In my last blog, I mentioned I have a very BIG race announcement for this fall. Well, the time has come for the big reveal...
I'm thrilled to share that on September 29th, I'll be running the Berlin Marathon in Germany!
For those of you that don't know, Berlin is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, which consists of six of the largest and most renowned marathons in the world. I've already tackled two of them (Boston and New York) - leaving just four more on my bucket list to conquer (Berlin, Chicago, London and Tokyo) before I can claim an Abbott World Marathon Major Six Star Finisher Medal.
Check out these recent facts about the Six Star Finishers:
Did you know that the Berlin Marathon is considered to be the fastest marathon in the world? Eleven world records have been broken on the course, including just last year when Eliud Kipchoge crushed the course in an unbelievable time of 2:01:39. Although I'm not aiming to break any world records, I am definitely looking forward to the flat and fast course this fall!
Here are my 3 goals for the Berlin Marathon:
1. Make it to the starting line (and finish line) injury free. Although I had found out I gained entry into this race (via the lottery) months ago, I've delayed sharing the news as I've been battling a nagging heel/foot injury - otherwise known as Plantar Fasciitis. I've been diligently following a routine or resting after races, icing my feet, and stretching/massaging my calf muscles and the arches of my feet. This seems to be working. Fingers crossed as this will be my first full marathon in 3 years. My main goal is just to get there and finish the race!
2. Complete the course in under 6 hours 15 minutes - which is the official course limit. That's the time I need to achieve to claim my third star and I think it's a reasonable goal. It's faster than I ran my last full marathon (New York - 6:31:51), but much slower than my PR (Rock n' Roll DC - 4:58:54). Plus, the New York City Marathon course had quite a few hills/bridges. I should be able to run faster in Berlin (even though I'm three years older). Again, fingers crossed!
3. Raise a minimum of $1815 for HCU Network America. Earlier this year, when I tackled the Miami Half Marathon, I set a fundraising goal of $10,000. I fell a bit shy of that goal. This is the amount I need to raise to make it to my "Fundraising Finish Line". If you'd like to help me achieve that goal, please click on the link here to donate:
Stay tuned for updates on my Summer Marathon Training, Fueling Techniques for Rare Runners, HCU Hero Stories, and the reveal of the rest of my Fall Race Calendar.
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