RunAbroad.com has been running for a while a "Interview with a runner" column and we would like to add this year a "Interview with a race director". The first guest is Reto Schorno, the CEO of the Lucerne Marathon, one of the major running events in Switzerland.

Tell us something about the race we cannot find on the homepage of the event.
This years race on 30st of october will be the 5th edition. Even this is not yet a big birthday to celebrate, we're planning a few things to surprise everyone…

Do you have a favourite mile? Have you run the race yourself in the past?
My favourite mile is running along the waterside of Lucerne, starting at the museum of transport, enjoying the beautiful panorama of the alps in the background, passing the world famous chapelbridge, turning at the KKL Luzern and running back. Due to my achilles tendon rupture am not able to run at the moment… As CEO of the race, I do not have the time to run myself the Lucerne Marathon.

Apart from a pair of shoes and a smile, what would you like runners to bring to the race?
Runners should bring time to enjoy a day or two the most beautiful town in Switzerland. There's a lot more to do, see and experience in Lucerne than running!

Some numbers: how many people are involved in the organization of the Lucerne Marathon? How many runners do you expect for the next edition? How many from abroad?

There are 8 people in the steering comitee of the Lucerne Marathon, 3 full time employees in our office the whole year, about 45 members of the organising comitee and over 850 volunteers on the marathon days from friday to monday end of October. We're expecting 2500 marathon and 6000 halfmarathon runners at the start, thereof 10% from over 40 foreign countries.

What is your favourite race (excluding the ones you organize)?
My favourite race is the Stockholm Marathon, even if I've never run it before. As Lucerne, Stockholm is not just the marathon (also a 2 lap course along the waterside), but a lot more and is worth the journey and spend some days extra to explore the extraordinary city.

Read other 'interviews with a race director'.