"The Wurttemberg Athletics Association has asked us whether the championships could be held here," explains Corinna Zürn of the ebm-papst organization team. "We think it is a great thing." All half marathon runners will start together. To participate in the championships, runners need a start licence. For all other participants, however, everything remains the same. But one thing is for sure: It's going to be a fast half marathon. A lonely start-finish victory is unlikely, as the championship runners will spur each other on and pull the field. A strong team from TSG Heilbronn can be expected, led by Isabel Leibfried and Bettina Englisch, the four-time half-marathon series winner at the ebm-papst Marathon. The Heilbronn men's team around Pascal Schäfer, Holger Freudenberger and Markus Häcker is also likely to perform strongly again. This could well exceed last year's winning times. Englisch took 1:20,57 hours. She was almost ten minutes ahead of second-placed Monica Ujevic. If Leibfried is in good form, she can be rated even a little higher than her teammate. Michael Chalupsky from Heidelberg won the men's competition in 1:13.49 hours. A time that lies in the range of Häcker's best performance. Freudenberger has already run under 1:10 hours over the 21 kilometres. Seven years ago he mastered the half marathon distance in Griesheim in 1:07.49 hours. The first starting shot, however, will already be fired on Sunday at 8.30 a.m. when marathon and duo marathon runners start the race. At 9.05 a.m. the run over ten kilometres begins. There are no official championships in the two disciplines. Jacob Heink from Künzelsau and Florian Röser duelled over the ten kilometres last year. In the end, the man from Constance won in 31:03 minutes. Heike Volkert (Sachsenheim) was fastest of the women (39:47 minutes). Martin Schwab from Adelshofen won the marathon in 2017. With 2:47,42 hours he was 13 minutes slower than record winner Kay-Uwe Müller (TSG Schwäbisch Hall/Ilshofen) with his 2:34,51 hours the year before. On the hilly tour through the vineyards, the 42 kilometres are less about hunting for the best times anyway. This year again, the ebm-papst Marathon is part of the National Handbike Circuit (NHC). The handbikers start at 2 pm on the track, which is 42 kilometres long. Patrick Gabriel needed 1:00.59 hours for this last year. Inline skaters have also been an integral part of the ebm-papst marathon program for many years. For some participants the event is the penultimate run of the Baden-Wurttemberg Inline Cup. Yannick Friedli is currently leading the overall standings, with Silvano Veraguth in second place. Michaela Geppert leads the women's field ahead of Selena Valitutto. Geppert won last year's 25-kilometer race in Niedernhall in 40:04 minutes. A lot of information about the event is already available and increasingly on the Internet on the days of the event at www.ebmpapst-Marathon.deand on Facebook ( http://www.fb.com/ebmpapstMarathon).