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Countdown - 36 days to go - 40.000 people on around 400m - the start area

2012-08-25

One of the most sensitive areas of the BMW BERLIN MARATHON is the starting area, not only because of the large number of people who walk around there. To reduce the confusion at the start, the runners are assigned based on their previous marathon times into different starting blocks, which are located between the starting line and post finish area. The block entrances and block boundaries are controlled by volunteers to avoid switching between the blocks, and they also observe the skaters to wear helmets.

A particularly sensitive area is the so-called pre-start between the Victory Column and the start line. In this area, on the one hand television and press are working, on the other hand the top skaters are warming-up here on Saturday and the wheelchairs and handbiker on Sunday. In addition, this is the entrance for the top runners to the start area. About 220 volunteers on Saturday and about 270 on Sunday help with their commitment to reduce the mess in the start area to a minimum, and are supported by the extensive signage of the Tiergarten area, which is used to guide the 40.000 runners.

In advance, all volunteers have to be signed, kit and meals has to be ordered. In addition, all the other utensils for the start area such as garbage bags, tents, tables and chairs, balloons, the starting gate, the podium for the warm-up performance have to be ordered. The working day begins on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. with the readout of the volunteer kit and a team meeting. On Sunday then, the day starts fairly early for the hardworking crew at 6:30 a.m. . As in many departments, the preparations for the big day begin in the summer.

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