10/06/2026
2026 Berlin Marathon. Long distance endurance racing is a special kind of racing. After months of training you show up on race day with high expectations but realistic that many variables are still ahead.
Some races feel magical from the start, like you’re floating to the finish. Others require that you work for every mile. And then sometimes you find yourself in a combination of the two.
That was exactly how Berlin felt. The first 10 miles flew by, like I was floating over the pavement, pulled along by the thousands of runners alongside me. And then the variables started popping up.
The calf injury that sidelined much of my final month of training began screaming for attention. A few more miles in and the calf quieted as my attention shifted to the cramping in my quads.
With no electrolytes on the course, there was little I could do except drink more water and put one foot in front of the other. And that’s what I did. For the next 14 miles. To a 3:17 finish.
I know I was capable of more. But sometimes the variables control the finish. No electrolytes. New shoes. International travel. At the end of the day it’s just a race. So control what can. Your mind. Your thoughts. Your steps.
Thank you Alex Viada Achilles Connecticut Chapter Challenged Athletes Foundation Allcare O and P for making this race possible. And running_4sanity Palm Beach Roadrunners for making summer training in FL bearable!
