"A marathon is only over when you have completed 42.2 kilometers!"

Karl Aumayr finished fourth in the Salzburg Marathon on Sunday as the best man from Salzburg. The 2012 national champion was just a good two and a half minutes slower than the winner Edwin Kemboi, who, as the big favorite, also won this year's national championship title. Three days after the successful performance at his home race, Aumayr draws a positive balance.

With the distance of three days to the Salzburg Marathon: How do you rate your performance?
Karl Aumayr: “I'm quite happy considering the circumstances, even though I ended up beating my personal best. It was a great experience at a great event. It's always wonderful to be at the start in Salzburg."

What role did Hellbrunner Allee play on Sunday?
“The Hellbrunner Allee was of course particularly exciting because the grip was not there due to the wet and cold conditions. It took a lot of strength but you can't blame her if you didn't have a good time. It wasn't decisive for the race!”

Right after the race you said you started with the motto "all or nothing". At what point did you change your tactics?
“When I was able to pull away from Robert Gruber and was about a minute ahead of him, I decided that I wanted to secure my position. In addition, I was alone on the second lap.”

Apart from the sporting ambition, how did you experience the Salzburg Marathon?
"It's a great track! I can't think of a course where you can run a marathon or half marathon that's so flat and so fast. It is sporty and attractive and can be combined with real sightseeing, especially thanks to the hotspots in the city centre. In addition to many highlights, the participants get a perfect change with quiet sections of the track.”

Looking at the pictures of the winner Edwin Kemboi crossing the finish line, how do you explain it? After all, Kemboi is not a newcomer…
“This shows that running a marathon is difficult and it shows that mistakes can happen even with a lot of experience. A marathon is only over when you have completed 42.2 kilometers! What we can all learn from this is that you should never underestimate a marathon.”

How does your regeneration phase look like after the Salzburg Marathon and what sporting goals will you still be tackling this year?
“I feel very good and hardly feel any after-effects from Sunday. In the coming days I will start jogging again, just for fun. And in 2-3 weeks I'll get back into full training. In summer I will take part in a few smaller competitions, the highlight for me in autumn will be the amateur run, where the state championships in the half marathon will be held.”