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Amongst the many road races scheduled for this early Spring weekend, there are two half-marathons on both sides of the Atlantic to watch for, each playing a different role in the running marketplace.
In Berlin, Germany, the massive Vattenfall Berliner Halbmarathon will be held for the 28th time and boasts over 20,000 entrants, according to race director Mark Milde. The field is also packed with top talent, led by 2007 IAAF World Half-Marathon Championships silver medalist, Patrick Makau of Kenya. Makau, with a personal best of 58:56, is one of two athletes entered with a sub-one hour personal best. The other is compatriot Joseph Maregu who has a 59:45 to his credit. Jonathan Maiyo (1:00:10), William Todoo (1:00:12), Isaac Macharia (1:00:48) and Eshetu Wondimu have all broken the 61 minute barrier and should also be in contention for the podium.
On the women's side in Berlin Peninah Arusei of Kenya is the fastest entrant with a 1:09:23 personal best. Next is compatriot Pauline Wangui (1:09:49), then Mexican Dulce Maria Rodriguez (1:10:30). The top German entrant is Claudia Dreher (1:11:57).
Thousands of kilometers to the west, in the small U.S. state of Connecticut, a good regional half-marathon will be held in the city of Danbury. It's the 4th Annual Stratton Faxon Greater Danbury Half-Marathon. Good regional athletes like Kenya's Stephen Chemlany and Ethiopia's Demesse Tefera, will challenge for the $1000 first prize on the men's side, while Argentina's Claudia Camargo (who lives in Danbury) and Ethiopians Firehiwot Tesfaye and Abeba Tola (who live in New York City), will compete for the win on the women's side.
This weekend is packed with quality road races; the Race Results Weekly calendar lists 23 top events world-wide.
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