Lars_Kegler_Bienwald-Marathon_Kandel_2026_preview Firefighter Lars Kegler from Speyer set a new world record over the half marathon distance while wearing breathing apparatus on 08 March 2026 in Kandel (Germany), where nearly 2200 runners participated in the 51st International Bienwald Marathon and the 48th National Half Marathon.

After using five cylinders, which his support team carried in a cargo bike, he finished in 1:35:26.

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Media: https://www.runnersworld.de/news-fotos/bienwald-marathon-kandel-2026/

The race started at nine degrees Celsius. The thermometer climbed by around ten degrees Celsius during the race, and numerous runners reached the finish line in pleasant temperatures. Consequently, the half-marathon distance became a race for personal bests.

The previous world half marathon record while breathing through a SCBA respirator was achieved by Scott Butler in Maidenhead, UK, on 3 September 2017, where the firefighter ran the distance in 2:21.27.