FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

       Günther Weidlinger Commits Early to BMW Frankfurt Marathon 2011,
                 an IAAF Gold Label Race Once Again

Little more than six weeks after a phenomenal event organisers of the BMW 
Frankfurt Marathon have already made a major signing for their next race: 
Austria's Günther Weidlinger, one of Europe's most promising marathon 
runners, has commited early to the BMW Frankfurt Marathon, which will see 
its 30th edition on 30th October 2011. Additionally the organisers 
announced that for 2011 they have again been awarded with the Gold Label 
for Road Races by the International Association of Athletics Federations 
(IAAF). 

This year's event saw both course records being smashed. While Kenya's 
Wilson Kipsang clocked an outstanding time of 2:04:57, the tenth fastest 
ever run, his fellow Kenyan Caroline Kilel won in 2:23:25. Additionally the 
number of finishers was a record as well: 9,558 crossed the line in the 
indoor finish of the, Festhalle'. In 2011 organisers hope to record more 
than 10,000 finishers for the first time in the history of Germany's oldest 
city marathon. Such is the development of the race that the BMW Frankfurt 
Marathon is the only German road race besides the BMW Berlin Marathon that 
boosts an IAAF Gold Label. Online entry is now available at: 
www.frankfurt-marathon.com

It is the quality of the organisation, the very strong field, the fast 
course plus the spectacular atmosphere that made Günther Weidlinger decide 
so early where to run next autumn. "I know what I get in Frankfurt and I am 
looking very forward to it. It is a great race with an amazing crowd 
support, it has a tremendously deep elite field and I can be sure that 
pacemaking will be arranged in a perfect way for me," said Günther 
Weidlinger, who had improved the national record to 2:10:47 when running 
his second marathon in Frankfurt in 2009. This year has been less 
successful for the 32 year-old: In Vienna he suffered of an injury and had 
to be content with 12th place in 2:14:05; then he could not cope with the 
tremendous heat in Barcelona during the European Championships' marathon, 
where he came in 18th with 2:23:37. 

In 2011 Günther Weidlinger intends to qualify for the Olympic Marathon and 
he is eager to clearly improve his personal best. "If I should not be able 
to break 2:10 in Düsseldorf in spring then this will be my goal for 
Frankfurt. I know that I can do clearly better on that course than in 2009. 
If I should manage to go sub 2:10 already in May, then I would take a more 
risky approach in Frankfurt and try to run really fast," said the former 
world-class steeplechaser. 

"For me it is important to know well in advance where I will run my major 
races. This helps me to motivate myself in training. Now I know what I am 
working for," explained Günther Weidlinger, why he had agreed to come back 
to Frankfurt at such an early stage. "Additionally I have such great 
memories of my 2009 race in Frankfurt that I always wanted to run there 
again."

For more information: www.frankfurt-marathon.com

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