Tears welled up in my eyes as I slowly walked out of the runner’s tent and towards the toilets. “I failed,” I thought. The reality of the sudden end to what should have been one of my big races this year set in. I’d completed 19 laps of the O-See Backyard Ultra. And then my […]
O-See Backyard Ultra Race Report Read More »
“If you’re ever in Quebec City I would be happy to have you. We could go on a few runs together.” I had met Veronique just days earlier at a parking lot in Trieste, Italy — two strangers scanning the same spot for a bus that would take us to Umag, Croatia. I chatted her
Istria 110K Race Report Read More »
“This could be your last chance to run this race”, I say to myself as I take a long look at my memento mori necklace. Thoughts of not starting crossed my head more than once this morning and I could feel the disappointment and anger rising within me. Like the year prior, my gut was
Schwerin Lake Trail 2026 Race Report Read More »
Tears streamed down my face as I ran the final meters to the finish line of my first mountain trail ultramarathon. Overwhelmed by a mix of anger, gratitude and relief, I could barely breathe. My left knee was swollen and bleeding heavily. My hip ached. My right arm and hand were scraped raw. “I fell
From Broken To Unbreakable Read More »
“I don’t feel like running at all”, I say to my new acquaintance as we’re sipping our coffees outside a small cafe in Sparta around 4 pm. I felt strangely relaxed, fully aware that I wasn’t in shape to run a good 24-hour race. The winter in Berlin was unexpectedly cold and long. The city
Sparta City Ultra 24 Hours Race Report Read More »
I felt the tension in my body increasing as I typed. “This is the right thing to do,” I assured myself, as I continued to list the arguments. But then doubts started to creep in again. “Was I being too emotional? Should I wait a few more weeks or even months? Did I give her
Do You Need a Running Coach? A Complete Guide to Making the Right Decision Read More »
I woke up feeling defeated. This race was supposed to be the highlight of the first half of 2025, and yet again I came down with gut issues just before the race. Traveling to Gotha on Friday, I felt full and bloated. Having hardly slept, I decided not to join the team dinner and went
24 Hours Road Running Championships Germany. Race Report Read More »
I’m standing at the start line of the North Sea Ultra 111K, my stomach already distended like I’m six months pregnant. My abdomen feels like it’s filled with concrete. I’m angry that this happened again and wonder how I will make it through this race without going through multiple embarrassing situations. If I would make
The IBS Runner’s Playbook: When Conventional Wisdom Fails and Individual Testing Wins Read More »
Running with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) taught me more about endurance fueling than I ever imagined it would. IBS is a disorder of the digestive tract, commonly characterized by abdominal discomfort and altered bowel movements. Symptoms vary and can range from loose stools to constipation, bloating, and abdominal pain. When I started running in 2021,
Running with IBS – A Guide to Endurance Fueling With a Compromised Gut Read More »
I woke up on race morning looking 6 months pregnant. Trying not to panic, I prepared myself a coffee and a carb mix while I was getting ready. Then I felt anger. Why must this happen again? Why has my gut health become so bad recently? And why did none of the usual things that
North Sea Ultra 111K Race Report Read More »