“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 »
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 had big dreams for 2025. Mountain ultras, technical trails, pushing my limits on vertical gain. And on top of improving as a mountain runner, I wanted to PR the 24-hour distance at German Championships. The season had other plans. My gut refused to cooperate—not at races, not in training, not ever. Digestive issues meant
Ultrarunning Season 2025 Recap 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 before my alarm around 03:00 am. I had hours until the start of the race. I had my nutrition ready, my race bib collected, and my brand-new running kit laid out on the small hotel room table. Everything was in place for my first race of the season. I had looked forward
5 Life Lessons From a Race I Didn’t Run: The Courage to Pause When Everything Says Go Read More »
Disappointment and anger rose to new heights as I typed out the email. I had prepared for months and invested in new clothes, a backpack, and poles. I learned how to navigate with a compass and map and logged countless mind-numbing hill repeats up and down the same small hill in my local park. All
The Art of Self-Coaching: A Guide for Runners Read More »
I stared at the screen of my laptop, hesitating for a moment. I filled out the form, added my bank details, and confirmed that all the data was correct. All that was left was to click “register.” I smiled as I pressed down on the mouse and confirmed my registration. I would finally run an
Different types of training runs for ultrarunning Read More »