That was another race in Düsseldorf that felt almost like a home game for me, thanks to having family nearby. But this time, it was set to be a particularly memorable run for me, as I had one long-standing goal: to finish the half marathon in under two hours.
About the Race
Races in Düsseldorf are always easy for me to organize, thanks to my family in the area. There’s no need for a hotel, and there’s no stress around commuting or returning home after the event. My family usually drops us off at the starting line and picks us up afterward. After the run, we can head back to their place for a hot shower and a good meal. This makes for a relaxed and enjoyable day. For my wife and me, it’s the perfect setup since the logistical effort is minimal, and we get to combine a day of racing with a nice family visit.
Event and Organization
The Rhein City Run itself was impressively organized, as is essential for an event of this scale. The route took us over a half marathon distance from Düsseldorf’s city center to Duisburg – a route that was well-planned and professionally managed. Registration and bib collection went smoothly, the refreshment stations were well placed along the route, and the aftercare at the finish line was excellent. The organizers, who made this possible, deserve a lot of credit because managing such a large event requires careful planning to ensure thousands of runners have a safe and well-supported experience.
However, there was a bottleneck shortly after the start that became problematic. Unfortunately, not every runner showed the necessary consideration there. My wife suffered an injury when someone carelessly stepped on her ankle. A few kilometers later, she had to drop out of the race because the pain became too much. This dampened the mood a bit, and I hope that in the future, more precautions will be taken at such bottlenecks to avoid these incidents.
The Course
The course itself, though, was a pleasure. We started at Robert-Lehr-Ufer and ran the first 14 kilometers directly along the Rhine, upstream toward Duisburg. The path offered stunning views of the river, and with the sunny weather, the nature surrounding the route was a real highlight. After kilometer 14, we moved onto field paths, running through rural landscapes – a perfect blend of urban and natural scenery that made the run a joy. The course was pleasantly flat, allowing me to keep a faster pace than usual.
I managed to maintain my pace until around kilometer 18, but then I began to slow down, and my legs started to feel heavy. Yet, a glance at my watch gave me renewed motivation: the goal of finishing in under two hours was within reach! Even an untied shoelace at kilometer 20 couldn’t deter me. I thought: either I trip over the lace, or I cross the finish line under that magic two-hour mark! On the last stretch, I realized that I would just make it. I crossed the finish line with a time of 1 hour, 59 minutes, and 18 seconds.
Conclusion
This race will stay with me for a long time. The joy of finally breaking the two-hour mark after many half marathons just over that time was exhilarating. The course itself was beautiful and encouraged a faster pace. The views of the Rhine and the varied landscape made the race special. Although my wife’s injury was a downside, this half marathon will always be memorable for me – if only for the untied shoelace and those final seconds that helped me achieve my goal.
