Hannover, Germany has been a happy hunting ground for popular Eastern Cape marathon runner, Lusapho April.
April has won the Hannover Marathon on three occasions, in 2011, 2013 and 2016.
In 2013 he set a new course record of 2:08:32, which still stands today and also remains April's all time personal best.
Between those marathon wins, he also had two outings at the New York City Marathon, one of which delivered a very good third against a strong field, also in 2013. April, who turns 35 on May 24, will be up against some stiff opposition as he attempts to win the marathon for an unprecedented fourth time.
Achieving such feats at local club races across the land is most a fairly frequent occurrence, but doing so internationally is something quite different.
Even though Hannover is not one of the big city races, it nonetheless has a good reputation and on the same day the city will be hosting the German Half-marathon Championships.
April and his long-time coach Karen Zimmerman, will have spent many hours in the planning of chasing a fourth win and on their side will be course knowledge and the fact that April is something of a folk hero in the German city.
While that counts in his favour, it also means that he is the man all other contestants will have in their sights and is the man they all know they must and will be focused to beat.
The opposition comes in the form of the German marathon record holder, Arne Gabius and three Kenyans, Phlip Kimutai, Nicholas Kamakya and Cheshai Jacob, who won the race in 2015.
Gabius, 35, set the German record in 2014 when he ran 2:08:33 in Frankfurt.
That is just one second slower than April's record.
That should indicate a close race between the two.
However, April will be aware that Gabius is coming back from a long-term pelvic injury and had problems for much of last year, dropping out of both the London Marathon and the Olympic Marathon in Brazil.
Gabius is quoted as saying that he has chosen Hannover over London because he is looking at easing back into racing over 42.2km and is looking for a 2:10 in order to qualify for the World Championships in London later this year.
The truth is that he will not win a major marathon, but he may win this one closer to home.
April will be aware of all this and while taking Gabius seriously, he is unlikely to be too troubled at the contest.
The same cannot be said of the three-pronged Kenyan attack. Whilst the three are not the fastest from Kenya, they are certainly no slouches either.
Kimutai, who is 34, has a personal best of 2:06:07, though that was run back in 2011 when he finished fourth in Frankfurt. He knows German conditions, but does he know how to win, will be the question April may well ask.
Kamakya, a 32 year old, ran 2:06:34 in Amsterdam in 2011, while the youngest of the favourites is 28-year-old Jacob who has a 2:07:46 to his name at the Frankfort Marathon. He ran a 2:09:24 marathon in Barcelona last month, which is in April's favour. So whilst the Kenyans are to be taken seriously especially if they hunt as a pack, April will know that on a good day he can beat any of them.
Kamakya is the fastest of all five of the pre-race favourites over the half-marathon distance, but that too was back in 2009 when he clocked 60:09.
The verdict, therefore, is surely that this is anyone's race.
Locals, both in Hannover and the Eastern Cape, will probably be a tad biased towards an April victory.
April eyes history in Hannover
April has won the Hannover Marathon on three occasions, in 2011, 2013 and 2016.
In 2013 he set a new course record of 2:08:32, which still stands today and also remains April's all time personal best.
Between those marathon wins, he also had two outings at the New York City Marathon, one of which delivered a very good third against a strong field, also in 2013. April, who turns 35 on May 24, will be up against some stiff opposition as he attempts to win the marathon for an unprecedented fourth time.
Achieving such feats at local club races across the land is most a fairly frequent occurrence, but doing so internationally is something quite different.
Even though Hannover is not one of the big city races, it nonetheless has a good reputation and on the same day the city will be hosting the German Half-marathon Championships.
April and his long-time coach Karen Zimmerman, will have spent many hours in the planning of chasing a fourth win and on their side will be course knowledge and the fact that April is something of a folk hero in the German city.
While that counts in his favour, it also means that he is the man all other contestants will have in their sights and is the man they all know they must and will be focused to beat.
The opposition comes in the form of the German marathon record holder, Arne Gabius and three Kenyans, Phlip Kimutai, Nicholas Kamakya and Cheshai Jacob, who won the race in 2015.
Gabius, 35, set the German record in 2014 when he ran 2:08:33 in Frankfurt.
That is just one second slower than April's record.
That should indicate a close race between the two.
However, April will be aware that Gabius is coming back from a long-term pelvic injury and had problems for much of last year, dropping out of both the London Marathon and the Olympic Marathon in Brazil.
Gabius is quoted as saying that he has chosen Hannover over London because he is looking at easing back into racing over 42.2km and is looking for a 2:10 in order to qualify for the World Championships in London later this year.
The truth is that he will not win a major marathon, but he may win this one closer to home.
April will be aware of all this and while taking Gabius seriously, he is unlikely to be too troubled at the contest.
The same cannot be said of the three-pronged Kenyan attack. Whilst the three are not the fastest from Kenya, they are certainly no slouches either.
Kimutai, who is 34, has a personal best of 2:06:07, though that was run back in 2011 when he finished fourth in Frankfurt. He knows German conditions, but does he know how to win, will be the question April may well ask.
Kamakya, a 32 year old, ran 2:06:34 in Amsterdam in 2011, while the youngest of the favourites is 28-year-old Jacob who has a 2:07:46 to his name at the Frankfort Marathon. He ran a 2:09:24 marathon in Barcelona last month, which is in April's favour. So whilst the Kenyans are to be taken seriously especially if they hunt as a pack, April will know that on a good day he can beat any of them.
Kamakya is the fastest of all five of the pre-race favourites over the half-marathon distance, but that too was back in 2009 when he clocked 60:09.
The verdict, therefore, is surely that this is anyone's race.
Locals, both in Hannover and the Eastern Cape, will probably be a tad biased towards an April victory.
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