FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Anja Scherl delivers fresh boost to Germany's hopes for distance success
The success of Anja Scherl in the Haspa Marathon Hamburg on Sunday is a
refreshing reminder that an athlete, by virtue of their own application,
support of those around them and ambition to represent their country, can
combine high level training with a full-time job to achieve results which
astonish even themselves.
By running 2:27:50 to finish third in Hamburg, Scherl took an astounding
8:41 off her previous best, set in the same race a year ago and made
herself a virtual certainty when the German selectors announce their
Olympic Marathon team for Rio in May. Her target beforehand had been to run
under 2:30 and put herself in contention for a team place, but her
performance on a day when strong winds made the latter stages far from easy
was a further revelation in a year of impressive progression.
Having improved her marathon times from Hamburg 2014 by just over 20
minutes, the 30 year old Scherl is fast making inroads on the German long
distance charts. The last time a German woman finished as high as third in
Hamburg was 2009 and that was the former European champion Ulrike Maisch
with the considerably slower time of 2:34:28.
Strong improvements in athletics can lead to suspicion these days, but the
story of Anja Scherl's rise points to commitment, ability and planning.
Working 40 hours a week in a software company alongside such high level
training demands skills of time management not only from Anja but her
partner and coach, Marco. They have clearly found the right balance. While
she can at times work from home, a regular working day entails getting up
at 0545 and finishing work by 1600 before training.
The goals this year have been twofold, securing a place in the half
marathon for the European Championships in Amsterdam in July, then
fulfilling her dream of the Olympic Marathon.
"Last year I ran the "B" standard in Cologne for a team place in the
European Championships but the competition is tough in Germany for team
places so I was determined to keep my place. My target of running in the
Europeans and wearing the national vest was my big dream, that was my
motivation."
She achieved that in style, benefitting from her first ever winter training
camp by running a personal best of 71:11 in Barcelona on February 14 this
year. This performance clearly indicated that a big improvement on her
2:36:31 from Hamburg last year was on the cards. She went with the early
fast pace this year, preferring as before not to have a designated male
pacemaker.
"Last year I found myself in a group which suited me in terms of pace so I
went with them. This time was similar, there was always support from
somewhere, a man would provide shelter from the wind. Sometimes I think
people are too fixated about having a pacemaker assigned to them. I think
it's important to listen to your body."
Such an approach is also the reality of championship marathons. Numerous
women are capable of clocking fast times with male pacemakers in big city
races, but some appear lost when faced by the reality of competition
without pacers.
Having made a breakthrough with her personal best for the half marathon in
Barcelona in February, the omens were good for a big improvement at the
marathon in Hamburg.
"The signs were there in the build-up, following my half marathon, but I
never imagined this kind of improvement."
Her time of 2:27:50 also makes Anja Scherl the second fastest European
woman in the marathon this year. She lacks nothing in incentive as she
returns home to Bayreuth in northern Bavaria to resume training. The trip
to Amsterdam for the European Championships is already booked but she'll
wait till the selection announcement before starting work on her Olympic
Marathon plans.
Germany's Arne Gabius has become a standard bearer for European marathon
running in the past two years, breaking the national record with 2:08:33 in
Frankfurt last October to give a strong indication that he could be a
leading finisher in the marathon in Rio. Now Anja Scherl has provided the
rest of Europe's women with another fine example.
More information is available at: www.haspa-marathon-hamburg.de
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