The mental key to physical suffering. Studying my 2024 Berlin marathon case.
On September 29, 2024, the 50th anniversary of the Berlin Marathon took place. Already a grand event, this year’s marathon grew even larger and more impressive.
The Berlin Marathon set a world record for the number of finishers — 54,280 runners crossed the finish line at the Brandenburg Gate. Across all events over the two-day period, more than 85,000 athletes participated. According to organizers, about 1 million spectators lined the city streets. Over 600 police officers maintained order, and around 6,500 volunteers assisted participants and organizers.
Naturally, an event like this is not something you want to miss. I hadn’t planned to participate, but I intended to casually run part of the course with the crowd, just to absorb the energy and enjoy the atmosphere. Then a friend of mine told me that one of his acquaintances wouldn’t be able to run, and they offered me his slot. I didn’t hesitate to accept.
With just two weeks before the start, I decided to “prepare” — I did one 20 km tempo run and a few shorter, faster sessions. Throughout the season, I wasn’t sitting on couch — I participated in shorter races, did a couple of triathlons, and kept training, but without the intention of running the Berlin Marathon.
Knowing I wasn’t fully prepared, I wasn’t aiming for a personal best, like I did last year (2:43:01). But how should I approach the marathon this time? I had a few ideas running through my head:
- Run the first half “all out” and then jog or walk the rest. But the guy who gave me his slot probably wouldn’t be happy seeing a 4-hour result next to his name.
- Run the first half fast but with some reserve, then slow down without walking. But why would I do that?
- Try to run the whole distance at a steady pace without pushing too hard.
When it was time to start, I still hadn’t made up my mind. I decided to pick between the second and third options on the run.
This uncertainty about my goals ended up backfiring. I didn’t feel focused, and when I got to the start line, I was in a “no spark” state — my HR was normal, there were no pre-race nerves, and I was clearly not in the zone. Around me was a sea of people bursting with energy, while I stood there like a lifeless amoeba.
From the inside, the 2024 race felt completely different as well. During the 2023 marathon, all I remember for most of the race were the backs and legs of the runners around me. Only after the 35th kilometer did I look up and realize where I was on the course. This time, I gave high-fives, looked around, and studied running shoes. And although I was running at around 4 minutes per kilometer, I was wasting too much energy on distractions.
But a marathon is a marathon, and the most important part always begins after the 35th kilometer. In 2023, I carefully conserved my energy, making sure it lasted until the very end. My motivation and determination kept my pace steady, pushing away any temptation to ease up. This time, I wasn’t ready to sustain and accept the suffering — mentally, more than anything. After 30 km in any marathon, the pain crosses an invisible threshold, and the brain starts sending strong signals to your muscles, urging you to slow down. The only thing that can resist these electrical impulses is your will and motivation. This time, I didn’t have enough of either, and I gladly allowed myself to slow down.
My time of 2:54:12, although not terrible, was a hit to my pride and made me reflect on the fact that any challenging task done without proper motivation has no chance of an excellent result. The best I could give myself this time was a “satisfactory” grade.
This story isn’t new, and the principle for success in any endeavor remains the same: focus on the main goal, a clear purpose, and both physical and mental readiness are the keys to a great result. Everything else, as the main character of a famous movie once said, is “nonsense, folly.”
Oleg and the OMY! Sports team.