Der Mauerweglauf. What a better race to run my first 100-miler. There are over 20 aid stations nicely distributed along the way. The assortment of snacks makes it possible to run with very light weight between aid stations. The weather was warm and dry as it is expected in the middle of August in Berlin.
We did not know each other, yet it felt like we were part of the same tribe.
Passing by East Side Gallery, 13km into the race
We all knew of the struggle ahead. And this very thought made us more supportive of each other. In marathons, you perceive runners being more competitive. For the Mauerweglauf, there were only a few runners in the front pack. For the rest of us, it was going to be a long day and a long night. We were in for the long run.
We were tired. Some of us were scared. It felt like we were going to war.
For me, this was the culmination of 18 months of training. And it worked out surprisingly well. Despite the warm afternoon, my legs performed great, and my pace was strong for most of the race. At Km 129, I run into chafing issues which caught me by surprise. I slowed down the pace considerably and became visibly frustrated. At the second-to-last aid station, I sat down and had a malt beer with the volunteers.
“Wait… is it your first 100-miler? Congrats, you are already a winner!” I heard from one them.
Only then it hit me. What seemed to be impossible a couple of years ago, was now becoming reality. All we need is a bit of perspective. I finished my beer and sped up for the remaining 7 km. My finish time was 26:56:38. I look forward to the next one.
