Tips for Running the Berlin Marathon
Berlin was my first international (i.e., significant time change) marathon. I was stressed about the 8-hour time difference, food, and weather. Also, this was my family’s first post-COVID European trip and I had no idea how my 2- and 4-year-olds would fare. Here are my takeaways and info I would have found useful ahead of time:
Ease into the time change: we arrived in Europe 7 days before the race. This gave us plenty of time to adjust to unfamiliar beds and an 8-hour time difference. I suppose another strategy would have been to run the race right away since I never sleep well the night before a race, but that would have been brutal for my little kids who enjoyed being part of the festivities.
Rest your legs! Hopefully this is obvious, but is mentally tough when you’re in a new and exciting city. Usually I have to resist the urge to pack as many activities into a day as possible when I am traveling, however; that just isn’t realistic with young kids, which is perfect for marathon prep. In this way, traveling with young kids and marathon running are a perfect combo. In the days before the race, we targeted a couple of sites to see and rode public transportation as much as possible. We also took advantage of the “Bambini” race that happened the day before the marathon. I HIGHLY recommend this activity for kids. My daughters had a blast participating and felt like they were part of the weekend celebration. The organizers really went all-out + I love the Bambini motto: “Kids love to move”
Scooter to the Start – Months before the race, I booked a hotel as close to the start as possible. However, the race begins near Tiergarten and requires navigation around the official race fencing, which was nearly 2 miles. One of my greatest strokes of luck on race morning was a couple I met as I exited my hotel. They were jumping on scooters to get to the start line, and there just happened to be a third free scooter waiting for me! I don’t think I would have considered this option on my own, and it was brilliant (I ended up scootering back to my hotel at the end of the race too, which was a lifesaver as I started to get extremely cold and could barely move my legs).
Research the coveted Port-a-Potty – the starting area was packed, and I found it a bit confusing. When I asked for the toilets, I was pointed to what I assumed was the last toilet option before lining up for the start. I waited in line for an hour and didn’t get close. I abandoned the line and crossed my fingers I’d come upon another. Sure enough there was a smaller bank of toilets closer to the start that I was able to use, but I missed my start time. Missing my start time wasn’t generally a problem except related to the next point…
Game Day Fuel – I am used to 4am wake-up calls for marathons. My start time for Berlin wasn’t until 9:30. In retrospect, I was perhaps a bit too leisurely with my morning. I got out of bed at 7am, ate a light breakfast, and left the hotel around 8am. After missing my start time because of the bathroom situation, I couldn’t line up until the 10:05am block. I remember thinking as the gun went off that I already felt ready for lunch. I ate more Cliff Blochs on the course than my stomach was prepared for and sampled the “tea” they were offering as a mid-race refreshment. Sampling race offerings is part of the experience, but these two things left me with a bit of tummy trouble, and I found myself stopping to use port-a-pottys twice during the race (which I have never done before!). Perhaps this was unavoidable, but if I do Berlin again, I will plan a different food strategy. Side note: four vegan faves in Berlin included carbo loading at Good Morning Vietnam, pizza from La Stella Nera, donuts from Brammibal’s, and a celebration dinner at the very special FREA (do yourself a favor and get a reservation!).
Prepare for the masses – I was so excited for the marathon, and so were the other 44,000k+ runners and their families. The late start time coupled with no transportation to the start (as opposed to New York, for example, where you ferry and/or bus to the start), meant crowds were intense. From the hotel breakfast area, streets leading to the start, and the course itself, I’ve never experienced such a crowded race. I found myself darting in and out of runners for many parts of the race, which was an extra challenge for my legs. I had a blast chatting with other runners’ pre-race and was really energized by how well-supported the race is with sponsors, bands, cheerleaders and the community out on the streets creating a city-wide party. Taking part is a privilege and incredibly humbling!
The end is not the end. I knew this was coming, but psychologically, I did not fully process it until experiencing it. Once you turn the corner and see the Brandenburg Gate, you can taste the end. However, the actual finish line is about 800 meters past Brandenburg, which, mentally, felt like an eternity. Again, I had been warned, but it amazed me that such as relatively small distance could feel so challenging.
There you have it! I’ve now completed 2 of the 6 world majors. Each one brings an incredible experience!
