arranged for Kayoko Fukushi from
Japan and I to jog the last 10km of the route. Mark Milde, the race

ts
Rene with agen
endan.
Spencer and Br

10

Saying hi to Kath and
Stef at the Expo.

ISSUE 64 NOVEMBER 2014 / www.modernathlete.co.za

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Blo

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I was pretty much ‘under hotel arrest’ on Saturday and spent
the day with my feet up. Late afternoon we walked over to the
marathon start to support a thousand kids taking part in the mini
marathon and 8000 inline skaters taking part in the Skater-Marathon.
Back at the hotel it was time to decorate and prepare my special
drinks b