Yes, the Berlin marathon 2023 edition of the race may not quite be here yet but it will be. Pre-planning is key. I am glad you have made it here to RunDreamAchieve. Welcome. I have run 2:19:35 for the marathon. So, understand the time, effort and sacrifice that it takes to run fast over the classic, 26.2 mile distance. My goal with this post is to help share some tips that helped me break the 2:20 marathon barrier.
Yes, you may be going after a slower or faster time than mine. That being said, I am certain that what I will briefly be covering here will help set you up for success. I would also be sharing some other resources that are available here to help you get to the next level.
What percentage of your weekly training volume in the past have you spent training at, near or far below goal marathon race pace? I write that because many runners are still running too slow for too many miles in training. Remember, the goal here is to help improve your lactate tolerance.
So, you want to be able to slow down less than your competition. The goal isn't to get caught up with how many miles or kilometers you are running each week. There are runners running over 100 miles a week and still failing to quality for the Boston marathon. In comparison, there are others running 50 miles a week who are. So, it isn't about quantity as much as it about the quality of the work that you are doing.
Is the Berlin Marathon Flat?
Yes, the Berlin marathon is considered to be the fastest course in the world. Of course, no course is “fast”. It is the athlete that is in supreme fitness who can run on a flat course that makes it fast. Pick the right races that will ensure you have the best chances to run a fast time on. Below are a few that I would recommend running in order to get a qualifier.
- Bayshore marathon
- Chicago marathon
- Paris Marathon
- Columbus marathon
- Virginia Beach marathon
- Houston marathon
- California International marathon (be careful though, it is a rolling course and not as “net downhill” as they say)
- London marathon
- Monumental Indianapolis marathon
- Rotterdam marathon
These are just a few of the fastest courses out there that will give you the best chance to run a fast time on. Remember, no course is “fast” unless the athlete is in terrific anaerobic shape. Again, focus on the areas of training world-class athletes focus on and you will separate yourself from the masses.
You need to also be very mindful of your pacing in this race. Everyone takes off at Boston because the first few miles are generally downhill. There are also many rolling hills on this course as well. Again, the hardest working athletes don't always get the results. The smart ones do.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PRIVATE, MEMBERSHIP COMMUNITYHow Much Does it Cost to Enter the Berlin Marathon?
The prices usually hover around 75 euros or about $95 USD or more. So, now is the time to start thinking about which race you want to go after to get your Berlin marathon qualifying time. I was able to lower my marathon PR from 2:43:36 to 2:19:35 using a tactic many runners miss. I started doing faster, varied pace long runs. Of course, running slow, easy long runs are also important too.
That being said, you just don't want to run slow every single weekend during a 16-week block of training. 4 months is sufficient time to train for any marathon. The running courses I teach as well as the training plans available here all focus on a 4-month marathon build up. So, this is sufficient time to prepare properly for the Berlin marathon 2023 race. Again, fitness cannot be rushed. Be patient and allow sufficient time for your body to adapt to the stress load you are placing on it.
You may also want to subscribe to the RunDreamAchieve YouTube channel. I create new video content there each week to help runners such as yourself get to the next level in their training and racing. Remember, first focus on building an easy base mileage approach. No house is going to stand without a foundation. No way you or I are going to be able to go out and train fast until we are prepared enough in order to do so.
So, focus on running 3 to 4 weeks very easy first and then build into your 16-week training build up. We focus on periodization here at RunDreamAchieve. Again, it takes anywhere from 3 to 4 weeks for the athlete to adapt to any stress load being place on him or her. We don't move to the next intensity until adaptation has occurred.
Do You Need to Qualify for Berlin Marathon?
No, there is not a qualifying standard runners need to hit in order to compete. That being said, we want to train the athlete in such a way that they burn fat at race pace. In addition, conserve what they have far less of and that is carbohydrates. You do not have to experience the so-called “wall” if you train properly.
In fact, training at paces that are much faster than goal marathon race pace will nearly guarantee you from ever experiencing the wall. The problem is many runners go out far too aggressive in the early miles or kilometers of the race.
Of course, there are runners who can go out aggressively if they have done their homework in training first. I recommend focusing on a negative split so that you run the fastest possible time that you can. Yes, there are runners who go out faster the first half and slower in the second and still PR.
I hit the first half of my 2:19:35 PR in 1:07:09 and came back the second half with a 1:12:26. So, it can be done. That being said, is also very wise to be somewhat conservative in the early miles. Again, you want to be speeding up in the latter stages of the race and now slowing down.
CHECK OUT OUR RUNNING COURSESWhat is the Time Limit for the Berlin Marathon?
6 hours and 15 minutes is the cut off time. The best advice I can share with you is to visit the Berlin Marathon website to determine any updates. We are early so things may change from now until then. The 2023 Berlin marathon will be highly competitive. So, do your very best from now until we get closer to the race to run as fast and effective as you can over the marathon distance.
The race is always competitive. The trick now is to train smarter than your competition. Where are the leaks in their training? What are they not paying attention to? Are they running too much of their mileage too slow? I can assure you that they are. The vast majority of runners miss breaking the 3 and 4 hour marathon barriers for a reason.
These are competitive and very fast times. There are also runners out there, aiming to run under a 2:30 marathon. So, study what the athletes who have run under these times have done and duplicate their work habits. I have shared with you some clues in this post.
My hope is that you will utilize the resources located here on rundreamachieve.com to help you to use leverage. Again, the hardest working athlete is not always the one that gets the results. The best are focused on all variables that go into succeed. For example, mental training, longer tempo runs, faster long runs, speed workouts and jogging on recovery days to ensure they adapt.
Berlin Marathon 2023 Date
It should fall around the third week of September in 2023.
That being said, the end goal here is to ensure you run a fast enough time than they simply cannot deny you. Again, heavier focus on training at, near and far below your goal marathon race pace is essential. The three main workouts we focus on with our training plans and running courses are…
- Faster, varied pace long runs i.e. 2 mile warm-up, 10 miles at 10 seconds faster than goal marathon race pace, 2 miles easy, 1 all out mile, 3 miles moderate, 1 mile jog cool-down
- Long tempo runs starting at 3 to 4 miles moving out toward 15 miles (25 kilometers)
- 1 vo2 max workout per week i.e. 14x400m@5K race pace or 6x1mile@5K race pace
In addition, focusing on doing strides 2 to 3 times per week. Strides are far too short to build up any significant lactic acid. They are perfect for working on form and acceleration. What I tell my athletes is they are spending several miles at sprint effort pace over a 16-week block of training. In addition, this is on top of all the other training they are doing. Remember, all of these types of workouts are going to make your goal Boston marathon race pace feel easier.
Closing Thoughts
I hope this post has been helpful and I look forward to hearing about your success at the Berlin marathon 2023 edition of the race. Lastly, do not neglect mental training. There are far too many runners who don't focus on this critical piece of the success puzzle. The best marathoners know how important it is to mental rehearse. So, you have to see yourself performing well at your marathon. In addition, getting across the finish line with your Boston marathon qualifier.
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