The blue line has been drawn

Some thought the convoy was a demonstration, others thought road markings were being renewed – but most residents and pub-goers knew: the blue marathon line had been brought back onto Münster’s streets. “We had to drive around a few construction sites, so the line is not quite ideal if the construction site has disappeared by marathon day," said the painter, who spent the 42.195 kilometers crouched down on his self-made trailer to spray the paint onto the road.

As early as sunrise, the first runners could be seen happily running along the line or taking photos of it. In the sunlight, the bright blue shines with a very special glow, even if the blue brand color of the sponsor Volksbank is not quite right. But it doesn’t have to be, because the color of the line has to be different from the colors officially used in road traffic.

The convoy, consisting of three vehicles and a handful of cyclists, set off punctually at 9pm and bravely held out for the entire route. “They supported us very well when barriers had to be moved to the side and then later back again,” said Jürgen Sieme happily, thanking those who spontaneously helped. Somewhat irritated drivers received friendly advice from the police when the convoy had to drive in the opposite direction through roundabouts, but they also understood the situation. Accompanied by spontaneous applause from some marathon fans, but also local residents taking photos, they reached the finish line almost in record time at around 11.30pm. “The winner in just under 1½ weeks’ time will be even faster than us,” grinned the painter Michael and his driver after 2:30 hours of driving without any significant breaks. Around 60 kilograms of paint were used to show the runners the way, but also to signal to residents where the marathon route runs.

“Now the marathon begins,” said one runner this morning, looking forward to the 42.195 kilometers. With all the preparation, the successful finish of this long route is ultimately decided in the mind – and a decisive point is the blue line, which helps runners look forward to the marathon.