Race Date: Sunday 14th May 2017

The BIG 25 Berlin race has been contested since 1981 and was the first big city road race to be staged in the country. The 2017 staging of the race welcomed a small contingent from Sheffield in the field of just over four thousand, in the form of Richard Pegg, Nicole Nield and Ian Stinson of Steel City Striders, and Ian’s wife Jen, of Totley AC. Richard gives an account of the experience in his own words:

“Each May there is a great set of races in Berlin. Four events take place on the same Sunday. The 25k, half marathon, 10k and 5 x 5 relay. The organisation is excellent. The route is well laid out. The finish is in the Olympic stadium with free beer in the athletes village. To top it all there is also an Olympic swimming pool open on the day of the run. It was probably too hot to run and proved a tough challenge. That said we would all like to run it again. I for one will be back next Year!”

The 25k was won in a time of 1:23:12 by Mustapha El Ouartassy of 1VfL Fortuna Marzahn, and the first lady home was Lonah Chemtai Korlima of Maccabi Tel Aviv in 1:28:46. Striders results are given below. Well done to all!