Flat Runner at the Tokyo Marathon 2024

This Spring, flat runner earned its 5th star at the Tokyo marathon! Most marathoners are familiar with flat runner. You may have seen their pictures posted on social media the night before a marathon. For the Tokyo 2024 Marathon race report, we will examine it from the perspective of the often forgotten but so important flat runner.

Flat runners are magical creatures. They spend most of their year in hibernation. Their bodies are scattered across an assortment of storage bins, drawers, and closets as they patiently wait to re-awaken and come to life in different colors and forms for their glorious purpose – race day!

In late February 2024, flat runner was carefully assembled and rolled up into tiny bundles and jammed into a small duffel bag along with a few gels, a toothbrush, a clean t-shirt, underwear and socks. Flat runner was groggy but curious, could it be time for another race and if so where? A ride in a taxi to the airport and then along a conveyor belt through the X-ray machine heightened it’s curiosity, if indeed it was a race! Once on the plane, flat runner was jammed into an overhead compartment, but that’s okay because like a well fed bear, the flat runner is content to curl up and snooze until race day.

After the flight, flat runner sat in a corner of the hotel room feeling rested but somehow incomplete. You see a flat runner isn’t fully aware until it has a race bib.

Every flat runner is assigned a sherpa, also known as a ‘fat runner’. The sherpa is responsible for cleaning, assembly, photography, and race day transportation. This flat runner’s sherpa is a human named Susan. While flat runner napped in the hotel, sherpa Susan went to the race expo along with fellow sherpa Christopher to retrieve the race bib of life.

Because race bibs have so much power, they are carefully tracked and distributed, In fact, at the Tokyo marathon, the distribution area for the magical bibs is restricted to certified sherpas, colloquially referred to as runners.

Receiving the bib of life is a momentous occasion. It provides life and a name to the hitherto anonymous hibernating flat runner. For this race, flat runner shall be known as Tokyo 77313, Christopher will sherpa for Tokyo 75001.

As part of the bib collection ceremony, race expos set up dedicated locations for bib photography to celebrate the reincarnation of their flat runners. Among their many responsibilities, sherpas are responsible for identifying opportunities to memorialize the receiving of the bib and the location of the rebirth. Sherpas Susan and Christopher take this responsibility very seriously.

Much like the skins and accessories you use to change the appearance of your characters in video games, the sherpa has the authority to obtain new skins for the flat runner at the expo. In some cultures, flat runners don the T-shirt accessory obtained at the race expo, but most flat runners are highly superstitious and believe accessories from uncompleted races may result in an early return to hibernation. The Tokyo marathon has become somewhat infamous for the scarcity of accessories, but sherpa Susan has rarely failed in her mission to locate accessories and the Tokyo rebirth is no exception. She locates shirts, a hat, gloves, magnetic bib holders, and even shoelaces! Because of Susan’s high performance in accessory collection, Tokyo 77313 also permits Sherpa Susan to purchase her own souvenirs which include chopsticks, sticker, fridge magnet and course map cookies.

Sherpas are very fragile and need considerable feeding and rest before race day to ensure successful transportation from the start to finish line. They can be left to roam free and enjoy local activities before the race but should be confined to a single room as much as possible within 24 hours of the race start with occasional outings to secure nutrition. This keeps them rested and provides time for the sherpa to perform the awakening ceremony.

The awakening ceremony begins with research into the hourly weather forecast and a review of the maps and rules in the sherpa packet.

After much deliberation and consultation with other experienced sherpas, Susan carefully selects each accessory for Tokyo 77313. The forecast for the Toyko marathon is mostly sunny, starting out around 4 degrees Celsius and climbing to about 14 degrees Celsius. The Tokyo marathon does not provide collection of discarded flat runner accessories along the course, so Susan carefully selects a T-shirt, shorts, along with arm warmers which can be rolled down as the day warms and light gloves which will can be transported in a shorts pocket.

Once the sherpa has determined suitable accessories for the flat runners new incarnation, each piece must be laid out on a suitable receiving surface such as a bed or floor. Finally the bib shall be placed on the assembled flat runner, naming them, and waking them from hibernation in their new form.

Fans of flat runners anxiously await the revelation of their new name so they can track them on race apps and websites. Special tracking chips allow fans to get live updates as their favorite flat runner reaches a milestone in the race. Some flat runner fans are not content with online updates and will attend races in person. They stand on the side of the road clapping and cheering the parade of flat runners and hoping for just a brief glimpse of their favorite flat runners.

Flat runners are celebrities! In addition to the fans who cheer them on at races, some humans train for months and years for the honor of acting as sherpa for a flat runner. There is a hierarchy among the flat runner community. Novice flat runners, dream of becoming masters and representing their country at the Olympics along with flat swimmers, flat cyclists, and flat pole vaulters. Masters have first choice of sherpa from the human community. Master flat runners can often be identified by their one or two digit number names, some masters can be identified by bibs carrying the name of their sherpas. Bearing a bib with their name is the highest honor a flat runner can bestow upon their sherpa.

After so long in hibernation, some flat runners enjoy a ceremonial unveiling of their new appearance on race day. Their sherpas may wear coats or robes keeping their flat runner hidden from other sherpas and flat runners until they are as close as possible to crossing the start line. Tokyo 77313 and Tokyo 75001 enjoy this ritual and are carefully concealed en route to the start.

In addition to the sherpas, the flat runners are supported by a very important sect known as volunteers. These volunteers keep the riff raff (anyone who is not a flat runner or sherpa) out of the start area and race course. They also provide sustenance and moral support to the sherpas during the race. The volunteers are essential to the survival of the flat runner community and are greatly revered by flat runners. Susan & Christopher met volunteer Taisho-san as they completed their sherpa duties, scoping out navigation to the start area on Friday two days before the race. They took a commemorative photo with Taisho-san and others volunteers. Taisho-san was very keen to meet flat runners on race day. Tokyo 77313 and Tokyo 75001 exchanged photos to ensure they could find each other and meet race morning.

Most races have special collection stations for collecting the outer layers that keep flat runners warm and concealed. The Tokyo marathon sherpa guide indicates the final collection station is at the entrance to the race corrals. This is unusual as many races allow accessory removal at the start line or even on the race course itself. Given the restrictions, sherpas Susan & Christopher wait until just before the cutoff time to enter Corral E. They want to keep Tokyo 77313 and Tokyo 75001 warm and comfortable as long as possible. Standing in the corral, the cold hits and they seek out every possible sunny patch in an effort to stay warm. Soon all the sherpas start slowly moving forwards, it’s about 500 meters from Corral E to the start line. The start gun sounds as they continue the slow walk. About 100 meters before the start line, they discover an undisclosed clothing collection station. Sherpa Susan and Christopher watch in dismay as jackets and hats fly through the air as sherpas who were clearly better informed discard final layers. Cold and ready to go, Tokyo 77313 and Tokyo 75001 approach the start line together. Sherpas Susan & Christopher give each other a fist bump (sherpas have strange rituals). As sherpa Susan crosses the mat, Tokyo 77313 is fully activated. Crowds cheer, sherpas smile with pride, official photographers capture the moment on film.

Sherpa Susan’s first miscalculation is revealed early in the race. She has failed to sufficiently void processed liquids before starting her run and is forced to spend precious race time in line for a port-a- potty just 2 km into the race. Sherpa Christopher had ample time to ensure voiding was complete due to the fast-track male processed liquid voiding stations.

Sherpa Susan takes Tokyo 77313 across the 5 km mat in 30 minutes and 21 seconds, averaging 6:04/km. On the back of her hand are pen scribbles helping her remember Tokyo 77313’s preferred pace range between 5:34/km and 5:48/km. But the elapsed time does not indicate the running pace when you take into account the fluid voiding break.

Tokyo 77313 removes the glove and arm warmer accessories. The roads are filled with flat runners incarnated in a wide array of colors and costumes ranging from Pikachu hats to business suits and Snow White costumes. Aid stations are provided starting at 5 km at alternating 2 and 3 km increments (5 km, 7 km , 10 km, 12 km, 15 km , 17 km, etc…). Colder weather is better than hotter weather today as sherpas are not permitted to carry their own fluids for replenishment and must make do with the provided aid stations. With all the sherpas relying exclusively on the aid stations, each flat runner is assigned a table based on their name to reduce congestion. Tokyo 77313 goes to the second set of tables, reserved for flat runners whose names end with a 3 or 4.

Tokyo 77313 crosses the 10 km mat at 57:47 (5:29/km pace for km 5-10). This is the first of multiple out and back sections of the course. Sherpa Susan spots Tokyo 74802 running the other direction carried by fellow Canadian sherpa Dave Morton. I should point out that Sherpa Christopher was highly amused when he pointed out the first sighting of another Canadian sherpa in the start area and it turned out to be a friend of sherpa Susan 🙂

Tokyo 77313 crosses the 15 km mat at 1:25:35 (5:31/km pace for km 10-15) as the course enters a long series of out and back sections. Tokyo 77313 crosses 20 km at 1:53:26 and feels they have prepared their sherpa well for this race as they continue to maintain the target pace.

At 21 km, the master flat runners can be seen coming the other direction just past their 31 km marker. Sherpa Susan steps onto the curb in the middle of the road and captures Tokyo 1 and sherpa Kiplagat on camera. Tokyo 1 was in first place at this point and finished 2nd overall, Tokyo 4 and sherpa Kipruto was right behind him and ultimately won setting a new course record of 2:02:14! This flagrant disregard for prioritizing running time can be witnessed in the video coverage of the race (at 11 minutes 51 seconds), but Tokyo 77313 has no regrets!

Unfortunately, identifying and photographing female Tokyo 1 through 5 was not possible because they were mixed up with packs of male master runners.

Many flat runners found the out and backs irritating, but Tokyo 77313 enjoyed the opportunity to seek out familiar or famous flat runners. At 23 km they spotted Tokyo 53121 carried by sherpa Yvonne just behind the 3:30 pacer.

Tokyo 77313 crossed the 25 km mat at 2:21:22 (5:35/km pace for km 15-25) still on pace despite the brief pauses to photograph Tokyo 1 through 5. At 27 km Tokyo 77313 had their second sighting of familiar fans cheering in the crowd bearing motivational signs. Crowds were solid along the entire race course clapping and cheering “ganbare” or “ganbatte”. There were not many signs along the course, but lots of fans wore costumes varying from Mario & Luigi to Samurai or Sailor Moon. There were also Taiko drummers and school cheering squads.

The pace stayed consistent through 30 km at a time of 2:49:32 (5:36/km pace for km 25-30). Tokyo 77313 was tired of course, but not completely miserable which is an excellent sign this far into the race. In fact Tokyo 77313 even had enough energy to seek out and pose for the occasional race photographer.

At km 34 you begin your last out and back, on the other side of the road you can even see the sign saying 1 km to go. Running 3.5 km away from the finish line when you have already been running for 3 hours can take a toll. Tokyo 77313 hit the 35 km mat at 3:18:08 (5:42/km pace from km 30-35) still holding a solid pace and feeling reasonably good.

After crossing the 40 km mat at 3:46:09 (5:36/km pace from km 35- 40), Tokyo 77313 signals sherpa Susan that if she can hold the goal pace from km 30-40 then there’s no excuse not to pick it up and give it everything left in the tank from here to the finish line. It’s all business now, and there is no more posing for photographers from here to the finish. An unexpected sighting of Tokyo 77313 and Tokyo 75001 fans at 41 km brings joy and a small burst of energy.

Tokyo 77313 crosses the finish line at 3:57:54 (5:20/km pace for the last 2.2 km). Sherpa Susan immediately completes her immediate race duties and pauses the tracking device which indicates the total distance as 43.3 km so all in all a most satisfactory time!

Flat runner is sweaty, dirty, smelly and rumpled. So it is essential that the Sherpa fetch the vessel of the flat runner’s resting place, known as the finishers medal. (Why would any flat runner choose to hibernate in sweaty old running clothes if they don’t have to?). The finishers medal is ceremonially placed around the neck of the sherpa and the flat runner transfers their spirit into the medal. Photographers stand by ready to photograph the spirit vessels. Tokyo 77313 congratulates first time marathon flat runner Tokyo 35865 (Sherpa Susan has a tendency to befriend random sherpas at races which forces Tokyo 77313 to interact with other flat runners) and then collects nutrition and warming supplies for sherpa Susan. Tokyo marathon has excellent support for the exhausted sherpas. Checked bags, ponchos, and change areas are all accessed in quick order.

Tokyo flat runners are limited, and donations were made to the Solaputi kids camp to release Tokyo 77313 and 75001. In return for the donation, a special lounge is provided for the flat runners, their sherpas, and fans. Each flat runner is cheered as they enter, sherpas and fans are rewarded with tasty snacks and drinks. A group photo of Solaputi flat runners and their fans makes a perfect ending to the day.

Before the flat runner enters full hibernation, there is a day of celebration often referred to as Medal Monday. On this day Sherpa Susan & Christopher seek out locations to memorialize the Tokyo 77313 and Tokyo 75001 incarnations of flat runner. As you can see, they got a bit carried away with the celebration. Sherpa Susan also caught up with fellow Run K2J Flat runner and fellow Canadian flat runners for additional commemorative flat runner photos.

All in all I recommend bringing flat runner out of hibernation for the Tokyo marathon. Though not as loud as the other majors, and though there are many rules and regulations which are unique to Toyko, it is a unique experience with flat runner fans lining the entire course and in a location that lends itself well to commemorative photos on Medal Monday!

If you enjoyed this post, check out tales from previous incarnations of Tokyo 77313 including Boston 23146, New York 24330 and more!

Race spectator report – Barkley Fall Classic (BFC)

I have NOT run the Barkley Fall Classic (BFC) but I had the opportunity to support my friend Randy who got a bib for the 2023 race, and wanted to share that experience, If you know, then you know and you can skip the next paragraph.

If you don’t know then you may want to watch either The Barkley Marathons the race that east its young, Where Dreams Go to Die or the 2023 the Barkley Marathons Documentary before or after this post. *THE* Barkley marathon is an experience only a few strong ultrarunners will ever experience, so Lazarus Lake, (aka the evil genius behind the Barkley Marathon) created the Barkley Fall Classic aka Barkley for mortals or morons depending on your perspective.

Bib pick up

Just like your local turkey trot …

There is a sandwich sign on the side of the road in Wartburg, Tennessee that says “Barkley”. You follow the arrows to the pop-up tent with a table of volunteers and a gathering of runners. It’s a low tech race so you sign a paper waiver while standing in line. Hand over the waiver and get your bib. There’s a box of safety pins on the table. The race director hovers nearby.

Unlike your local turkey trot…

Everyone recognizes the race director, the evil genius Lazarus Lake, wearing his trademark red and black plaid flannel shirt and ball cap. One by one runners along with any friends and family cheering them on inch closer to Laz to listen in on his conversations with runners about this years route. It’s not quite a line up to get photos but there’s a huddle of Barkley fans hovering around him. Eventually you get close enough to ask Laz if you can take a photo or maybe get his signature on a memento.

Race kit

Just like a 5 km fun run…

As you pick up your bib, the volunteers call out the T-shirt size you selected when you registered and you get your race shirt.

Unlike a 5 km fun run…

You also get a map. Major turns will be marked by signs with arrows, but you will be navigating a trail network in Frozen Head State Park. They are not going to mark every trail junction with signage and the map allows the runners to spend the next 12 hours obsessing over the terrain and elevation of each loop. The map is made of cloth so your runner can still read it through rain, blood, sweat, or tears. It also makes a great fashion accessory! You can wear it as a bandana, use it as a sling if you take a tumble, turn it into a compress if you happen to meet up with any sharp briars (spoiler alert). The reverse side of the map is white so it can also be used to signal surrender. Really it’s everything the modern day BFC runner needs!

Race swag

Just like the Berlin marathon…

You can buy fridge magnets, hats, and other swag.

Unlike the Berlin marathon…

The swag is sold in the visitor center for Frozen Head State Park. In addition to just being a beautiful place to camp or hike, the Barkley marathon has made Frozen Head State Park a tourist attraction and they are smart enough to embrace their newfound fame and sell Barkley themed souvenirs. I’m rather infamous amongst my friends for not holding back on race swag. True to form I bought a cloth map of the park, two t-shirts, a fridge magnet, a laptop sticker, and a Christmas ornament.

Packing for Race day

Just like any 50 km trail run…

There will be a few aid stations along the way, but you need to carry water and nutrition. You also need to pack any layers you might need if it rains or cools off at the higher elevations.

Unlike most 50 km trail runs…

You also want to pack rose pruning gloves or the equivalent, Motivational messages and inspiring words from Laz on the gloves are optional.

Getting dressed race morning

Just like your hometown marathon…

You check the forecast the night before the race, you take whatever anti-chafing measures you required, and put on the race gear and shoes you laid out the night before.

Unlike your hometown marathon…

You are NOT allowed to wear a Garmin or bring your phone. Frozen Head State Park doesn’t have quite the trail network needed to create the full Barkley experience. Laz makes arrangements with the locals to get permission to run across private property. The locals are cool with this arrangement with one big caveat: They do not want Barkley tourists running through their backyards all year trying to re-create their own private Barkley moments. So you are NOT allowed to share the race route. That means no Garmin, No Strava, no GPS and no posting pictures of your map on social media or the equivalent. Runners take this seriously. A fun consequence of the no Garmin rule is runners wearing fun very basic digital watches. If you are going to be glancing at your watch during a grueling ascent, maybe that glittery Hello Kitty watch will make you smile just for a moment.

The start

Just like the New York marathon…

You arrive at the start early when it’s still the dark. There are lights, picnic tables, and tents set up. Runners check their packs, add or remove warm warmers based on the temperature and gradually move to the corral to wait for the start carefully staying behind the timing mat. Dawn light starts to appear. A large digital clock counts down. When there are ten seconds left, the crowd starts to chant the countdown 10, 9, 8, 7, …

Unlike the New York marathon…

When the crowd reaches 1, Laz lights a cigarette and the runners take off.

Spectators

Just like the London marathon…

Family and friends pick out spots on the course where they can see their runners go by. They wait and clap enthusiastically as each runner goes past. Runners smile and wave back some are even willing to pose for a quick photo . Once your runner has gone past, you pack up and move to a location further along the course to cheer them again. You start to recognize a few runners (like Barkley Barbie) in distinctive hats or shirts who are running a similar pace to your runner. You see more runners walking or grimacing as they get further into the race. The level of acknowledgement of your cheering from the runners diminishes as they get further into the race.

Unlike the London marathon…

Accessing some of the cheering locations may require a 4 km hike uphill on rut filled jeep roads (the fire tower !). There are no bands playing. Signs and cowbells are a rare sight. Runners not only look tired as they get further into the race they also get muddier, some runners are baring more than others as rocks rip holes in their shorts from sliding on their butts through steeper sections.

The route

Just like your local mud run…

You may climb over a wall, go through a tunnel and run through mud/dirt

Unlike your local mud run…

The tunnel is several hundred feet long taking you underneath a prison. The muddy/dirty section may be on one of several steep climbs or descents up to one mile long covered with thorny briars you will rely on to slow your descent or pull yourself up.

The marathon

Just like many point to point marathons…

There is a bus at the finish to take you back to the start.

Unlike other point to point marathons…

The finish is not at 26.2 miles. If you are fast enough an evil chain smoking genius will give you the option of running for another 3 hours or so back to the start and though your body will thank you, your bib will forever be a badge of shame marking you as a weiner instead of a winner should you choose to only run a marathon.

The finish line

Just like any 50 km race

There is a timing mat, a race photographer, runners will smile for the camera then collapse from exhaustion. There is food. You get a medal.

Unlike any other 50 km race

It’s not 50 km. You may have to wade through waist deep water on a stream crossing in the last stretch even though you can see dry river bed just 20 meters up or downstream. Your bib is now a badge of honour. Afterbite for hornet stings and polysporin for scratched up legs and arms is in high demand.

Like any race

The finish line is a place for celebration, swapping war stories and the beverage of your choice! Runners saying that was brutal I never want to do that again. The next week stories start to appear on social media and photos from the race. Then registration opens for next year and the cycle begins again.

Book Review: 26 Marathons – Meb Keflezighi

This book provides unique insights into life as a professional marathoner and will inspire you to work through your own personal challenges as you attempt to reach the start or finish line of your next race.

Who is Meb? Meb Keflezighi won the New York and Boston marathons and Olympic Silver in the marathon for team USA. Meb is often seen at the New York and Boston marathons meeting charity runners who fundraised for the MEB foundation, whose mission is to promote health, education, and fitness in the US and abroad. Meb’s philosophy is “Run to Win” which is not about taking first place, but all about getting the best from yourself.

If I had to describe this book in one sentence? 26 race reports that take you through the ups and downs of Meb’s professional marathon career

Who will enjoy this book? Meb fans and runners who have battled or are battling injuries and mental toughness to achieve their goals. In particular, runners who have completed or are training for the New York City or Boston marathons will feel a sense of kinship when Meb describes specific moments on those race routes. I also think anyone who appreciates the dedication and toughness required to pursue a professional career in sports will find it interesting to get a behind the scenes peek at life as a professional marathoner.

Did it make you laugh? No, but it did make me feel good because even though I will never be running with the elites, it made me feel good about the marathons (good and bad) I have run, mistakes I have made, and to give myself a little credit for the mental toughness, recovery from setbacks, and discipline it took to achieve my own personal best. A couple of comments from Meb did make me chuckle because they felt so familiar, such as this one:

My mind said ‘go’ and my body said ‘oh no’

Meb Kefelzighi in the later miles of the 2002 New York City Marathon after going out too fast

Will this book only appeal to marathon runners? This book will definitely appeal more to marathon runners, because they will relate so much more to his experiences. But, it’s also an interesting read for anyone who likes biographies that remind us professional athletes do not become champions overnight and finds inspiration through their stories of resilience and hard work.

Did it motivate you? Yes. Meb had some serious injuries and disappointments during his career, but was able to come back strong and follow them up with big wins. I found his resilience and determination inspiring. Meb’s basic philosophy of “Control what you can accept what you can’t” is also just such a great reminder for marathons and life.

Did it provide practical advice on how to train? It does not provide specific training plans and exercises but it does include some very practical advice including a simple reminder not to check your race gear when you fly to a marathon in case they lose your luggage. (I know at least two other runners who have personal experience with that!)

Out of 5 stars what would you give it? I will never give a book a star rating because what books you enjoy is so personal. I enjoyed this book because it included a number of moments that inspire me to stick it out, be smart, and appreciate the fact I can train for and run a marathon. I also enjoyed it because 3 of the races Meb ran, I was out there on the course that same day, which gave me a wonderful feeling of kinship. I’ve only run 16 marathons, not 26, but I’ve had my share of random injuries and missed opportunities to PR/PB due to weather or other conditions. Reading about Meb’s resilience when he faced setbacks is a great reminder that just because *this* race or training cycle didn’t go as planned doesn’t mean you can’t rest, recover, and get back out there again. As a marathon runner in the 50+ age group, I also appreciate Meb aging gracefully and still running. I hope to find myself in a race with you again one day Meb, though even at your retired, relaxed pace, you will be across the finish line, massage done, beer in hand well before I hit stop on my Garmin.

If you enjoyed this review check out the rest of my running related posts including gear reviews, race reports, and some other fun posts that I write mostly to amuse myself and as an added bonus occasionally amuse others.

Book Review: Finding Gobi by Dion Leonard

Ever since I read this true story of Dion Leonard and Gobi I thought to myself this is a Disney movie waiting to happen! I was half-right, Sony has purchased the rights to the movie.

Who is Dion Leonard? Dion is an Australian/British ultra runnner. From 100 miles to 240+ miles non stop, Dion has numerous top 10 finishes whilst competing  in some of the worlds toughest ultras including the Badwater 135. Dion has won the Kalahari Extreme 155 mile race, Delirious W.E.S.T. 200 miles, and was the first male to run the Grand Slam of 100’s (silver buckling in all races) and the gruesome Leadman Series in one year. You can learn more about Dion at DionLeonard.com but if you are thinking of reading this book, I’d suggest reading as little as possible about Dion and Gobi before you start the book to avoid spoilers.

If I had to describe this book in one sentence? A feel good story about determination and devotion involving a runner and a dog. In other words: A feel good, tear jerker, family movie waiting to happen.

Who will enjoy this book? Runners with an interest in ultra running and dog/animal lovers.

Did it make you laugh? No, this isn’t a funny book, but the tone and heartwarming story of Gobi slowly winning over an initially reluctant Dion definitely made me smile.

Will this book only appeal to marathon runners? You don’t have to be a runner at all to enjoy this book, but marathon and ultra runners will get a little more out of it because they will have a better understanding of Dion’s mindset when he met Gobi, and just how gruelling the race was and how remarkable Gobi is.

Did it motivate you? It didn’t motivate me to move up to ultra races or to get out and train, it was just a wonderful story that happens to revolve around a runner in a race.

Did it provide practical advice on how to train? Nope. Not that kind of book

Out of 5 stars what would you give it? I will never give a book a star rating because what books you enjoy is so personal. I thoroughly enjoyed this book because it was well written and had a compelling, heartwarming story. This book is a nice change from all the doom and gloom on the news and serial killer James Patterson books that were actually written by someone else. This is one of those stories that if it was fiction, you would accuse the author of making the story unbelivable, but the story is true. Once you’ve read the book, check out FindingGobi.com to learn more or follow FindingGobi on twitter.

If you enjoyed this review check out the rest of my running related posts including additional book reviews, gear reviews, race reports, and some other fun posts that I write mostly to amuse myself and as an added bonus occasionally amuse others.

The RandomStrangerRunner helping RandomForestRunner FKT on the Vermont Long Trail

How did I and a bunch of other random runners end up supporting John Kelly on his attempt to set a new supported FKT record on the Vermont Long trail? (My musical version of the story is here)

How did that happen?

John Kelly (aka RandomForestRunner) is an accomplished athlete and ultra runner. He is probably best known for being a two time finisher of the infamous Barkley marathon as captured in the documentary Where Dreams Go to Die. I was perusing social media one day and saw this post in my Facebook feed.

Since most of the Northeastern U.S. is within a days drive, I sent John a message. 3 weeks later I was in my car driving to Vermont to provide run and road support for his Supported Fastest Known Time (FKT) attempt on the Long Trail in Vermont. The Long Trail runs from the Canadian border to the Massachusetts border following the ridges of the Green Mountains. It is 272 miles long with 66,000 feet of vertical gain. It has steep ascents and descents, mud, and no shortage of rocks and boulders to clamber and step over.

I knew none of this when I hopped in my car to join strangers from 10 states (Connecticut, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Rhode Island, and Vermont) and two provinces (Quebec and Ontario) who like me thought this was a great way to spend the weekend.

John sent us a comprehensive spreadsheet explaining what he needed at aid stations and from support runners. I appreciated his summary of the two roles:

Run support

“One person lead / navigate, the other person shove food and water down my throat, both yell things as necessary to keep me moving and awake”

Road support

“Pack food / water, lay out buffet, prep gear (e.g. headlamp, poles), make sure I’m not getting sunburnt or sleepwalking”

Getting there

I was assigned to three road support stops and one 9 mile run support. John started out Thursday with run support from current FKT holder Ben Feinson (aka Sir Benjamin MacGruff). I was at work, monitoring John’s progress on the satellite tracker and in the group chat.

Thunderstorms and smoke warnings abounded that week, but mother nature co-operated for take off. It wasn’t long until we saw a message from Ben saying John was losing them on the steep climbs. The support runners had John’s hydration and fuel, so they sent an extra runner out to meet John further up the trail with supplies to keep him going.

John leaving his support runners behind made me nervous. I am not an ultra runner. I’m a marathon runner who enjoys trail running. My marathon PB is 3:40. John ran a 2:26 at CIM. Fortunately, John is no fool, I told him my pace and he had me scheduled to run Saturday. Surely I’d be able to keep up when he was 40+ hours in!

I left Friday morning, my car trunk loaded with run gear for anything from hot and humid to pouring rain. I packed road support supplies such as a ground tarp and pop-up canopy to protect from rain or sun. Doug, a local from Vermont who was road support Friday overnight through Saturday night, had everything else we might need. The U.S. border guard was intrigued and amused when I explained I was entering the U.S. to help a guy I had never met set a new trail record, but he did let me into the country.

Getting a preview

Friday evening, I drove with Doug’s wife Bonnie to the Appalachian Gap road support after a quick detour to pick up cheese pizza for John. This would give me a chance to listen in on the road support hand off from Jeff to Doug and to chat with runners who had already supported John. Jeff (from New York) had been on road support since Thursday morning and was clearly exhausted but explained the road support ritual in detail. John’s wife Jessi arrived with another cheese pizza and John’s four kids (all aged 6 or under). We all waited and watched the tracker anticipating John’s arrival. I chatted with the other runners hanging around and discovered one of them was Alyssa Godesky. Alyssa has the female FKT for several trails including the Long Trail (check out the video). She wasn’t running as she needed to rest a grumpy knee before an upcoming race but her friend Matt is an experienced trail runner and was suited up and ready to go, he had no concerns about keeping up with John. We took advantage of his fitness and confidence and sent him up the trail to meet John with a headlamp as it was getting dusky.

Everything was set up for John’s arrival, so I joined fellow support runner, David (from Michigan), entertaining John’s kids while we waited. There isn’t much to do in a small parking lot, so we distracted them with chasing and racing games. I didn’t know the kids names at the time so I decided to call them Fred, George, Princess, and Bibbidi Bop. This seemed to amuse them and also helped pass the time.

Then we heard the yell “there they are!” I had my first sighting of John as he came off the trail and headed for his chair. We knew John didn’t want a crowd bombarding him during the stops, so Doug and Jessi took care of John. His kids popped over to see him from time to time for a hug or chat. We made sure the support runners were ready to go, watched John eat two slices of pizza, took a photo of John with Alyssa and the support runners, and 13 minutes later he was off and running. Once John left, we posted the arrival and departure times to the group chat, updated the master spreadsheet with the arrival and departure times, then packed up and moved on..

Side note: When they were taking the picture I was off to the side using my headlamp to light the runners. John looked over and called out “Susan?” inviting me into the photo. Given I hadn’t met or talked to John in person yet, I was more than a little surprised he knew who I was. I also appreciated that 36 hours into his run, he took the time to make everyone including the random strangers who came out to support him feel included by taking photos and calling them by name.

Getting ready to run

I drove back to the hotel room and finally got to meet Olivia (from Boston), who would be supporting John with myself and David (the same David who had been entertaining the kids with me at App Gap) on the 9 mile run tomorrow. We checked the weather forecast, laid out our gear, and set our alarms. In a remarkable coincidence we discovered Olivia and I were both among the 300 runners who ran Boston to Big Sur in 2023. The running community is a small world.

Saturday morning, Olivia and I dropped off my car at Brandon Gap and drove to Middlebury Gap to meet up with David and get ready to run. I put the supplies I needed in my backpack and used a waist pack to carry water, tailwind, supernatural, gels, and snacks for John. Olivia did the same. We divided up supplies so each person had at least one of everything in case anyone got dropped. We fueled John from the runner furthest back first. This would save David’s supplies until the end as he was the strongest support runner on the leg and least likely to get dropped. We checked in with the runners coming in and knew John had eaten Snickers and chips. John came in, got sunscreened and bug sprayed up, we posed for a quick photo, Doug handed me the Tailwind recovery that John likes to have at the start of each leg and we were off.

Since I had the Recovery, I ran immediately behind John. What followed was one of three ‘oops we screwed that up’ moments on our leg. When I handed John the bottle of Recovery he took one sip and handed it back saying “that’s not recovery.” We all checked our bottles, no-one had Recovery. Oops number two happened as we were going up the ski hill and almost took a wrong turn. Olivia, David & I had discussed ahead of time that David would navigate as he was familiar with GPX files and strong enough to go in front. But, it was so close to the start David hadn’t had a chance to start the GPX navigation for this leg on his watch yet. Fortunately John was awake enough to figure out which of the 4 muddy tracks was the correct one.

The third oops was when we offered John a snack and said we had chips, this turned out to be a cruel tease on our part because when he said “I’ll take the chips” we discovered none of us had grabbed chips before heading out. David did have a Snickers though which John ate later. Despite being tired and feeling the miles, the closest John came to acknowledging any mistakes was a whispered “That’s fine” when we couldn’t find the Recovery. He also said thank you every single time he was handed anything. I suspect, you don’t succeed on runs like this if you let the road bumps get to you. As I heard John mutter to himself at one point in the run when he was fighting fatigue “Shake it off” (those of you who know me will be impressed I restrained myself from bursting into the Taylor Swift song at that exact moment)

On a quiet stretch of one of the night legs John at one point called out to the support runners “Would you guys just talk, just talk about anything.” Anyone who has met my family knows we are natural storytellers, it’s dangerous to encourage us to talk, we will always find something to talk about if prompted. I didn’t know John so I tried different topics. When I told the story of the dog and the suitcase, and the really long bad joke with no punchline, John said nothing during the telling but did comment at the ending of each. Victory, he was clearly paying attention and at least somewhat distracted. Then I switched to talking about upcoming races and marathon majors with OIivia. John joined in when we mentioned the Tokyo marathon wondering if his CIM time was fast enough for a semi-elite bib and I think he said that would be his 6th Abbott majors star. I asked about the kids, Olivia got him going on dogs, David was a constant positive source of energy up front calling out things like “it’s a beautiful day to be on the mountain”

I went pretty quiet on the one big climb in the middle as I focused on keeping up. For context, I find the Boston and Big Sur Marathons hilly. They have 891 feet (272 meters) and 2182 feet (665 meters) of elevation gain respectively. This 9 mile stretch had 2801 feet (854 meters) of elevation gain. Of course downhills can beat you up more than the uphills which accounted for the grunts and expletives released as John’s feet hit the ground on the downhills. But hey, that led to a discussion on expanding our vocabulary to include expletives in other languages.

Somewhere along the way John let out a loud “Whooo!” to try and keep his energy up, and about two hours in he perked up and suddenly we were nerding out on Star Trek and data science. Apologies to Olivia and David who didn’t have as much chance to join in on those topics. I had never clued in to the origin of John’s social media handle RandomForestRunner! Well done sir!

Olivia and I knew John was stronger than us on technical downhills and this leg finishes with a 350 m meter drop in the last 2 kms appropriately named Horrid Hill. Our goal was to get John to the start of that downhill and then let him and David go. Go they did! I kept John in sight for a while which was good because he did pause to take one last swallow of Tailwind and then he took off and I didn’t see him or David again until Olivia and I arrived at the Brandon Gap having stopped for a celebratory selfie on the way down.

Once we arrived, David and I were immediately put to work looking for frogs in the ditch and admiring spiders with John’s kids who had been waiting for dad to arrive.

John left with the next group of runners. Jessi & the kids left to go find a playground and I started walking to my car to drive Olivia and David back to their Middlebury Gap to get their cars when my inner thigh muscle started to cramp up. Calf and hamstring cramps I am all to familiar with, but inner thigh cramps are a new experience for me! Apparently all that side to side bounding on and off rocks and around mud was using muscles I don’t typically use road running. I suspect I was also not taking enough nutrition and hydration of my own. It was a hilly 3 hour run in heat and humidity and I had been concentrating mostly on John so all things considered if the only side effect was a few new muscle spams then that’s not bad at all.

I had one road support left. I went towards Killington to find some real food, took a nap in my car and then headed over to US Route 4 where Doug was handing off to Melissa and Scott (from Maryland). I listened to the hand off, occasionally Doug would pause and look over at me so I could add anything he missed. He pretty much had it covered despite having been at it over 24 hours. Melissa and Scott were fresh and ready to go so Doug went home to sleep. Another support runner, James (from New Jersey), arrived with the van John would sleep in and a copy of the Ultrarunner magazine with John on the cover in the hopes of getting it signed. James (who is running his second Barkley Fall Classic in September) was my favorite person of the day as he brought me a happy meal complete with toy when delivering the burger (just ketchup) and Frosty John had requested from McDonalds. Those fries were awesome. Jessi and the kids arrived a bit later. Jessi told me the kids were looking forward to playing with me again, and we had some fun. We went to explore a bridge. We played a game where they tried to stay out of my reach as I walked as fast as I could around the parking lot (it’s hard to run in my sandals). We took a selfie to send dad on the trail to let him know the kids were waiting to cheer him in.

We watched for dad’s headlamp amidst the fireflies as dusk descended. The support runners Phoebe (from New Hampshire who has two unsupported FKT records of her own), James (from Boston, MA), and Ryan (from New Jersey) who arrived with John immediately joined in to entertain the kids. They raced up and down the parking lot or became human monkey bars letting the kids climb on their backs. Everyone knew that helping the kids burn off some energy so Jessi could focus on making sure John had what he needed was just another way to help out. Once John was in the van snoozing away, I gave each of the kids one farewell upside down hug, and one normal hug for Jessi who was amazing the entire weekend supporting John and bringing the kids out to cheer dad. Then I got in my car and drove to Doug & Bonnie’s house as they had offered me a room for the night and had a blissful sleep in the comfort of a bed.

When I drove home Sunday morning I knew that these random stranger runners would take care of John until the end. I monitored the group chat and tracker as they ran through rain, mud, and darkness. Once I got home, I had reliable wifi and my laptop so I was able to take care of updating the spreadsheet with actual times in and out of the road support to help, one less thing to deal with for Jessi and others on site.

There was a mild panic in the group chat Monday as Google Maps sent people down a road to the Woodford Hollow (the pick up point) that was impassible in a normal car, but Vermont locals knew you could approach from the East so no change in route was required by a surely exhausted John. Four days and four hours after John started running, we saw the tracker reach the border first, and then Melissa posted a picture of John touching the sign at the trailhead and finally James (the one from Boston) posted a wonderful video of John running along, seeing the sign at the end of the trail dropping his poles in celebration and ‘sprinting’ to the sign.

Most of the time I hear about runs like this by reading about them in magazines or reading runners blog posts. This time I got to be a small part of the adventure. It was a privilege to be one of the random stranger runners supporting randomforestrunner on his successful FKT. Way to go John and thanks for inviting us to step into your world for a few days!

If you enjoyed this post check out some of my other running related posts and race reports

Photos not taken by me were taken by Olivia and it was Canada Day so of course I wore a flag for the run 🙂

Ode to the Long Trail FKT by John Kelly

I always enjoy an excuse to write a parody, and yes, I am a huge fan of Weird Al for that reason. This is a retrospective on the Long Trail FKT by John Kelly with the random social media followers (including me) he invited to be part of his adventure. If you are interested, you can also read my full run report on this experience

To the tune of Call me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen

You wrote a post on your wall

Your fans they answered the call

You replied back to them all

And we were on our way

Online at first we did meet

You sent us all the big sheet

Prepared for your major feat

And we were on our way

Your gels we’re holdin’

Sunscreen on skin that’s showin’

Hot days, no wind blowin’

Where you think you’re going, Kelly?

Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy

But here’s your Tailwind, keep moving Kelly

It’s hard to keep up with you baby

But here’s your Maurten, keep moving Kelly

Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy

But here’s your water, keep drinking Kelly

And all the other boys, think they’re speedy

But here’s your Snickers, keep eating Kelly

You spent four days on the trail

Support crews there without fail

You ran through rain but no hail

Yes you were on your way

The pain you felt it was real

You found the mettle and steel

Rice pudding for every meal

Nothing is in your way

Your gels we’re holdin’

Sunscreen on skin that’s showin’

Rain falls wind a blowin’

Where you think you’re going, Kelly?

Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy

But here’s your Tailwind, keep moving Kelly

It’s hard to keep up with you baby

But here’s your Maurten, keep moving Kelly

Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy

But here’s your water, keep drinking Kelly

And all the other boys, think they’re speedy

But here’s your Snickers, keep moving Kelly

All your kids are excited, cheering go dad

Cheering go dad, cheering go, go dad

Kids are running in circles, cheering go dad

And you should know that

Cheering go, go dad

It’s hard to set that new FKT

But here’s your Tailwind, go get this Kelly

Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy
But here’s your Maurten, keep movin’ Kelly
And all the other boys, work to pace thee
But here’s a Snickers, you’ve got this Kelly

Before you came into Route 9, we missed you so bad

We missed you so bad, we missed you so, so bad

But then you came in still moving, we’re cheering go dad

And you should know that

You killed it Kelly!

Congratulations and thanks for allowing us to be participants rather than just spectators!

Susan – 2023

Boston to Big Sur 2023 the graphic novel

In 2017 I ran Boston to Big Sur. This is a special registration for special (aka crazy, committed, or stupid you decide) people. You run the Boston marathon on the East coast then 6 or 13 days later depending on the year you run the Big Sur marathon on the West Coast. I’m not that crazy I chose a year with a 13 day gap.

In 2023, my friend Christopher was running Boston for the first time, so… we decided to go all in and do Boston to Big Sur. The following is a comparison illustrated by yours truly (if you need a family portrait I do commissions) comparing the day in Big Sur to the day in Boston. This is the sequel to my Boston 2023 graphic novel race report.

2:15 AM Alarm goes off. When I registered nobody warned me I’d be getting up at 2:15 AM

2:15 AM in Boston, sleeping, get some rest I’ve got a marathon to run today

2:30 AM Stumble into the kitchen to make my brown sugar and cinnamon instant oatmeal. Nice to have a kitchen so I have a real bowl and spoon!

2:30 AM Still sleeping

2:50 AM Apply the body glide. Toes, feet, and other places that make we wonder why body glide with built in sunscreen exists

2:50 AM Zzzzzzzzzz

3:25 AM Christopher and I drive to the Embassy Suites to catch our assigned shuttle bus.

3:25 AM Roll over

3:35 AM hand over our ‘purple ticket’ for the 3:45 AM bus from Embassy Suites. Excited to be on a ‘real’ bus instead of a school bus

3:35 AM Still snoozing away

4:05 AM Try not to think about the fact this big bus is navigating a windy twisty road in the dark along a cliff.

4:05 AM Still snoozing

4:35 AM Our bus is one of the earlier ones to arrive so we nab spots on the grass next to the plastic fence race organizers set up to remind all the boy runners the risk of seeing all of nature as your urinal, since this particular region of nature is widely infested with poison oak

4:35 AM blissful sleep

4:45 AM It’s still dark out. Some of the port-a-potties are in areas without lighting. Once you close that door it’s pitch black. Ripping the wrapper off a new roll of toilet paper is remarkably difficult in the dark, but the fact I am the very first to use this stall makes me slightly less terrified of what might lie on the surface of the port-a-potty hidden in the dark

4:45 AM Alarm goes off (blanket magically changes color from red to green because I’m too lazy to redraw and I accidentally used the wrong color on the previous pictures)

5:20 AM Runner sleeping has a large spider sitting on his shorts, Spend the next 15 minutes discussing with other runners waiting around whether to flick it off. Because the spider doesn’t look poisonous and is right on his butt, decide to leave it unless it starts moving.

5:20 AM Grabbing the brown bag breakfast our hotel prepared for Boston runners since we leave before the breakfast buffet opens

6:00 AM Drop off gear check bag at the truck. Too late we realize Christopher’s inhaler is in his gear check. No they will not go sifting through the pile of bags in the truck to try and retrieve it

6:00 AM Sitting on the train headed to the finish line where you drop off gear check and catch buses to the start

6:20 AM Start heading to corral, Find Yvonne standing in massive line for the port-a-potty. She accidentally left her gloves in her gear check bag. I had already been toying with not wearing mine, so hand them to an appreciative Yvonne. Also tell her about the shorter port-a-potty line where we had been sitting earlier

6:20 AM Switched from red line train to green line train

6:43 AM In Corral B waiting to start, no plastic fencing and no poison oak in sight, so several male runners visit nature’s urinal

6:43 At the port-a-potties beside bag check, why are the seats always wet? No don’t answer, I don’t want to know and I will use the hand sanitizer when I leave

6:53 AM Crossing the start line, Start the Garmin

6:53 AM Walking with masses of other runners from the buses towards Boston Common for bus loading

6:55 AM Realize shoelace is untied. Move to side of road but runners are packed tight and faster runners are dashing to the side to get by. Christopher acts as barricade so I can tie my shoe without fear of being run over.

6:55 AM Walking along Boston Common to the security entrance for bus loading

7:20 AM 3 miles in (~5 km) Big Sur has the best mile marker signs! Despite the near perfect running weather. I do not get a speeding ticket.

7:20 AM They aren’t letting my wave go through security yet, sitting under a tree staying off my feet

7:44 AM 5.5 miles (~9 km) Meet a guy whose run Big Sur over 20 times! Ask him what he thinks of the weather today, his answer “We don’t know the weather yet”

7:44 AM It gets cold just sitting here waiting, bundle up in my mylar blanket and put on garbage bag and plastic shower cap to try and stay warm

8:10 AM at 8 miles (~13 km) OMG the wind, now I know what that guy meant

8:10 AM Seriously is any guy capable of not splattering the seat in a port-a-potty?

8:38 AM at 9.5 miles (~15 km) There goes another hat! I’m carrying my visor in my hand this wind, the only sound you can hear is bibs flapping in the wind

8:38AM Sitting on the bus on my way to Hopkinton, the start of the Boston marathon, glad I’m not sitting in the back like I did last year, less bumpy up front

8:46 AM 10.5 miles (~17 km) Group of Japanese drummers on side of road providing motivation on the biggest climb of the course. Stop to play one of the drums, because this is a great race for a PR (Photo record)

8:46 AM Are we there yet?

9:02 AM at 12 miles (~19 km) Take a photo of the amazing view at Hurricane point, genuinely concerned that the wind will blow my phone out of my hand and over the cliff

9:02 AM Try not to think abou tthe fact we have to run all the way back

9:04 AM Start running downhill from Hurricane point to Bixby Bridge but I’m not running any faster because the wind is blowing me back up the hill

9:04 AM Are we there yet?

9:17 AM 13.1 miles halfway (21.1 km) Pose for a photo by the grand piano at the halfway mark and amused by his girlfriend standing nearby wearing a shirt that says “Dibs on the Piano Player”

9:17 AM No really are we there yet?

9:45 AM at 16 miles (~26 km) See ponies on side of road and a sign saying “Free Pony Hugs”. Stop for pony hug

9:45 AM Yay! We finally got to Hopkinton and I was able to secure a dry spot under the tent

10:53 AM 23 miles Another hill … really?

10:53 AM Gun sounded for Wave 3 at 10:50 but haven’t crossed the actual start line yet ‘cuz I’m back in corral 8

11:10 AM 25 miles (40 km) ANOTHER hill? Not even the guy on the accordion playing Roll out the Barrel can make this fun

11:10 AM .5 miles (1 km) High fiving all the kids on the sidelines, running too fast because it’s that nice downhill at the start of Boston

11:20 AM, 26 miles (41.6 km). The sign says it all

11:20 AM thoroughly enjoying having lots of people in the crowds yell GO SUSAN!

11:22 AM 26.2 miles (42.2 km) Crossing the finish line!

11:22 AM 3 miles (5km) Overhear another runner asking out loud who is Susan? as they’ve been listening to people yell Go Susan for the past 2 miles.

12:54 PM Awards ceremony completed, hanging out in the VIP Tent with the other Boston 2 Big Sur finishers rocking our jackets, medals and Yvonne’s plaque for 3rd place in her age group

12:54 PM Running through Wellesley getting a kiss on a cheek from one of the girls

3:58 PM Showered, changed, and out celebrating two marathons on two coasts in 13 days at the pub with glasses of wine for Yvonne and I, non-alcoholic beer for Christopher

3:58 PM Sitting on the curb in the family meeting zone huddled in my mylar blanket looking for Christopher

8:35 PM Fast asleep

8:35 PM Celebrating finishing Boston with Smores and friends

Thank you to Christopher for sharing this coast to coast 52.4 mile adventure with me and to all my run buds, friends and family who support this craziness from near or far and to anyone who humours me by reading my race reports! Below are the photos that inspired my artwork. Any resemblance of the artwork to an actual photo is an unexpected surprise.

If you enjoyed this post check out my other race reports, running quizzes, tips and more!

Boston marathon 2023…a day in the life

Inspired by a clever New Yorker article sent to me by my friend Chris Randall, my 2023 Boston race report compares my Marathon Monday routine in Boston to a typical Monday at home. Hopefully it provides a few knowing chuckles from my running friends, and a few behind the scene peeks for my non-runner friends.

4:45 AM Marathon Monday in Boston, my watch alarm and phone alarm go off, don’t want to risk sleeping in today!

4:45 AM Monday at home I’m sleeping

4:55 AM Stumble down to the hotel lobby to put my oatmeal in the microwave, didn’t add enough water so go to the washroom to add a bit more water and another 30 seconds in the microwave

4:55 AM Sleeping

5:00 AM Apply Body Glide to toes, feet, and many other places including those places which are the reason runners do not share Body Glide

5:00 AM Zzzzzzzzzzzz

5:05 AM finish packing gear check bag that includes warm clothes to put on after I finish, recovery sandals, Boston 2023 jacket, Advil, and a Twix chocolate bar

5:05 AM Sleeping

5:15 AM Head down to the hotel lobby with Judy to meet Yvonne and Mike to drive to the train station

5:15 AM did I hear something? Nah go back to sleep

5:20 AM Grab one of the brown bag breakfast bags the hotel made for all the marathon runners who are leaving before breakfast buffet is open

5:20 AM Zzzzzzzz

5:38 AM Make it to the platform in our stylish pre-race wardrobes with 2 minutes to spare before the train arrives

5:38 AM Yup, still snoozing away

5:40 AM OK, got to the train, breathe. It’s not hard to tell which people are going to the Boston marathon as we clutch our gear check bags

5:40 AM Still sleeping

6:13 AM Change trains from Red line to Green line. I find someone asking for change and offer him the extra banana and bottled water from my brown bag breakfast

6:13 AM Have I mentioned I work at home? So yup still sleeping

6:35 AM Drop off gear check at finish line. Yvonne and I stop so a stranger can take a picture of us in our stylish onesie and bathrobe

6:35 AM Clock radio alarm has gone off, lie in bed listening to CBC local news

6:45 AM Pulling up my shorts in port-a-potty and hear someone say “Oh I think there’s someone in that one” just as the door to my port-a-potty opens… I guess I didn’t turn that latch completely to the locked position

6:45 AM CBC Radio morning

7:00 AM – Follow huge mass of runners making their way from gear check to go through security for bus loading. Mike tells us we can cut across Boston Commons and the security lines will be shorter. He’s right.

7:00 AM National news

7:05 AM They aren’t letting anyone through security until their wave is loading onto the buses. Judy & Mike are in wave 2, Yvonne and I are in wave 3 which isn’t loading yet, so find a tree and settle in to wait. Glad it’s not raining.

7:05 AM Feed the cats

7:40 AM It’s cold sitting here waiting so I break out the garbage bag to put over the top of my robe and put on a shower cap to try to trap the heat and stay warm. Yvonne has gone to Starbucks in search of a bathroom because there are no port-a-potties this side of security. Starbucks gave out free coffee to the runners in line for the one bathroom in the store.

7:40 AM Breakfast of champions.. oatmeal with almonds, maple syrup and blueberries

8:10 AM Wave 3 is loading, so we’ve gone through security. We don’t miss our last chance to use a port-a-potty before we get on the buses. I carefully ensure door is properly locked and wonder why yet another port-a-potty seat is covered with mysterious drops from the previous user. Wipe off seat with toilet paper and take advantage of Purell upon exit.

8:10 AM Complete Wordle, Quordle, and Unwordle with help from Cluseau and Oola

8:25 AM After navigating very chaotic bus loading lines, Yvonne and I sit on the bus and settle in for the long ride to the start and try not to think about the fact we have to run all the way back. Amused to spot a driver in the lane beside us with a bowl of oatmeal in his lap, casually eating the oatmeal as he drives along

8:25 AM A little pre-work yoga, Cluseau sits on my lap during shavasana

9:40 AM arrive at Hopkinton, the athlete’s start village. I assume the wave 2 runners are gone so I just nab a spot in the first tent which keeps me dry as the rain moves in. Try to relax and stay warm. Time to put on my bright pink, shiny new, carbon plate super shoes.

9:40 AM work my way through the piles of email that arrived overnight

10:20 AM Wave 3 corral 8 is called to the start line. I drop my old running shoes off in one of the many clothing donation bags held by some of the thousands of volunteers rocking the blue and yellow volunteer jackets

10:20 AM Online meeting

10:40 AM Stop at the last set of port-a-potties on the way to the start corrals. Unexpectedly find some of my run buddies (Rita, Vincent, Faye & Diane) doing the same thing so we stop for a quick selfie showing off our fine assortment of disposable rain gear. Experienced marathon runners who knew what to pack!

10:40 AM Document review

10:50 AM Wave 3 has started, but it takes a while for Corral 8 to start moving. Bid farewell to my stunning purple bathrobe but keep the garbage bag because it’s still a bit cold

10:50 AM More email

10:56 AM Rip off the garbage bag and cross the start line. Hit Start on my Garmin. I’m about to run the Boston marathon, how terrifying awesome is that!

10:56 AM still answering email, Cluseau is helping

11:34 AM 6.5 km (4 miles) into the race, running through Ashland. I high five one of the many cheering kids spectating as he counts off each high five he receives (298, 299, …) My Garmin says I ran my last km in 5:13/km. Feeling good, lots of downhill in the first 10 km. I’m warmed up now, I take off my arm warmers and tie them to my bib belt.

11:34 AM Team meeting

12:15 PM 14 km (about 8 1/2 miles) into the race, running through Framingham. I hear people shouting GO CANADA! The person in the Canada shirt is Helene from Ottawa! I take my phone out of my pocket for a selfie and we end up running the same pace for a few km. After about a mile she calls out “They are yelling Go Susan more often than Go Canada” did I mention I have my name prominently displayed on my shirt. My Garmin says the last km took 5:40 min.

12: 15 PM Lunchtime, clam chowder, Oola waits hopefully in case there are any table scraps for her. At some point I should probably change out of my pyjamas

12:31 PM 17 km (about 10 1/2 miles) into the race, running through Natick. I see one of my favorite landmarks, Santa Claus is at the top of the hill on the right hand side. My Garmin told me I ran the last km in 5:27.

12:31 PM Done lunch, get distracted reading book 6 in the Wheel of time series, Matt just arrived in the Aes Sedai village.

12:54 PM 21 km (13 miles) into the race, running through Wellesley. This is where all the Wellesley college girls hold up signs offering to give you a kiss, I’m not out for a goal time today so I head over to the fence and get a kiss on the cheek from one of the girls. “Kiss me I’m blonde” though she’s not blonde, I’m confused but don’t have time to stop and enquire. My Garmin says I just ran a 5:29 minute km (8:51 min/mile pace) I’m pleasantly surprised by how good I feel running this pace, the cool weather must be working for me.

12:54 PM The chapters with Matt are the best chapters in this series. I really should get back to work.

1:48 PM 31 km (19.2 miles), running through Newton home of the infamous Newton hills. The last and best known of the Newton hills is Heartbreak Hill, the last big climb in the race. Got caught in rain a few miles back so put the arm warmers back on. At 32 km another runner comes up to me and asks “Is this heartbreak hill?” I apparently can’t keep track of hills and answer “Yes” he looks at me and says “Let’s do this!” we fist bump and head up the hill. Apparently, even after 6 Boston marathons I can’t keep track of the Newton hills, because Heartbreak was actually the next hill, whoops! My Garmin says I ran the last km in 5:08, and the one before that in 5:09, it also reported a couple of sub 5 min kms in the last stretch. As much as I would love to think I am running that fast through the hills I know better and realize I can no longer trust my Garmin.

1:48 PM Another meeting, still in my PJs

1:55 PM Around 32.5 km (~20 miles) running past Boston college. The students read the name off my shirt and cheer loudly. When I reach out to high five one of them, everyone else leans out for a high five and screaming encouragement. My hand hurts by the time I get past them all. My Garmin says I ran the last km in 5:00 (8:00 min/mile) sufficiently inaccurate that I no longer have any clue what my pace is.

1:55 PM Still in the meeting

2:22 PM 37 km (23 miles) into the race, running through Brookline and I’m not completely miserable which is a treat at mile 23. I can’t trust the pace on my Garmin (5 min/km), but the elapsed time is accurate and it says 3:26:08 which means if I can maintain a sub 6 min/km, I could finish in under 4 hours. I’ve only managed that once in my past 6 Boston marathons.

2:22 PM Back to email

2:40 PM 40.6 km (25.2 miles) running past the Citgo sign in Boston. One mile to go and elapsed time on my Garmin is 3:44:15. I am solidly on pace to finish under 4 hours and I’m actually on pace to run my first ever BQ in Boston! Fuck yeah, time to leave everything on the course.

2:40 PM Take a break from email and meetings to pet the cat who has settled in on my lap

2:48 PM Cross the finish line. I just ran my first ever BQ in Boston! 3:52:15! Start to feel dizzy, make sure I keep moving so I don’t pass out.

2:48 PM Unexpected chat with co-worker, kicked Cluseau off my lap because he was being a nuisance

3:22 PM Kept moving and got my medal and mylar blanket. Picked up my gear check time to put on warm clothes because as soon as you stop running it is COLD! Wonderful surprise as Yvonne, Mike and Judy find me. Don’t care whose watching, I rip off my running shirt and put on long sleeve lifa and Run K2J Hoodie. I give Yvonne my sweatpants since I have both sweats and jeans in by bag. Finally I put on the 2023 Boston jacket. Shortly after we find Rita, Faye, Dianne and Vincent as well! We did it! Now lets go find somewhere to get warm before someone gets hypothermia.

Back to email

4:02 PM I find Christopher who crossed the finished line at 3:33 PM, his hotel is walking distance from the finish so he didn’t check a bag and he is shivering! He informs me I need to walk him back to hotel and untie his shoes so he take a hot shower . Hopefully the hotel has an industrial boiler from all the runners thawing out with hot showers.

4:02 PM Still getting work done but Cluseau is starting to get hungry and is dropping hints that I should stop work and feed him

4:55 PM Christopher’s support team (Karin, Abram & Julia) finally get back to the hotel despite the derailed train. It was wonderful to see them at mile 6. We pose for a quick pic before they head out to the pub for celebratory drinks (the carefully selected pub has Christopher’s preferred NA beer) and I head back to my hotel

4:55 PM Cluseau says feed me now!

8:35 PM Stumble from Christopher’s hotel to the red line since train lines are still messed up from the derailment. Take the train back to the hotel. Judy picks me up at the train station in the car so I don’t have to walk the extra 800 meters. We drive to a celebratory dinner with Yvonne, Mike & Pat at Gyu Kaku where I can have my traditional pre or post marathon dessert Smores! Smiles all around. Sneezes and sniffles from Yvonne because she is allergic to cats and in case you hadn’t noticed, I have cats and the sweat pants she borrowed apparently had cat hair on them.

8:35 PM Watching John Wick 2 with Trevor and the cats. No Smores, no medals… but on the other hand I can walk down the stairs without a railing.

Thanks to all the crazy runners who joined me training or running this adventure and of course a huge thank you to all those who cheered on site and remotely! Any resemblance to persons real or fictional is entirely intentional but highly unlikely given my artistic ability

Boston Marathon 50 years later – 1973 vs 2023

How has the Boston marathon changed over the years? I’ve run it a few times, including 2022 and I’ll be back in 2023. But what was it like fifty years ago? I had the opportunity to find out from Ken Parker who qualified for his first Boston marathon in 1972 and ran his first Boston in 1973. I hope you enjoy this peek into the Boston marathon time capsule!

You may also be interested to read about what is was like for Ken to qualify for Boston before you could Google ‘marathon training plans.’

By the numbers

The 2022 Boston marathon had 28,604 runners. The temperature reached a high of 54F. The men’s winner was Evans Chebet of Kenya in a time of 2:06:51. The women’s winner was Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya in a time of 2:21:02. The men’s wheelchair winner was Daniel Romanchuk of the USA in a time of 1:26:58 the women’s wheelchair winner was Manuela Schär of Switzerland in a time of 1:41:08

The 1973 Boston marathon had 1,384 runners. The temperature reached a high of 78F. The men’s winner was Jon Andersen of Eugene, Oregon beat out the favorite Frank Shorter with a time of 2:16:03. The women’s winner was Jacqueline Hansen a college student from Granada Hills, California in a time of 3:06:26 beating out the other 13 women.

Race Hotels

Susan – 2023 “The Courtyard (not a fancy hotel) nearest the finish line is $769 USD a night Boston weekend. Too rich for me, so I stay further out and take one of the trains down to the Commons to catch the buses to the start. Regardless of where I stay, I always meet other Boston marathon runners walking around in Boston jackets from past years. The breakfast buffet inevitably runs out of bananas.”

Ken – 1973 “I used to stay at the Boston Sheraton right beside the finish. I was in the Royal Canadian Air Force and the military in Canada covered the cost of hotel and travel for us if we qualified for Boston. You could tell it was a popular hotel for Boston marathoners because there were always plenty of runners walking down stairs backwards in the hotel the day after the marathon.”

Race Swag & Expo

Susan – 2023 “When you pick up your bib you get a technical long sleeved shirt, a laptop sticker, a printed program and various strange goodies from sponsors including a ‘Boston Cream Pie’ flavoured gel from Gu. The race expo has just about every running shoe company, and running gear supplier on site. In addition there is an entire section of official Boston marathon clothing and souvenirs. The ‘must have’ for every first time Boston runner is of course the $125 USD celebration jacket.”

Ken – 1973 “There was no race expo, there was no swag, or celebration jackets, all you got was your bib and a basic cotton t-shirt.”

The route and getting to the start

Susan – 2023 “We catch the buses to the start from Boston Commons. You have to pass through security who ensure you are only carrying the official clear bag onto the bus. Volunteers co-ordinate the bus loading, and you have to show them your bib or they won’t let you board the bus. The bus drops you off at the school in Hopkinton, and you wait outside until your wave is called to the start. There are 4 waves each with 8 corrals. The wheelchair racers start around 9 AM, and the first runners leave around 9:30 AM.”

Ken – 1973 “The race route was the same as it today. We started in Hopkinton. There were buses by the hotel that would take us to the start. Jock Semple, the race director (the same Boston race director who tried to push Katherine Switzer off the Boston course in 1967) used to manage the bus loading and would get quite grumpy if runners weren’t following directions. You had to make sure your bib was visible or you’d be sure to get an earful.  Once we arrived at Hopkinton, we would hang out in the gym at the school until it was time to start. The race started at noon. There were no corrals and waves, just one bulk start.”

The cheering crowds

Susan – 2023 “The city really gets behind the marathon. There are 30,000 runners and 40-45% of them are women. Police, firefighters, and military are everywhere keeping runners and spectators safe. Spectators line the entire course cheering us on. I always look forward to the insane cheering at Wellesley and Boston college. If you see anyone in a Boston College shirt, tuck in behind them as you approach the school, they will get extra cheering that you can use to give you a burst of energy. The other runners who get the biggest cheers are usually people who were injured during the Boston marathon bombing and have returned to run the race”

Ken – 1973 “One of the most wonderful things about the Boston marathon is the way the city gets behind it. This was true even in 1973. Even though there were only one thousand runners, the Boston police were out firmly keeping everyone off the course reminding them it was marathon day! Locals would be out on their lawns and on the streets cheering us on. And yes, even in 1973, the loudest cheering section were the college girls at Wellesley (Marathon Monday | Wellesley College) . 1972 was the first year they officially allowed women to enter Boston, and the Wellesley girls cheered even louder when a female runner went by. Some of the male runners would tuck in with a female runner as they went past Wellesley to soak up that extra energy.”

Pacing and Support

Susan – 2023 “Boston doesn’t have pacers, but they do have clocks every 5 km and mileage markers every mile and of course almost every runner on the course is wearing a Garmin. You do get the occasional spectator who yells out ‘you are almost there’ when you still have 10 miles to go, but you know exactly where you are and exactly how far you have to go at any given moment. No need to carry water or electrolytes as there is no shortage of water and aid stations along the course, supplemented by spectators offering beer, coke, freezies, paper towels, orange slices and more!”

Ken – 1973 “Pacing was a little more challenging than it is now. They had timing stations, but they were portable, and instead of placing them at specific distance intervals they would be placed at geographical landmarks along the route like Natick or Wellesley. But even those didn’t help most of us because after the lead runners passed the timing stations, they would pack up and head to the finish. We didn’t have Garmins to keep track of our mileage either, so we mostly relied on the locals who would yell out “10 miles to go.” This could be a little unreliable as inevitably a few minutes later someone would yell out “only 15 miles to go.” There were no water stations either, but the local residents would come to our rescue standing in their front yards with garden hoses. I didn’t care, it was still amazing, because even then it was *BOSTON*!”

The finish line

Susan – 2023 “We all have timing chips on our bibs, and there is a mat ahead of the finish line so the announcers can see your name before you cross and call out names of runners as they come in. In every finish line photo, you can spot runners runner reaching down to stop their Garmins, and within minutes of finishing we can look up our official finish times on our cell phones.”

Ken – 1973 “I had no Garmin, but I did still run with a watch that I would check to see my time as I crossed the finish. Capturing official finish times was a little more complicated. There were no timing chips and mats. At the finish, as you ran across the finish line a volunteer would press a button on the Chronomix timer. The Chronomix would record the time for each runner in sequential order. As soon as you crossed the finish line you were corralled single file into the finish chute which kept all the runners in the order in which you finished so the volunteers could write down our bib numbers in order of finish position. Then the volunteers would map the order of the finishers to the finish times captured by the Chronomix.”

Medals & post race snacks

Susan -2023 “After you cross the finish line you head down the chute where an army of volunteers hand you a mylar blanket, your medal, and an assortment of snacks to help you refuel. Medics with wheelchairs at the ready scan the hoards of finishers in case they need to whisk a woozy runner to the med tent. You stumble out of the secure area to the meeting area or the Commons to meet up with any friends or family and ideally head out for a celebratory meal and drink afterwards. In 2022, I finished in 4:07:03 18420th overall. My time is more than 20 minutes slower than my qualifying time, but I really don’t care, I just finished the Boston marathon!”

Ken – 1973 “There were no finisher medals (Note from Susan: It looks like the first finisher medals were handed out in Boston in 1983, a pewter medal with no ribbon) but we would celebrate over drinks afterwards and the next day the Boston Globe would publish all of the results in the paper. I checked the paper and I ran 3:22:10 placing 541st overall. But to be honest, I was not too concerned or excited about my time, It was a major achievement to run and finish Boston!”

Who are Ken and Susan?

Ken Parker has been active participant in the development of marathon as a mainstream sport and in particular with the development of competitive women’s running which he champions to this day. He was inducted into the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame in 2005 and coached the OAC women’s running team in Ottawa well into his 80s. This post is the second in what I hope will be a series of posts, as I hope to continue interviewing Ken to learn more about his experience in the marathon space and in particular his involvement with the evolution of competitive women’s running!

Susan aka hockeygeekgirl, got into marathon running in her 40s and was lucky enough to find a great group of running friends who make the long runs more bearable and join her on many a fun run adventure including 6 Boston marathons. If you enjoyed this post you may want to check out her other running posts, everything from race reports, to practical tips on how to make the most out of your Boston marathon weekend, to running disaster stories from runners just like you!

Everything you need to know for the Berlin Marathon

If you are running or thinking of running the Berlin Marathon, here are a few practical tips based on my experience at the 2022 Berlin Marathon.

In this post you will find tips on

• Decisions you have to make when you enter the lottery
• Got your bib? Time to plan the trip
• You’ve arrived in Berlin!
• The Race Expo
• Exploring Berlin before the race
• Race day
• The Race Course
• You finished! Congratulations!

Decisions you have to make when you enter the lottery

Solo vs Team lottery

One of the things I love about the Berlin marathon, is if you have a friend you want to run with, you can enter the lottery as a team of 2-3. When you enter the lottery as a team you either all get bibs, or none of you get bibs. Just make sure everyone selects the team option. I entered the lottery three times, each time as part of a team, so when I finally got in, I had someone to share the experience with me.

Can you qualify for Berlin?

There are qualifying times you can use to get a guaranteed bib for Berlin, but they are tougher than Boston. To register as a “fast runner” in the 2023 Berlin marathon the required times were

• Male runners up to 44 years (born 2005 to 1979): under 2:45 hours – Runners up to 59 years (born 1978 to 1964): under 2:55 hours – Runners 60 years and older (born 1963 and older): under 3:25 hours
• Female runners up to 44 years (born 2005 to 1979): under 3:00 hours – Female runners up to 59 years (born 1978 to 1964): under 3:20 hours – Female runners over 60 years (born 1963 and older): under 4:10 hours

Are there other ways to get a guaranteed bib?

Just like the other marathon majors there are tours and charity partners, so if you are willing to pay for a tour, or raise several thousand dollars for a charity you can get a guaranteed bib. There’s one other rather unique way to guarantee a bib, if you do the inline skate the day before the marathon, then you get a guaranteed bib for the marathon the following year.

Gear Check vs Poncho

Gear Check or Poncho. If you do gear check, you get a mylar blanket at the finish line and you get to check a bag in the start/finish area.  The Berlin marathon is a loop so this makes gear check simpler, you don’t have to worry about a cut-off time for dropping off your bag on race day. Runners who selected Gear Check will be provided a clear plastic bag when they pick up their bib. Random bit of trivia, the bib numbers are different ranges for runners who chose poncho vs gear check. At the New York marathon a lot of people choose the ponchos because it’s such a long walk to gear check. In Berlin the walk to gear check is similar to the walk to pick up your poncho. Also, anyone who selected poncho is NOT allowed to take a mylar blanket.  I chose gear check, my sister chose poncho. I am glad I chose gear check. My sister said if she were ever to run it again she would choose gear check as she was quite cold after the race and found it a long walk to get the poncho.

Do you want a finisher shirt?

You do not get a Berlin marathon shirt included with your race registration. You have the option to pre-purchase a shirt when you register. If you do, then when you pick up your bib you will have a little code on your bib indicating you pre-purchased clothing and you are sent to another line up to pick up your items. I pre-purchased a finisher shirt, but there were lots of nice shorts, jackets, hats, etc… in the Berlin Marathon race store at the expo. So, don’t stress too much over this decision. If you don’t buy a shirt when you register, you will have the opportunity to pick something out at the expo. The store is a bit crowded with all the other runners around and finding a specific size can be a bit of a challenge. On the flip side it was nice to be able to try things on to make sure they fit.

Got your bib? Time to plan the trip

Where to stay

The runner’s entrance is on the Northeast corner of the park, Grosser Tiergarten, about 400 metres from the Brandenburg Gate making it a useful landmark. If you book a hotel on the South end of the park, don’t assume you can cut through the park or enter from the South side. You may have to take a significant detour to get around the start/finish area to the runner’s entrance. There are a fair number of hotels and apartments you can rent near the park. I stayed near Potsdamer Platz and found it a fairly easy walk to the start area. I saw a few clever runners who took advantage of the rental electric scooters to get themselves to the start.

There are many hotels listed on the marathon website, but there are lots of other hotel options that are not listed. Berlin also has apartment rental services such as AirBnB.  I know in cities like Chicago and Boston on marathon weekends, there have been incidents with hosts cancelling bookings and reposting for higher prices, I personally did not hear any stories of this happening in Berlin.

It’s not essential to stay close to the start. The Metro system in Berlin is very efficient and because the race doesn’t start until 9 AM, you can absolutely take the Metro to the start line (it’s also free for runners on Sunday).

Getting from the airport into town

International flights will likely land at Brandenburg airport. There are Ubers and taxis available, and it’s a 30-60 minute drive depending on traffic.

Brandenburg airport has its own Metro stop, so public transit is a reasonable option. See the section on using the Metro for details on how to navigate the Metro system. What you need to know specifically for the airport, is that the airport is located in zone C, so you require an ABC ticket when travelling to or from the airport. In addition to the regular metro (U & S trains), there are express trains (labelled FEX) that may pop up as options as well. The fares and tickets for FEX trains are the same for these as the regular metro, so don’t hesitate to take FEX if it pops up as an option. If you are landing at Terminal 1 or 2, there is a train station on the lower level (level U2). You purchase your tickets from the ticket machine on the train platform don’t forget to put the ticket in the validation machine to be punched after you buy the ticket. Terminal 5 was not operating flights in 2022, but there is a Metro station there as well.

Taking the train to/from Berlin

Unlike in North America, the train is a very practical way to travel in Europe. The high speed Inter City express (ICE) train stops at Berlin Central Station. This is the main station in Berlin and is located about 2 km from the Brandenburg Gate. Even if you are flying to Berlin, the train is a convenient way to visit other European cities during your trip.

You’ve arrived in Berlin!

Shopping for marathon essentials

Since they lost our luggage and it did not get back to us until 7 days after we landed (9 PM Sunday AFTER the marathon), I learned a lot about where to buy what in Berlin.  I am not into high fashion, jewellery, or shoes, so I can’t help you there, but here’s what I can help you with.

Groceries – REWE is the main grocery chain where you will find your pre or post race food including bananas, bread, single serving oatmeal packets, chips, cookies, chocolate, wine, beer, champagne

Drug store – DM is the main drug store chain where you will find sunscreen, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste and such, but you will NOT find Ibuprofen, Antacids, etc… – You won’t find these at the hotel gift shop or grocery store either. In Germany, pharmacists have to dispense all drugs, even over the counter drugs. You don’t need a prescription, but you will need to go into an Apotheke and wait for a turn to speak to the pharmacist. 

Running gear – The race expo will probably have everything you need, but you can also check out Decathlon sports at AlexanderPlatz, they have a basic running section, and I found the German equivalent of Body Glide near the checkout counter.

Local SIM Cards, general clothing needs – The Mall of Berlin is centrally located and has three floors of shops and a food court. Vodafone is in the basement and can set you up with a SIM card, though I suspect we got oversold based on what my sister paid for hers. You will run past the Mall of Berlin on race day, but I recommend shopping before rather than during the race.

Funky local shops that are fun to visit – the Playmobil and the Lego shops in Mall of Berlin are cool. Advent calendars are popular here and will be on sale in September. Some of them are really impressive! You should also check out one of the Ampelman shops. Ampelman is what they call the little light up guy on the cross walk signs. There’s an Ampelman shop not far from Brandenburg Gate.  If you are into record shopping, do a little research and you will probably find the record shop of your dreams, as there are lots of different ones many of which specialize in a particular type of music (Coretex has an impressive selection of heavy metal). Sadly for metal fans, the Rammstein shop is only open one day a month but a must visit if you are a fan and the timing works out. Keep an eye out for funky art galleries as well!

Getting around in Berlin

The public transit system is impressive and efficient. In 2022, all runners got an email that allowed them to download a ‘card’ that provides them with free transit from Thursday through Sunday. For those not running, or for travel outside Thursday – Sunday, you can buy single one way tickets (ABC to get to or from airport, AB for travelling around in the city). But, the simplest solution is to purchase a Welcome Card. You can buy 24 hr up to 5 day Welcome Cards.  You have to choose between zones AB and ABC.  The only reason you would want ABC is if you are going to the airport, chances are everything else you are doing is in zone AB. All ticket types can be purchased from ticket machines on the train platform. After you purchase the ticket or the Welcome card you need to validate it. There should be a little machine with a slot, you insert your purchased ticket in the slot and that punches it with a time stamp making it valid for travel.  There are no machines or people checking for train tickets at the entrance or exit, instead random checks are done on trains to ensure passengers have a valid ticket.

I used Google Maps to navigate the Metro system. Google maps will tell you to take a U or an S train.  Look around for an entrance with the U or S. Some stations have S and U trains. Your Google map instructions may say U2 or it might say S1/S2/S25 if there are multiple numbers listed that means any of those trains will get you to your destination. All you have to figure out now is which direction train you want.  The last stop on the train line will be listed on the signage e.g. Bernau vs  Blankenfelde on the S2. If the train itself is not going to the end of the line it will be listed with the name of the station where it stops running, but as long as you have the right platform it is taking you in the correct direction. There is a metro map on just about every train platform you can use to double check if you aren’t sure. Most trains have maps and a electronic sign that tells you which stop is next. Google maps will also suggest which of the multiple exits of the Metro to use. Unfortunately, I found the signage didn’t always match the Google Maps exit suggestions, so often found myself walking out a random exit, going outside and had to walk a little further or cross an extra street or two because I never mastered finding the most efficient exit. 

Uber/Grab/Lyft

Uber is readily available in Berlin, I don’t know about Lyft or Grab. You can also get taxis.  I have friends who took Ubers everywhere. I took the Metro unless I had a lot of luggage to carry around. It cost me about 50 Euro to get from my hotel at Potsdamer Platz to the airport. One word of warning, on Saturday they have an inline skating race on the marathon course, so that means lots of road closures. So even if you generally take Uber, you might want to take the Metro between 2-7 PM Saturday.

Race Expo

Bib Pick up

The Race Expo is at Tempelhof airport. Quite a cool location actually. If taking the metro you will want to exit at Platz der Luftbrucke. When you exit the station you will see volunteers pointing you and all the other runners in the direction of the expo entrance about 400-600 meters away. The location makes for interesting scenery as you walk past abandoned check in counters on the way in, walk out through the gates onto the tarmac and into an actual airplane hangar for the expo itself.

Signage in the expo is limited and I found it very confusing, but the volunteers were helpful if you stopped to ask, so if you are lost or can’t figure something out, ask a volunteer, most of them speak fluent English.

In 2022, Once you enter the expo stay to the right and go all the way to the end to pick up your bib. If you pre-ordered any clothing there is a separate line right after you pick up your bib for pre-ordered clothing pick up. If you selected Bag Check you will receive your clear bag for bag check with your bib, if you selected Poncho you’ll just get your bib. As you exit the bib pick up, you will find yourself in the official Berlin marathon store area where you can find Berlin marathon, jackets, t-shirts, shorts, etc… Be prepared to hunt for sizes. If you are in the Men’s area and everything appears to be size Medium, you might be looking at the “M” for Men label instead of the size (learned that the hard way). In 2022, all the race gear was Adidas so the jacket is similar fabric and style (different colors) to what you get at Boston or London.  Nice that they had some colorful clothing for the men!  Not all guys want to spend their entire lives wearing blue, black and grey.

If you have friends and family coming with you to the expo to cheer you on, they will not be able to enter the bib pick up with you. Instead, when you enter the bib pick up line on the right, there is a little aisle on the left which they can take straight into the official Berlin marathon clothing store to meet you after you have your bib. Once you exit the marathon store the rest of the exhibitors are spread out across the airplane hangar which is a nice big space. We were able to find t-shirts, recovery sandals to replace the ones in my lost luggage (I love Oofos), gloves, body glide, compression socks, etc with little difficulty. There were about 3 different running shoe vendors on site as well, and because it’s Germany, you can wander around the expo with beer in hand (Non-alcoholic Erdinger is a race sponsor, Germany in general has a great selection of NA beers and drinks in general, be great when North America catches up on that front). When you exit the expo hall and go back on the tarmac there are a few food vendors around as well.

Expo Hall Photo Ops

There’s a wall you can sign and there are a few big posters inside and outside that make for good pics if you don’t want to line up for the official one. Outside on the tarmac you will also find the Candy bomber which is a neat little part of Berlin history.

As is often the case at the big races, the sooner you can get to the race expo the better. Thursday evening is busy, Friday morning is worse, Friday evening is even worse. Also, the later you go, the harder it is to find clothing in your size. 

There are some additional photo ops near Brandenburg gate and the Finish line. In 2022, they had a wall of fame with the names of all the runners.

Exploring Berlin before the race

Eating out in Berlin

There are no shortage of Italian restaurants for your pre-race meal Saturday night. I do recommend reservations for your evening meals. More than once we selected a restaurant, arrived, saw empty tables and were told they were all reserved. After three nights of wandering around trying to find alternatives, we learned our lesson and made reservations for the all subsequent dinners and found that much less stressful, and we got better food since we weren’t limited to whatever nearby restaurant had an empty table.  If you can’t reserve online, you can always ask your hotel concierge or front desk to help you call to make a reservation.

Tipping is always confusing in a new country. So lets be clear on this, you do leave tips in Berlin. When you pay by credit card you do not have the option of adding a tip, so you need to bring cash, or you need to ask them to add the tip before they enter the total. A Berlin friend told me 5 % is an average tip, 10% is a good tip, 15 % is a very good tip. On one or two occasions we had no small bills and left a 20% tip which is not that unusual in North America. These did result in big smiles from the wait staff who clearly appreciated it, and seems to re-affirm the guidance we were given.

Playing tourist in Berlin

It’s very easy to spend a lot of time on your feet walking and standing in Berlin, so plan your tourist time carefully. If you have a limited amount of time to play tourist the most famous quick stop landmarks are probably: Brandenburg Gate (you will run under it at the 42 km mark), the Berlin Wall (the section called East Side Gallery is the best place for photo ops as it’s covered with murals by artists from around the world), and Checkpoint Charlie.

There are also an incredible number of museums in Berlin. I have never seen such a variety. Yes you have the typical science museum, and nature museum. Since you are in Berlin which was famously divided by the Berlin wall there is a Checkpoint Charlie Museum, a Berlin Wall museum, the DDR museum (which gives you a really interesting peek at daily life in Eastern Germany), the Spy museum complete with actual gadgets worthy of James Bond plus an exhibit about James Bond. Still too mainstream? How about the David Hasselhof museum (well more of a display really, but an entertaining distraction if you are in the neighborhood), Samurai museum, Museum of mass produced things, museum of curry wurst, museum of disgusting food (I am not making any of these up).

Speaking as a well traveled zoo fanatic, the Berlin zoo is one of the finest zoos I have ever visited, with decent sized enclosures that provide wonderful views of the animals, and species I had never seen before. If you book it well in advance (months and months in advance, like the day you get your bib for Berlin confirmed) you can also book a behind the scenes visit with one of the animals. We met the hippos as that was the only tour with an opening left, but it was still a really cool add on (80 Euros for the behind the scenes tour, up to 5 people can participate)

Berlin is very bicycle friendly, a lot of roads have dedicated bike lanes, so another great way to explore is to rent a scooter or bicycle. A boat tour or hop on hop off bus tour is another great way to explore while staying off your feet.

Race Day

The start area

One thing I found REALLY frustrating was that the race kit provided a map of the course, but it did NOT provide a map of the start area. So finding details like what time your corral actually starts, or figuring out where the ONLY entrance for runners is located, or what paths are blocked so you can figure out how to reach the runners entrance from the other side of the park, or which of the three different bag check tents you needed was not obvious. The phone app and website kept pointing me to the online interactive map, which was better than nothing, but was still missing a lot of detail. You had tiny symbols on the interactive map, and when you zoomed in on the map the tiny symbols didn’t get any bigger so they were really hard to read. The day before the race I highly recommend walking over to the finish area and walking over to find the runners entrance and family meeting area. When you get there look for the big maps of the start area printed on the fencing. Take a picture of that map on the fence, that was the best map I found of the start area.

Bag Check

Because the start and finish are at the same place, you don’t have a deadline for bag check. Just drop them off before you go to the corral using the bag you were given when you picked up your bib. In 2022, there were two sets of tents fairly far apart for different bib numbers. Hopefully, by 2023 they will fix the interactive map and you can tap on the gear check and it will tell you which gear check is which bib numbers. In 2023, that didn’t work but one of the maps on the fence beside the runners entrance had a legend in the bottom corner explaining which bag check tent is for which bib number. Since the two bag check tents are about 400 metres apart this was very helpful.

Port-a-potties

There were a decent number of port-a-potties on the race course itself, but there were not enough in the start area. The line ups for the port-a-potties around the gear check tents and on the walk to the corrals was longer than I’ve seen at any other marathon. If you really want the luxury of a port-a-potty then I suggest you head straight for your corral, there are a few port-a-potties right next to the corral entrance and those were the shortest lines I saw.  At those port-a-potties they also had urinals for the gentlemen. Now keep in mind this is Europe, so they don’t put big fencing around the urinals to avert delicate eyes from men taking a pee. Nope these urinals are right beside the path in clear view, do what you gotta do guys, especially if that means one less person in line for the port-a-potty. Now I did say if you want the “luxury” of a port-a-potty, beside the corral entrance is your best bet. In Boston, there are dire warnings telling you that if you go pee in the bushes in the start village you will have your bib taken away. After running Berlin, I now understand why they give all those dire warnings, because that is clearly not the case everywhere. In Berlin, with the shortage of port-a-potties, that gap in the fencing with runners sneaking through, yup they are off to find a tree. That line of garbage trucks beside the fence provides some modicum of privacy for runners male and female who decided not to wait in line, so step carefully around that puddle coming out from behind the truck cuz it’s not water. If you couldn’t find a gap in the fence or a spot behind the trucks, there is a more forested bit near the start corral that had a fair number of male and female runners taking one final opportunity to empty their bladders before going into the corral.

Water and food

The start and finish area are the same open space. When you finish the race they have water and food, but I didn’t walk past those areas when I was starting. I went from the runners entrance, to the gear check, to the corral. I did not pass anyone giving out water or food along the way, so I would recommend bringing something to drink or eat with you if you want it. If anyone reading this post knows if there is a place to get food or water before you start please let me know so I can add that information to the post.

The Race Course

Water & nutrition stops

If you are used to the big North American races you will probably find the water stops at Berlin a bit lacking. The first water stop is at 5 km, and the first stop with electrolytes isn’t until 9 km. After that you basically have alternating water and electrolyte stopes approximately every 3 km. In 2022, the electrolyte stops had water, then Maurten drink, then tea. Yes tea, warm tea in fact. Kinda nice actually, but I admit I don’t know how that helps my body on marathon day. I may need to do some research on that. They also had bananas which I know many runners appreciated.

The water stops had plastic cups so which meant the pinch the cup to make a spout trick does not work, so expect to spill water on yourself if you don’t stop to walk at the water stops. In the second half of the course some of the water stops were only on one side of the road, and since they weren’t at predictable intervals you had to stay alert to avoid missing one. I was happy with the number of volunteers working at the water stops, I really appreciated that! so before I forget a HUGE THANK YOU to the 7,500 volunteers who help out with the Berlin Marathon!

The Mall of Berlin water stop had Coke, which I appreciated, it was only at one table on the left side of the road.

There was one gel stop on the course handing out Maurten non-caffeinated gels. So if you are planning on using gels, even if you are using Maurten you will want to carry your own. Some runners carried their own water or electrolytes as well. I have never considered that for a North American major marathon, but I might consider it if I ran Berlin again as I have been spoiled by races like Boston where I have the option of electrolyte or water at every stop, and I did have trouble with cramping int eh last 10 km which could have been caused by not enough electrolytes, but of course it could just be that I was undertrained for the pace I set out to run.

The route (can I run a personal best?)

Berlin is famous as a fast course. Eliud Kipchoge set a new World Record at berlin in 2022 running 2:01:09! Part of the reason it’s so fast is because the Berlin marathon is flat. It’s not ‘track’ flat, but it’s flatter than any other marathon I have run, including Chicago which a friend of mine aptly described as ‘waffle flat’ because it has a number of small elevations where you have overpasses. My hill profile from Berlin on Strava says the race had a total of 61 m elevation gain. It does have a fair number of turns, and you go around a couple of roundabouts, so if you are really focused on a fast time, stick to the blue line on the road that marks the most efficient route.

This is a big race with a lot of runners, so especially near the start, expect to get trapped behind other runners. Even later in the course there are a few spots where the road narrows and you get caught behind other runners. I found it more crowded than Chicago or Boston, but not as crowded as New York. But despite the crowded spots and turns, you can definitely run a personal best on this course.

Mileage markers

They had markers every km but they do not have markers for the miles which I know threw off a few American runners. There are timing mats every 5 km so friends can track you online,

The fans and atmosphere

There were fans along the entire course which I appreciated. According to the media guide there are an estimated 1 million spectators cheering you on. According to the media guide there were 157 nations represented among the runners. The majority were of course from Germany, then U.S. Canada had 772 runners which might account for the fact I only saw one Canadian flag among the fans, on the other hand Denmark had 958 and the Danish fans seemed to be everywhere and were always making lots of noise for their runners. Canadian fans have some work to do! Berlin prints your name on your bib so you will get strangers and volunteers cheering you by name which I think is awesome. By the way in case you were wondering the most common First name of a runner in the 2022 Berlin marathon was Michael and the most common last name was Muller. For the women the most common first name was Sarah but the most common last name was also Muller (fascinating the stats they share in the media guides!) One of the highlights of my race, was a random person cheering who called out “this is your day Susan” as I ran past. Thank you! There aren’t as many silly signs as you see at North American races, and of course many of the signs are not in English. My friend Christopher spotted a sign that said “I can’t believe you are doing all this for a free banana” but the sign was in German…I’m impressed he was able to do that translation mid-race. My husband had a sign that said “Go random stranger go!” and he had lots of fun interactions with runners calling “hey that’s for me, I’m a random stranger!” That’s a sign I’ve seen at a lot of other races, but it was a much bigger hit in Berlin, so if you are cheering, make a sign it will be appreciated! If you are running, you won’t have walls of fans 6 people deep until the very end, but you will absolutely have fans cheering you the entire way. It’s a very spectator friendly course. Because it’s a loop and the metro system is quite efficient, you can easily find a friend at least twice on the course. I highly recommend looking at a metro map and planning the day before where you plan to be and on which side of the road. It is much easier for the runner to spot their friend or family in the crowd than for the friend or family to pick you out of the endless parade of runners going by. Another neat trick to make it easier to find family or friends is to have them purchase a big mylar balloon to bring with them. That’s easier to spot from a distance.

There were also no less than 100 spots along the route where music was played according to the media guide. I wasn’t counting, but I did notice a lot in the last 10 km or so.

The weather

Many a great training plan has been thwarted on race day by bad weather. Your odds of good weather in Berlin are pretty good. At the start of the race in 2022 was 51F, 2021 was 58F, 2019 was 55F. Over the past 20 years, the cooler races are in the mid 40s, and the hot races are high 50s with winds ranging from 0 to 12 mph. However, the race has a fairly late start and fairly long breaks between corral starts, so if it warms up during the day and you are in a later corral you may have to contend with hotter temperatures. 2022 started out 51F and cloudy, but was 63F and sunny by the time I hit the half way mark.

You Finished!

Timing Chips

I was surprised to discover the Berlin marathon uses the old school timing chips that you put on your shoe. They don’t give you zip ties for them either. That means you have to tie them into your shoelaces. That’s all fine and dandy before the race, just make sure you put them on before you leave the hotel. The problem is that means AFTER the race, when bending over to untie a shoe can seem like an unsurmountable task, you have to take them off and return them before leaving the runners area. I had recovery sandals in my bag check, so I just removed the timing chip after I had taken off my shoes. Some runners had their own timing chips which you can register and use, that saves you having to return them post-race. They are allowed on your ankles, so I saw a suggestion that it you are a triathlete and have one of the old ankle straps for timing chips, you could bring that with you and wear it. Finding the place to return the timing chips was also a bit confusing. In the end I asked a volunteer where to return it, and she was kind enough to just take it for me. I heard there were volunteers with buckets near the runners exits as well, but I didn’t see them. When in doubt ask a volunteer.

Post race food and drink

There was one water table right after we got our medals, but honestly, I was ready for anything but more water. When you get across the finish you don’t have one nice long finish chute to follow that takes you to all the post-race goodness, so it’s a little confusing, especially when you are exhausted from the race. I had found my gear check bag, got changed, and then had to go back out to find the food bags. Turns out they were at tables near the beer tent. They had banana, apple, pretzels, and a couple of chocolate goodies.

Summary

Berlin is one of the Abbot world majors, and it’s one of the few where you have a decent chance of getting in through the lottery. It’s a good race to try for a personal best and I highly recommend it for your marathon bucket list.

If you found this helpful, check out my page of running posts including a guide to Boston, other marathon reviews, gear reviews, tips to survive on the treadmill and more. This post was written by Susan Ibach aka HockeyGeekGirl, Berlin is Susan’s 4th Abbott World Major, and she is a proud Boston squeaker, looking forward to running Boston in 2023 thanks to running 43 seconds under the BQ time at California International Marathon in 2021