“Shit”, I thought. “I possibly can’t hike these muddy trails with that heavy backpack.” Panic and anger set in as I evaluated my options. The steepness of the trail wasn’t the problem. The problem was the ankle-deep mud I had just sunk into and the trees blocking the path. It seemed impossible to move forward, […]
Sachsentrail 2024 Race Report Read More »
My running journey started on the trails. I discovered my love for running in 2016 while living in South Africa for 6 months. Just 3 months after I had landed on the continent, I gained around 5 kg, which I disliked. And so I did what many people do when they want to lose weight
How Do You Train for an Ultramarathon When You Live in a Big (Flat) City? Read More »
Waking up with a headache was concerning. I felt it come on the day before but thought it would be gone after a good night’s sleep. And I slept relatively well. Almost seven hours, which was more than I had slept the night before the last race. I distinctly remembered having a beautiful dream (though
6 Hours German Championship – Race Report Read More »
After a disappointing running year 2023, I decided to explore as many races and distances as possible in 2024. Even though I won the 24-hour Mad Chicken Run in September 2023, overall, I was disappointed. I caught Covid-19 for the first time in March and canceled my start at the 100 km German Championships. And
Race Around Lake Werdersee 50 K Race Report Read More »
I didn’t expect to finish the race on the podium. In fact, just 2 days earlier, I didn’t expect to finish at all. Mysterious pains in my upper abdomen appeared on Thursday and made me question my decision to travel to the race. I had experienced these pains before. They appeared seemingly out of nowhere
It’s been almost 4 months since I won my first ultramarathon. It was a 24-hour trail race on a motocross track. No one expected me to do so well, let alone win. No one, including myself. After all, I had started running again only 3 years prior, grew up with the belief that I was
The First Step to Becoming an Ultrarunner Is Deciding to Be One Read More »
Our gym’s cross trainer and treadmills have a program called “fat burning.” Whenever I instruct a new member in our gym on how to use the machines, I passionately educate them about why most programs they see on the cardio machines are useless, especially the fat-burning program. We are a women ‘s-only gym, and while
“Winning is more fun than fun is fun” – Ed Mylett With a big smile, the race director welcomed me in the finish area after 24:01:37 (24 hours, 01 minutes, 37 seconds). I was relieved and happy. I had done it. I had successfully completed my 2nd 24-hour race. But I didn’t just finish. I
24 Life Lessons Learned from Winning a 24-Hour Trail Ultramarathon Read More »
“Do you even know how well you race?” A woman approached me in the dark. It was just after 10 pm, and the night’s darkness had enveloped the motocross track where I and 49 other runners had set out 12 hours earlier to complete as many 2 km loops as possible within 24 hours. Each
Winning The Mad Chicken 24-Hour Run Read More »
I didn’t recognize the woman in the mirror. The eyes staring back at me were sunken, and the dark circles underneath them contrasted with the white of my skin. My lips were chapped. “Damn, you look tired,” I said aloud as I turned away from the hotel’s bathroom mirror and towards the shower. My body
3 Essential Life Skills Ultrarunning Has Taught Me Read More »