Refusing to be intimidated, American
runner will wear the colors at Berlin
By Rick Scavetta,
Stars and Stripes
BERLIN — When runners bolt from the starting line of the Berlin Marathon on
Sunday, Joel Lammers’ star-spangled shorts will no doubt stand out among the crowd.
Along with his wife, Sandy, Lammers is among the few Americans taking part in the 28th
running of the race in Germany’s capital city, which planners almost canceled
following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the United States.
But Lammers’ patriotic leggings — and the small American flag he’ll
carry — show the world that Americans can overcome the tragedy, he said Saturday
after registering for his race number.
"For me, it says that we’re not scared," Lammers said. "We’re
not going to be intimidated."
Runners often wear something bizarre to attract support from spectators. In the Chicago
Marathon, Lammers donned a yellow wig to get their attention. Although he planned to wear
U.S. emblems regardless of the terrorist attacks, Lammers said he might draw more
attention now.
"I think I’ll get a lot of people cheering," he said.
Five days after terrorists’ attacks, the couple from Oconomowoc, Wis., boarded a
plane to Germany, with vacation plans that included a stop at Oktoberfest in Munich and a
26-mile run through Berlin.
Getting on the plane was the worst part, Sandy Lammers said.
"I was freaking out a little," she said.
More than 36,000 runners from 85 countries have signed up for the race, which starts at
the Charlottenburg gate, winds through much of Berlin and passes several historical
landmarks. One of the most famous, the Brandenburg Gate, is under renovation so runners
can pass through only three of its five archways.
Organizers have asked runners to wear black ribbons to honor the victims of the
attacks. Participants will start their run under a large banner with the symbol of the
Berlin Marathon, the New York Marathon and the slogan "United We Run."
Organizers have also set up a charity for New York City firefighters and their
families. Berlin race organizer Horst Milde said the donations are a "way to express
thanks to the Americans who protected Berlin for such a long time in the Cold War."
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