​Rewind a year, and I was sat in the September sunshine, sipping a cool beer having just completed the 2016 Berlin Marathon. My friend was celebrating with me, however had been unable to complete the marathon, which we had originally planned to take part in together, due to injury. In that moment we resolved to come back next year and run it together, and in that moment I was equally determined to make sure it actually happened. The Berlin Marathon 2017 has therefore been a year in the making, securing places, planning the trip, training and looking forward to being back in the city again – we both just had to make it to the start line.
 
Friday 22nd September 2017 arrived and as in 2016 we both boarded the plane to Berlin, however this time we both had running gear packed. I was excited and happy for the trip ahead and I think this feeling overwhelmed any apprehension of the race, which itself was now rapidly approaching. Having been in Berlin the previous year we instantly felt more at home in the city, we knew what trains we needed, where things roughly were and also what we wanted to do. We collected our race numbers on Friday, braving the expo which was somewhat more manic than last year (perhaps an indication of things to come…) found our names listed on the Berlin Marathon ‘Wall of Fame’ and visited Brandenburg Gate. This gate is the iconic finishing landmark of the Berlin Marathon route and unsurprisingly I found it could be appreciated much more at this point than at mile 26 of a marathon!

​Saturday we toured some of the landmarks of the city. What I love about Berlin is its totally relaxed feel; you can hardly tell thousands of runners have descended on the place for a world class sporting event, and this calm atmosphere removes so much of the pre-marathon nerves and stress. We started Saturday with a little two mile shake out run to the Berlin Victory Column and finished the day by climbing the 220 odd steps to the top of the same column. This was maybe not the most advisable pre-marathon rest activity, but the view of Berlin at the top was worth it, even if I did spend most of my time cautiously clinging to the side with a look of sheer fear on my face! It was not really until I was lying in bed Saturday night that the prospect of running the actual marathon really hit me. I just had one goal for this race though and that was to run it with my friend. I knew together we could be capable of a very good finish time, we had trained well and were both in good shape, but the complexities of a marathon mean nothing is a given, and as long as she was by my side as we passed through Brandenburg Gate I would class the race a success.
 
Sunday September 24th 2017 arrived – race day. After heavy rain overnight we were greeted by a misty and drizzly morning. It was cool though and we both agreed this was much preferable to blazing sunshine. The hazy skies meant as we took our spot in mass start line on The Straße des 17. Juni, which forms a somewhat iconic image of an endless sea of runners, the Berlin Victory Column which should have stood proudly ahead was nearly impossible to make out. The comfort of having my friend stood next to me on this start line really dissipated any nerves I had. I bobbed along to music being played over the tannoy and enjoyed watching video clips played across the big screens. When the countdown clock dipped below 5 minutes though I did feel some nerves rise within me. ‘Do I look as scared as I did at the top of that column?’ I asked my friend. ‘A different type of scared!’ she replied with a smile. ‘It’s just long run Sunday’ we agreed – albeit with a few more people and on a route we have not had to plan out! Throwing away are old unwanted clothing, it was time to put the route to the test, and crossing the start line together our journey to beat Berlin begun.
 
It’s fair to say the first few miles of the race were not very relaxing. Running wise my body felt good, but the streets seemed rammed with runners and much busier than last year (which may have been why the expo also appeared more manic?) We weaved as best as we could between runners, trying not to add too much extra distance on, but also attempting to stick to a good running pace. It was a challenge, but I guess it also meant I barely noticed these initial miles pass as I was not at all focussed on what distance I was running, more so on not tripping up! Despite the challenges we remained together though, and when we did get a small amount of breathing space I glanced at my watch and commented to my friend I could not believe how quickly that first hour had passed. ‘I hope you are saying that between hours 3 and 4!’ she replied – now that would be some outcome!
 
Ten miles passed and it was only really at this point I felt I actually started to run the marathon with more of a marathon focus. Slightly more space on the streets (I mean slightly!) meant running was marginally less of a weave, and we could appreciate some of the sights on route. The German spectators puzzled us at times; some stood in lines almost deathly quiet, staring at us all like we were mad (yes, we probably are!), whilst other pockets were enthusiastically cheering us on and had brought items such as drum kits to the street corner or were shaking tambourines madly. As last year, the water stations provided much entertainment though. The plastic cups are one thing, but why they only have aid tables on one side of the road I really cannot work out. This leads to everyone suddenly veering to one side of the route, and you have to almost dodge your way past, or fight your way to a cup and hope you don’t spill half of it in the process. It really seems chaotic. How my friend and I did not lose each other at one of these stations I don’t know, but somehow I would come out from the runners brawl and she would just be there and we would resume running side by side.

We passed half way in 1:53:58. I had not really been too concerned with time or my pace and had simply been trusting what felt right from my experiences training and running with my friend, but this was pleasing and a confidence boost for the forthcoming miles. Normally at around miles 16 to 18 of a marathon things can sometimes feel a bit tough. However, this time I just didn’t get that feeling, and I could sense by the way my friend was running strongly next to me she had not either. The only minor glitch was at mile 18, when I was struck by the urge to use the toilet. It was not something I could ignore and I had to dive into a portaloo. ‘I will catch you up’ I promised my friend. I knew I would even if it killed me, and I did reach her again. The extra effort I exerted to find my friend boosted me again somehow, just the knowledge my legs clearly weren’t dead yet. Mile 20 was the next marker we then agreed; make it to here and then a new race begins.

​I glanced at my watch at the 20 mile point and saw timewise we were running well, 2 hours 52 mins I think was roughly what it read. I did not get too excited about possible finish times though as six miles is a long way still, but I was happy. Between miles 21 and 23 though the sheer pain of a marathon hit me with a bang, and my friend agreed after that these last five miles was when it struck her too. Almost suddenly my legs hurt, I could not even pinpoint an exact spot of pain, they just really, really hurt. ‘Just a parkrun to go’ I grimaced to my friend – but it was probably about to be the most painful parkrun of my life! Despite the pain and the fact each mile seemed to be an eternity, we somehow managed to keep pace, and I was shocked to see my split at mile 24 was 8.27 min/mile pace. I have one person to thank for this and that is my friend. I was starting to struggle at this point and my friend had actually edged a few yards in front of me. I know her well enough to tell she had gone into her zombie mode, where it simply becomes a case of head down, keep moving. I followed her footsteps with a grimace, the determination to finish together was the only thing keeping me from slowing. At one point I forced some extra speed into my legs to make up the gap and tapped her on the shoulder with the intention of letting her know I was still hanging on in there, but instead all I could manage was a despairing cry of ‘my legs!’ - hopefully she guessed what I meant!
 
The final miles of the Berlin Marathon really are the cruellest. You twist and turn through streets longing for Brandenburg Gate to appear; I knew from last year the mind games it plays with you, but it did not stop it from happening again. As I finally made the last turn to find the spectacle of the gate looming on the horizon, I knew I had to make up those yards to be alongside my friend and pass through the gate together. This hurt a lot, but we were never not going to run through that gateway with each other. The packed streets of Berlin now cost us here, as our watches clocked marathon distance with the finish line not yet visible and before we had even passed Brandenburg Gate. I did not really care at this point though, we were together and I knew now we would finish that way. Emerging from the gate’s arch suddenly all the pain in my legs was forgotten –  I am not sure how emotion can override the discomfort, but it did. We sped up towards the finish line - which is still a long way from the gate - and I grasped my friends hand and we used what energy we had left to raise our arms triumphantly into the sky. We stopped the clock at 3:48:13, which is a a new PB for me, but what I really cared about was we had started and finished together.

I was a mess at the finish line, a mixture of exhaustion, pain and emotion. My friend and I somewhat collapsed into a hug and it felt like I was crying tears of happiness onto her shoulder, although nothing actually came out – I was too knackered even for that. It felt so special to share that exact finishing moment together - even if we were in a bit of a state! After this joyful embrace the pain in my legs reminded me it was still there – ‘My legs!’ I echoed again, grabbing my friend’s hand to almost guide me along. The sight of our medals being held out ready to be hung around both our necks was worth it all though. All we had to do now was drag our bodies back to the same spot we sat post-race in 2016 and again enjoy some well-earned celebratory German beer - this time for two marathon finishers. 
 
It has only really been since arriving back in the UK that I have fully been able to take stock of the Berlin Marathon weekend, and my conclusion is it was simply perfect. I feel so thankful I got the chance to share this marathon with friend as planned, and also create so many memories along the way. The PB has not really sunk in to be honest, it was never the goal and feels like a bonus. I actually felt prouder when my friend pointed out that we had ran the second half of the marathon only 18 seconds slower than the first half; easily my best paced marathon to date. I was also made to realise that our average pace meant that if we had actually ran a true 26.2 miles (and not virtually an extra half a mile!) our finishing time would have been under 3 hours 45 mins. This means that racking up that extra distance virtually cost me a guaranteed London Marathon spot. Initially this might seem disappointing, but to be honest I really do not care.
 
Berlin will forever hold a very special place in my memory now, both the city and the marathon, and I am not sure I will ever get to recreate such a unique marathon feeling. The race also signifies real progress in my running as in 2016 I ran a 4:00:44 time in Berlin, and now in 2017 this is down to 3:48:13. Hanging my medal onto my medal board I also was struck by the fact that this was my fifth marathon – five marathons by the age of 25 might not be significant to some, but it just felt like something I would never have dreamed of achieving some years ago. In keeping with the age ethos, I predict that the 2020 Berlin Marathon will in fact land on the exact day of my 29th birthday. I cannot think of a better way to celebrate can you? ​

Race week. ‘How do you feel?’ my friend messaged me on Monday morning. ‘Excited…Nervous... Scared?’ she asked. ‘All!’ I agreed. As I sit and write this on Wednesday evening (trying to use the extra time I have on my hands during this final taper a bit productively!) my feelings are still the same, and probably will not change now until I take the first step across the start line on Sunday.

I am excited to get to Berlin. I loved the city last year when I took on the marathon for the first time, and it is always an adventure when running takes you somewhere different. I think my excitement levels are heightened this year by the fact I know that this time my friend is going to be running the marathon too. It was difficult last year travelling out there together and experiencing the pre-race hype, but knowing that due to injury, only I was able to run. I am so grateful that I had my friend with me last year though, I could not imagine having been out there alone and not having someone’s support or someone to share that finish line embrace with. This year though, to get to both experience it all just feels extra special.

I am nervous as with any race day. When I think of actually running the marathon I get little bubbles of cautious excitement within me. I just want to get there and run now but at the same time I am guarded. Am I ready? Have I prepped well? Do I have everything I need? Will I get to the start line ok? All these little running related concerns and anxieties are crossing my mind, and maybe the fact it is a marathon means they feel a little stronger than normal.

I am scared. A marathon is such an unknown beast that really anything can happen during those 26.2 miles. Sometimes you cannot control this no matter how prepared you feel. I have been there where a marathon has spat me out and left me to struggle, so I am not oblivious to the fact it could happen. I think this is a risk any marathon runner takes though, and just maybe it adds to the thrill.

Amongst all my emotions I do have to think about how I am actually going to approach the race. So far this week I have completed some very short (maximum four mile) runs. They have not been super relaxed as I can sense the tension in my body; the fear of any niggle or things not feeling quite right is constantly on my mind. Taper week aside though, training has gone very well for me – I literally could not have asked for anything more from myself. I feel strong and fit, and I since my last marathon (the London Marathon in April this year) I have managed PBs at half marathon, 5 mile and 5k distance.

With all this in mind, I would love a new marathon PB, which would have to see me go under the 3:51:03 time I set at London this year, and if I run a perfect race I think my body is capable of doing that. It is no secret of my goal to run qualifying time for others races too, and a sub 3:45 time would guarantee me a spot in other marathons I want to run, and would also be a Good For Age time for the London Marathon - my favourite race of all. However, I really only have one goal for the Berlin Marathon, and that is to run it with my friend. I want to do this not only because it was not possible last year, but because it would mean a lot to share this experience with someone who loves running as much as I do, and equally knows how much of a positive influence running has on life. Running has created a unique friendship between us which I know I will never get with anyone else; my friend has seen the best and worst of me, and our ventures over miles means she probably knows more things about me than most people do. To be able to share one of the world’s best running events together is therefore a memory I want to create and look back on more than I want a specific finishing time. I still believe that together we are capable of challenging a very good marathon time, but if it is not to be then I will not be disappointed in any way, shape or form.
​
So next stop Berlin. An early morning flight (which thankfully Ryanair did not decide to cancel!) will see me in the German capital Friday morning ready for the marathon weekend. Good luck to anyone else running and I hope you will all celebrate your achievements, whatever your goal is, in true German style – with a beer! I hate beer, but after a marathon it somehow taste’s good and also feels somewhat deserved! ​

With two weeks until race day this has been the first week of real noticeable tapering. It has felt odd, as it always does, after weeks of high mileage it suddenly does not feel like I am doing enough and there is a lot more time to overthink things. I just have to manage these feelings though and trust the training that I have already been completed, and focus on the important day which is approaching.

MONDAY: Body Pump class

TUESDAY: a typical 'taper crazy' run where it all just seemed stupidly hard. The run was only five miles but I felt like I had no energy to run any further if I had actually needed to. Needless to say the fact that this was an interval run made it extra tough, and my plan was for 10 x 400m with 100m recoveries. I  may as well have forgotten about the recoveries though as there was no way I actually ran 100m despite programming this into my Garmin - it was more like a few footsteps! This made the 400m reps feel almost one run, which was physically hard and messed with my head too. As you can probably tell, it was a bit of a run to forget!

WEDNESDAY: a much better feeling run today. I had 6 easy miles on my plan, however as I felt so much more energised compared to yesterday, I struggled to rein myself back. I finished with an average pace of 7:48 min/mile - much too fast. Body Pump class after. 

THURSDAY: another run where I really did not exert much self control over my pacing. I ran five miles with the middle three miles supposedly at half marathon pace. My splits were 8.22, 7.36, 7.21, 7.35 and 8.08 min/mile - not my half marathon pace at all! As I sat at home reflecting post run I knew I needed to really focus on taking things easier from now on, I had come too far to risk burning myself out last minute. 

​FRIDAY: Rest Day

SATURDAY: even before having stern words with myself about slowing down a bit, my friend and I had mutually agreed to run this week's Lincoln parkrun together and at a nice steady pace; as opposed to our usual 'all out' attitude. I was pleased to have my friend's support with this, as even stood chatting before the 9am start I could feel I was beginning to itch to bolt off that start line and forget any plans to be careful.

I am pleased to say I stuck to our plan though, and my friend and I slotted in a few rows back in the mass huddle at the start. As we started running I instantly began enjoying myself and forgot any desire to be racing around the course (see images). Our first loop was a gentle 8:42 min/mile, and whilst we did gradually speed up for the second two laps at 7.56 and 7.32 min/mile, it still felt comfortable and it was probably the first time ever I have run negative splits at parkrun! I will admit I could not resist a little sprint finish at the end, and even my friend encouraged me on, probably seeing the childish enthusiasm on my face! I finished in a steady 24:11 - just what I knew I needed to do.

SUNDAY: the last long (ish) run before race day. It did not feel long at all and it was almost a run completed on autopilot. As has been tradition throughout all my training, I ran with my friend at my side, and we checked off the paths which form one of our old favourite ten mile routes without much conscious thought or real effort. Before I knew it the run was ending and I was faced with the prospect of actually have a Sunday left to appreciate for the first time in a long while! Today's run felt comfortable at 8.21 min/mile pace; with one week to go until race day this last long run can sometimes feel awful and cause doubts to creep in, so I was happy not to experience this. I feel marathon ready, not over confident as marathons are such an unknown entity, but I know I have done all I can and now just need to use the next six days to taper as well as I have trained...

Week fourteen - aka the week it all started to feel a bit real! I always have mixed feelings when the marathon starts to near; nerves, excitement, anxiety and also a little bit of sadness. I feel sad as suddenly the big event I have been building up to and focusing on for so long feels like it will soon be over; I even start to miss the thought of a 20 miler on a Sunday morning believe it or not!

MONDAY: Body Pump class

TUESDAY: a slight deviation from my plan, as after starting a new job at work I simply did not have the physical or mental energy for 9 miles of intervals! Instead I switched for Thursday's tempo run. This was a landmark run as for once I actually ran what I planned out in Biro pen on my hand before I left the door (yes I do this!), which was a warm up and cool down mile, with the four middle miles at 7.40 min/mile pace. The result was splits of 8.21, 7.42, 7.44, 7.44, 7.40 and 8.11 min/mile - almost perfect! 

WEDNESDAY: a comfortably hard 8 miles before my Body Pump class. I pushed this run a little as my plan stated it should be 'steady' as opposed to 'easy' and so I used my judgement to make it roughly 8 min/mile pace throughout. 

THURSDAY: the delayed 9 mile interval run. Even after putting it back to later in the week, I still really did not feel like doing this run. I pulled on my running gear though and faced the rather dismal weather conditions. Despite my reluctance I actually really enjoyed the run, the intervals were 10 x 400m with 200m recoveries, and whilst there were a lot of reps to complete, it really made the overall distance pass by quickly. My interval pacing was also good, between 5-10k pace, and left me with a pleasing overall average pace of 7.47 min/mile.

The uniqueness of the Bassingham Bash 5m Road Race has now led to it becoming a bit of a staple in my race calendar, and this year saw me pinning on my race number for the third consecutive event. Set in the charming village of Bassingham, a short drive from my hometown in Lincoln, it offers a rare opportunity to race a five mile distance, as well as being held at the slightly untraditional time of 2pm on a Saturday afternoon. Its individuality is further marked by the offer a medal themed finishers mug for all runners, as opposed to traditional medal ‘bling’, a mug which is also accompanied by a slice of cake – an instant win for most runners!  

Five miles is an odd distance to know how to approach; do you treat it like a 5k and then just hope to dig deep and hang in there for a couple more miles? Or is the mentality to see it as a bit shorter than a 10k, so you can afford to push slightly harder than normal? I don’t really know to be honest! I was also not really sure what to expect of myself, and after volunteering at parkrun in the morning, 2pm Saturday afternoon soon crept round and I was about to find out. I knew I was not going to hold back, despite this possibly being ill advised with 20 miles planned for Sunday morning as part of my current marathon training, and instead I just planned to go as hard as possible and see what I had in my legs. It was a pleasant afternoon, warm but not too hot, and being huddled on the start line which is set on a small village lane, stood next to my friend and among other familiar faces from the running community helped withdraw any apprehension I may have had about how to tackle the five miles ahead of me.

I really took off from the start, winding speedily through the first small loop of the course which navigated the centre of Bassingham village, and my first mile split was 6.24 min/mile. This shocked me and I knew I would struggle to sustain anything like that. I did not let this fast mile put me off though and just tried to keep a rhythm going, not doubt my abilities, and remain confident in my legs. 

A bit of a muddly week for me with a Bank Holiday, family visiting, some annual leave days and the virtually unheard occurrence of a race on a Saturday!

MONDAY: Rest Day

TUESDAY: I had family staying with me today and to avoid disrupting the visit with my desire to fit in a training run, I rose early for my interval run - 8 miles with 5 x 1 mile repeats and 400m recoveries. I really struggle with intervals first thing in the morning and as usual it did seem to take my body a while to feel awake; the first interval mile felt like it simply went on forever! Mile reps are hard, and whilst I found the next two intervals more manageable, the final two were completed with a 'I just have to get this done' mentality. Pace-wise I ranged between 7.25 min/mile and 7.58 min/mile on the intervals - guess which was the mainly uphill mile!

WEDNESDAY: another early run; it was actually dark when I left the house, which prompted a quick route change in my head and the realisation that the joys of summer running would soon be ending. As this was a steadier paced run it did not feel such an effort as interval at the crack of dawn did, and I weaved my way around the streets of Lincoln, gradually ticking the 9 miles off at a comfortable 8.29 min/mile average pace. 

THURSDAY: back to my normal routine of evening running, which felt much more natural. In fact I seemingly flew through the 7 miles I had on my plan, with the 5 middle miles at tempo pace. I aimed for 8 min/mile pace for the tempo miles, and comfortably kept well under this marker without feeling stretched. 

FRIDAY: Rest Day