“A sense of satisfaction at the finish”

When Karl Aumayr crosses the finish line of the Salzburg Marathon tomorrow, not only will an important chapter in his sporting career come to an end, but also an important chapter in the history of the Salzburg Marathon. The day before his last competitive marathon, the local hero gave an exclusive interview to the Salzburg Marathon.

Salzburg Marathon: If we draw a bracket: In 2004 you ran your first marathon in Salzburg, 2015 will be your last - at least on a competitive level. What are your memories of your marathon debut eleven years ago?

Karl Aumayr: “I started out very naively back then, but I was still so surprised that it went quite well. I remember the unbelievable pain, but at the finish I said right away: I really want to run a marathon again. That's what I did and it was a huge enrichment for my life. Here I would like to quote Czech running legend Emil Zatopek, who said: “If you want to run, run a mile. If you want to change your life, run a marathon.” That was indeed a life-changing moment.”

You know the Salzburg Marathon better than almost anyone else. How has the event changed in eleven years?

"It is very impressive that the Salzburg Marathon has grown significantly, both in terms of the participants and the supporting program. Despite this growth, he has always kept the friendly and family atmosphere. In contrast to some other events, the Salzburg Marathon is not mass processing, where charity, ecology and integration, such as the Family Run - this year's integration run, are respected. The Salzburg Marathon has always preserved and even expanded this integrative idea and the idea of what is common, which sport has as a unifying element.”

How has Karl Aumayr changed since his first marathon?

“Coming back to Emil Zatopek, I actually experienced a change from my first marathon. I took an incredible number of things with me from the marathon that have integrated into my living environment. Running has made me humble. This youthful over-motivation to rip everything apart, which I still had during my first marathon, is no longer there, and yet through running I have learned to pursue goals intensively. And that is an enrichment for the whole of life.”

In winter you decided that the Salzburg Marathon 2015 will be your last marathon at a competitive level. What were the key reasons?

“First and foremost, I simply noticed that my family environment has given me incredible support over the years. Without the support of my wife and my family, it would not have been possible to do competitive sports in this form. There were many hardships, not only for me, but also for those around me. And because of that, I've decided now is the time to give something back to my family in the form of time spent with the people who matter most to me. In the future, I will use my energy to create a happy environment for myself so that the people I care about can be as happy as I am.”

The last marathon is something special, what goal do you have in mind?

“I have fewer sporting goals in mind, so I don't force myself to set a personal best, I really want to have a feeling of satisfaction at the finish line. I want to finish and think it was nice. I'm very confident that I'll get that feeling tomorrow, even if I don't set a best time or if I can't place at the front."

Do you feel a special anticipation or a special expectation because it is the last marathon?

"In addition to the normal marathon feelings, I feel a certain melancholy because I know that it will be the last competitive marathon, on the other hand I naturally feel great anticipation. I'm just looking forward to the starting gun, I'm happy that I can walk and that I can accelerate and I'm all the more looking forward to crossing the finish line, where I'll meet the very people I took this step for."

Let's outline the ideal case: You cross the finish line as a winner. How will it look inside you?

“Of course that would mean a lot to me, of course. Also because the people who are important to me would be there at this moment and would share it with them. I have had very nice experiences through running and if that actually worked out, it would be the perfect ending.”

It would also have been possible for you to run in Linz as the most promising candidate for the state championship title. Why did you choose the Salzburg Marathon?

"Because it's not about titles when I'm running, it's about the experience. Because for me the experience in Salzburg is unique. In my opinion, no other marathon can keep up. The family atmosphere, the sporting challenge and it was always clear to me that I want to run where it is most beautiful and that is the Salzburg Marathon."

I assume it won't be your very last marathon. Do you have any future plans for running?

“I will certainly scale down the training significantly and maybe do around 80 to 100 kilometers a week. And I would be extremely happy if I could start as a pacemaker in the future, for example for marathons under three hours. I think that would be a great thing, where I could stay connected to running and also give something back to him. I assume that I will be there in 2016, in whatever capacity.”