September 21st 2025 Berlin Marathon

42km Run - Temperature 27oC 

Finish Time: 03:21:12   10k split: 00:44:15   Half marathon: 01:33:56   30k split: 02:15:15

MV60 Age Group 40th  Overall 5647th

Berlin was never meant to be just another marathon — it was the payoff after Tokyo and Riga, the day to take a real swing at sub-3:10 and lock in my Abbott Majors star.

Training between Riga and Berlin went exactly to plan. Long runs and tempo sessions all hit the target splits. The taper went smoothly; legs felt fresh, fitness was peaking. Everything pointed to a breakthrough. We arrived in Berlin on the Wednesday before the race and kept things deliberately low-key. All the work was done.

Then came the curveball. With a trip to India planned for October I had immunisation jabs the week before Berlin, not thinking much of it. But on the Thursday and Friday before the race I felt terrible — feverish, deeply fatigued, flat. This wasn’t over-tapering; it was clearly a reaction to the jabs. I went to bed on Saturday night genuinely unsure if I’d be able to race, and if I did, whether it would be at any meaningful level.

Race morning dawned hot — 78°F (27°C), as summer made an unexpected return to the German capital. The seasonal average is about 61°F (16°C). Not the conditions you dream of for Berlin, but you race the day you get. I woke feeling better than the previous two days. Not perfect, but functional. After the months of training, I decided to toe the line and see what the day gave me.

We stayed in an Airbnb about twenty minutes’ walk from the start area — close enough to keep race morning simple. Berlin already had a buzz mid-week, and by Sunday morning the Tiergarten area was alive with tens of thousands of runners. Unlike Riga’s empty, rainy start, Berlin’s felt like a huge festival — efficient, organised and buzzing with anticipation.

This year I was joined by my daughters' partners, Henry and Rory, who I’d persuaded to run Berlin with me. It was great to have their company on the long walk to the start area — a shared sense of excitement and nerves. With over 55,000 runners, the numbers swelled as we approached the start pens, but German efficiency meant we arrived at our pen without drama. I’d even packed a tracksuit to stay warm while waiting, but given the unseasonably high temperatures it stayed in my bag.

Berlin’s course was alive — wide boulevards lined with supporters, bands every kilometre or two, and a wall of noise at the big junctions. It felt bigger and louder than Tokyo or Riga, a proper World Major atmosphere.

My nutrition plan was simple but vital in the heat — a super-carb gel every 30 minutes and salt every hour to fight off cramp. Water at every aid station kept me topped up, and sticking to that plan gave me a fighting chance to hold my pace as long as possible.

The first 10k in 44:15 felt surprisingly smooth given the week I’d had. The wide boulevards and constant support made it easy to find a rhythm. By halfway I was at 1:33:56 — still on pace for a sub-3:10 if things held together.

But by the halfway mark I could feel I was working harder than I should to hit the splits. The heat and the residual fatigue from the immunisations were starting to take their toll. By 30km I was working far too hard to sustain it. At that point, the decision was clear: I still needed to finish to get the Abbott Majors star, but I also had Chicago coming up. Rather than destroy myself chasing a fading 3:10, I backed off, focused on preserving what was left, and aimed to cross the line in one piece — banking the race experience and saving something for another crack at sub-3:10 in better conditions.

The Brandenburg Gate was still a long way off. I kept moving, locked into form and discipline, but the splits inevitably slipped. Crossing the line in 3:21:12 wasn’t what I’d imagined for Berlin, but it was a hard-earned finish on a day when my body was clearly not at 100%.

And then, after months of training and a brutal race, reality intruded: we were on a tight timetable to catch a 17:30 flight. Straight from the finish line to the train, medal still around my neck, and off to the airport. By 22:00 I was in my own bed at home — an amazing, surreal end to a long and testing day.

For Henry and Rory — their first taste of a big running race, never mind a world major — Berlin was an eye-opener. They were blown away by the scale, the atmosphere, and the energy of the crowds. Before we’d even left the airport, they were talking about signing up for the next one. Seeing their enthusiasm reminded me why I started running all those years ago — the sense of discovery, the challenge, and the joy of sharing it with others.

Marathons are not just about training plans — they’re about execution on the day you’re given. Next stop: Chicago Marathon — cooler weather, another flat course, and one more chance this year to run the race my training says I can.