Berlin Marathon

Participated in the marathon as my first international race. I'm used to expos and races being very organized and full of fun experiences in the US. Unfortunately, Berlin didn't live up to the same hype. The expo is held at Templhof Airport, Once you enter, continue down to the end of the hall and go outside and down steps to get in a long line. They have food trucks set up outside. If you don't have your QR code printed, you can go to a tent, and they can look you up and print one for you. You will need this QR code to enter the line outside. After you are scanned, and your passport or ID is checked proceed forward to get a wristband. This band should stay on you until you complete the race. Finally, just as you enter the expo, you'll get a participant bag. This bag had a tiny packet of protein balls, a tiny bar of soap, and a sample of prebiotics. Nothing else. Inside you'll pass table after table selling items. There are no free samples of anything. After passing three rooms of items for sale, you'll get in line to finally get your bib. Make sure you have your ID ready. They will provide safety pins if needed, but no bag (unless you opted for bag check). You will also get a tracker to lace into your shoe (vs a tracker on the back of the bib). There is no finisher shirt, or anything extra provided as a participant. If you choose to volunteer at the expo, they will provide a shirt with TEAM in big letters on the back. Make sure you're on time for your shift or you may get yelled at. They provide "lunch" which is a sandwich, drink, dessert, and candy. If you're vegetarian, there likely won't be a sandwich for you and a bit challenging to find an English speaker. Apparently, you get paid a small amount for volunteering. The expo only had one real photo opp location, which had a long line full of impatient people should someone take more than 5 minutes to take a photo. There was no volunteer there to regulate the line or help take photos. The shopping for official gear becomes a frenzy as people make a mad dash to buy up all the gear they can. I'd go to the expo early to ensure you get the size you want. I didn't see items for sale online or anywhere else. So if you see something you want, that's the time to buy it. Pricing is expensive as expected with shirts ranging from 30-40 EUR each and jackets ranging from 80-120 EUR.

None of the volunteers or security we asked had any clue as to where the start was day before the race. On race day, I stopped by the bag drop because I heard this was the last spot for restrooms. I exited the area and went where letters were posted around the corner. Once again asking volunteers where the start was. An info desk told me the start was 2km away, when in reality it was just a little further from the bag drop area.

The race route is flat. You won't find restrooms often and it takes a while before the first water station. Oddly, they give water and tea for hydration and not Gatorade. Some stations were giving peeled banana halves or sliced apples. It would be better if the peels were on these given the number of hands touching the bananas and them sitting out in the open. Very late into the run they have one station giving Maurten gels. I didn't try this, but from what I heard...it was a sugary slime and a friend got diarrhea from it. I'd suggest only using the gels you trained with, and your stomach is used to. They have camera folks out, but you can hardly spot them as they don't wear any uniform. Often, they were just standing and rarely taking photos of runners. Once you run through Brandenburg Gate you are close to the finish and getting your medal. There are zero backgrounds set up to take a photo with your medal. You'll get a recovery bag (water, chocolate croissant, chocolate bar, pretzels, and an apple) and then continue further down to get your poncho (if you didn't do a bag drop). This is a bit unorganized because after getting your recovery bag and poncho, you must backtrack to use the restrooms, showers, or take a photo with some background. The only real background is against the fence with the race title. Finally, as you exit, they give beer. Before exiting be sure to turn in your shoe tracker. Once you're out, it's a little challenging to find directions to medal engraving. Luckily, I pre-paid for this so didn't need to carry cash. Finally found the tent, which is not labeled nor did any volunteer staff really know where it was. Engraving took 15 minutes and must be done that day. After a few days you'll get an email about photos. It was $35 EUR for all digital photos and another $10 EUR if you want video.

Overall, the race could use more organization and runner support. Add a participant shirt, set up photo opp locations for finishers, offer samples at the expo, give Gatorade vs tea on the race route, have more restrooms available on the run, and give clear direction on where runners should report to start the race.

Currently canceled for 2020 however the site at which multiple world records were broken is still open to the public for free sightseeing while visiting Berlin

I feel I missed my goal by at least 12+minutes. I'll never know if it was the Thursday night flight to Stockholm from Los Angeles, exploring Stockholm Friday, the late night flight to Berlin, eating dinner at 1A, going to sleep around 3A and waking up to hit the expo then exploring the awesome city for nearly 14 miles, but come Saturday afternoon at the East Gallery Wall my knees were already sore and tired. I tried to take it easy that evening and felt nervous about the race and weather (wet, rainy) Sunday but trained/subway and then walked (what's been further than any other race start walk I've done before, even NYC subway, to ferry to bus, to walking to the start).

I started in corral H with "first timers" (which I'm not, but I'm not very quick either) this shouldn't have been an issue because I saw a 4:00 pacer in this Corral and anything less than that was my goal. We started right about 10A, I turned on my Garmin which was giving me some trouble with the cloud cover and was off! Checked my pace a couple minutes in and was ready for the day even in the slippery wet conditions. I tried to put it out of my head that I'd said just the day before that I wasn't sure I'd even run this race. I chalked it up to nerves although I was upset I couldn't purchase a hat (sold out at expo) to cover and tuck my hair under and all finisher shirts were also sold out (not included in registration, along with the timing cheap not being included either).

I glanced down with what had to be within the first 10min of the race and my Garmin had turned OFF! Fully charged by must have got bumped and somehow stopped. This has never happened to me before. I was so thrown off but told myself not to stress. I'd restart it and add five minutes or something to it. I continued to play a bad math game with myself until I hit 10k which is the only other kilometer measurement I know (sad I know, but we use miles here in America). I then, for the third time... restarted my Garmin knowing I had exactly 20 miles to go from 6.2. If I could run this 20 in 3 hours or less and pray I'd run the first 10k in goal time I'd be golden (but I knew my pace wasn't right) by 10k I was already sore and feeling like I needed to take the Advil I packed for mile 18+. I fought off the pain until nearly half marathon then took some Advil (which never seemed to help on this course). It was wet out, I was avoiding puddles like crazy but inevitably got splashed by much larger runners who helped soak up my socks. I felt like every step was with too much intensity and intention as to not slip or get more wet. Most of the race I had no real clue what mile I was at. I was doing the math on my watch but seeing kilometer markers that meant nothing to me and feeling mentally exhausted from it.

I doubted highly I'd see my boyfriend at mile 18 or 23 as I'd requested but he was at BOTH!!! I was so bummed out by 18 (29k) because I knew how behind my goal I was. I didn't stop long to see him. It was quick and I wasn't friendly. This hurts me to think about it after all he did to be there. I met him again at mile 23 (37k) and again didn't stop long. I refilled my bottles with him once on the course and once at a water station. I sipped some of the lemon lime (Gatorade like) fluids at a few hydration stations which really gave me the short boosts to keep going. I came through the finish line with a PR but with a large amount of disappointment.

I haven't been able to enjoy it because I'd believed I could do much better. Whatever pace I completed training runs at was good but come race day and factors leading up to it, anything can happen! I'm happy that I have a new PR (4:11:42) and while I'm still recovering because I spent literally the next five days tracking all over Europe non stop, my body is sore. I have a shin splint on my right shin that has kept my weekly mileage at 8 miles 2 weeks post marathon because it's too painful to jog on it.

I know I'll be better soon and I can think about my next race. That was Berlin! It still rocked even though it was much slower than I'd expected. I don't recall any funny run signs in English, never heard my name called, or any American flags, and didn't care for the playlist I'd created but I completed it and that will have to be good enough for now.

I wouldn't rule out running it again and doing things very differently to see if the results are better but it's a long haul when you live in the USA.

Wow. What an awesome marathon. It lives up to being one of the world majors. It's a lot of fun and they do a great job trying to make the entire day a memorable experience. This includes the music and fun vibe before starting and the great crowds cheering you on along the entire course. Ending by running through Brandenburg Gate is the capstone of the experience.

What a fantastic event this is!
One of the grand slam running marathons, very well organised but for me a little bit more special because I am not a runner! I am an inline skater and the Berlin Marathon is the biggest skating marathon in the world.
Super smooth roads, flat surfaces, crowds coming out to support everyone and a wonderful atmosphere!
It's probably the best way to see Berlin! Skating around the city, taking photos as you go and getting a medal for it at the end!

I highly recommend the Berlin Marathon. As one of the World's Major Marathons, the Berlin Marathon doesn't disappoint with the course, spectators, and more!

Course: Mostly flat course with some occasional rolling hills (not steep though). We traveled through the main areas of Berlin. It was great to see the number of spectators along the course. The course was slightly congested as there were around 35,000 runners along the course.

Communication: Plenty of email communications. There were also updates via Facebook, so we didn't have any issues and/or questions on arrival.

Expo: The 3-day expo was held at the former Tempelhof Airport, and was spread out over 4 sections. I would recommend getting to the expo early for less congestion. You pick up your bib, finisher's t-shirt (either pre-purchased or you can purchase in the store), and timing chip (if rented). There were plenty of vendors to purchase shoes, shirts, and/or last minute running items.

Water Station: Every 3km so we were not dehydrated. The stations also had fruit, tea, and energy drinks.

Amenities: After the race, you receive your medal and a bag of fruits and snacks.

Breakfast Run: I would recommend that you do the free Breakfast Run, courtesy of the Berlin Marathon. It was a 6km run that started at the Charlottenburg Castle and ended at the Olympic Stadium. It was a fun run to loosen the muscles. At the end of the run, runners received a breakfast of water, chocolate drink, Berliner, raisin bread, and fruit.

Unfortunately, 2013 was the last year of first come, first served registration. Starting in 2014, the Berlin Marathon went to the route of a lottery due to the high demand of registration.

2014
Berlin was my 12th marathon and I loved every second of it! This was my first visit to Europe and my first international marathon and I was definitely nervous. I came in with an open mind, but any nerves I had were for the birds.
The communication leading up to the race was fantastic. Everything was in German and English and e-mails were very clear about things you needed to do. They also manage a wonderful Facebook page with ample information and fun, but that doesn't post at an annoying rate.
The Expo was ENORMOUS. I've run Disney and Chicago (and visited Boston's expo) which are also very large races, but they pale in comparison to Berlin. The expo at the airport had 2 entire hangars(?) of just vendors and merchandise before you even get to the packet pickup. We went early (rode the subway to the venue) and flew through the expo. They print your bib out on the spot and get you a wristband and a timing chip. The only caveat which I missed is that you do not get a t-shirt unless you pay extra for it! And since 90% of the time they don't fit (curse you women's sizing!), this was actually a bonus.
Adidas does all of the official merchandise, which is a con in my book, but they had an okay selection of items. Seeing all the BMW displays was the best part!
Race morning was chaotic, but fluid. We skipped gear check and used the bathrooms early and had no issues. Bathrooms were also plentiful on the course, but I did hear issues with having TP, so bring your own!
The starting line was the most bizarre experience. Aerobics instructors got up on small stages and led the entire crowd through a Jazzercise-like warmup with toe touching and dance moves. The music was a fun way to wake everyone up and I was amazed at how many people actually followed along with the dance.
The race itself was quite crowded. The first 5k was the toughest, but by 10k it was comfortable enough to pass and move around.
Aid stations start off slow, but there were plenty. Only some have the Gatorade-like drink (I think its made by PowerBar?). They also have hot tea. Yes, hot tea. And you know what? It is a nectar of gods. It isn't scalding, but it is definitely warm and very sweet... and delicious. Despite never trying it before (oops to nothing new on race day), I drank it at every aid station that offered it.
The course was obvious well marked because you had 40,000 people ahead of you, but the distance is only marked in kilometers. Easy at first since everyone knows 5k, 10k, 15k, 20k, but towards the end trying to figure out how many miles you have left was a good way to pass the time.
The finish line is the reason to do this race. It was INCREDIBLE. You run under the Brandenburg Gate where everyone is yelling and screaming and then a few hundred yards later the finish line.
After the race, you have to do a ton of walking to get out of the "athlete village" area. You get your medal (which is a beautiful, simple piece.. this is not your gaudy medal) and then a snack bag and then you walk and walk and walk to free yourself. And bonus!: more hot tea at the finish!
Berlin was an incredible city and so welcoming to the race. Despite not speaking German, the Berlin Marathon was so easy to navigate and it functioned as smoothly as a race of 5,000 rather than 40,000. A bucket list race for any runner!

I can't believe it's taken me this long to register and do it, how many years has it taken me? I didn't take part in the running marathon but rather the inline one, much easier to register for! And it's just so slick, being organised at the same time as the running one, it piggybacks on a lot of the same infrastructure and the organisational skills shine through. If they can deal with 40k runners, they can deal with 7k of skaters (although it is a little like herding cats, but at least here everyone wants to be here). We start at the Expo which runs up until a couple of hours before the start of the marathon, it's where you pick up your participant pack. Obviously the running side is more heavily represented than the inline side, but the inline section is well stocked with every manufacturer and a couple of independent shops turning up to showcase and sell their wares, usually at some very good prices. Pickup of your race number is a doddle, and you can then either shop or square away your gear back at your hotel. The day of the race is fairly simple, your time is your own until 12pm when the race starting area opens. Inside a couple of stands are set up to sell wares (I took advantage of these for some last minute pads) and then you head to the bag drop off site. Each racer is issued a plastic drawstring bag which is where you store the items you will need before and after the race, shoes, clothes etc. It's organised according to race number and again well set up and a slick operation. At this time there are stands set up offering some free water/isotonic drink. Once the bag is dropped off, there isn't too much to do except head to the starting blocks. Governed by what time you enter at registration, you're placed into one of 6 groups. It's done on honesty for the most part and it was disappointing to end up in Block E (I'm in Block D at least next year!) especially when you see some of the people in the blocks ahead of you who are completely out of your league... oh well... There are organisers who control the blocks and they'll send you back to your correct block if they catch you.

The race itself starts at half 3 and is staggered to allow the racers to avoid too much congestion, we started about 10 minutes after the race leaders (and I finished half an hour after them in the end!). It's a little chaotic at the beginning with everyone too packed to get a good start but we managed to set off quite well and were leading our pack after a few minutes. A short while later and we'd caught up with block D and then that was it, accelerate and try to overtake as many people over the next 42 kilometres! The surfaces were good, not the wondrous flat expanses that I had been lead to believe but definitely a pleasure to skate on. One thing slightly different though was that apart from the start and finish, there were almost no barriers, just tape blocking the road from cars. Pedestrians could cross as and when they pleased. But they were at least smart enough not to cross with a large number of us bearing down on them. Lots of people all along the route and all incredibly supportive. There is a time limit on the marathon and if you're going to break it, you're scooped up into a bus to be taken to the finish line. Not sure how lenient they are but I did get to see a final couple of people struggling over the finish line with the bus a safe distance behind them. When you do finish though, you're handed your medal as you slow down and wrapped up in a space blanket so you don't lose too much heat. As you head to the bag pickup area, you're handed sliced fruit and cups of water, they mobilise a small army of people for this. Pick up your bag, take your skates off and return your chip and then pick up a free pint of Erdinger beer! Well, alcohol free beer, but it's fantastic for rehydration. Catch up with friends as they finish, get your medal engraved and that's it for the year. See you on the 26th!