Berlin Marathon coach. Built for the fastest 42K on earth.
Berlin is where world records get broken — and where age-groupers post the fastest marathon times of their lives. I coach runners who want to use Berlin's flat, cool, ideally-paced course to bank a BQ, a sub-3, or a serious personal record. The course is the gift; your execution is the variable we control.
Berlin rewards aerobic ceiling and pacing discipline.
The Berlin course is the closest thing to a perfect marathon: net flat, cool, well-organised, with a clean racing line from start to Brandenburg Gate. Eight men's world records have been set here since 2003, and the women's record fell here in 2023.
But the same things that make Berlin fast — flat course, pacing groups, big crowds — also make it punishing for anyone who runs the first half on adrenaline. The marathon you race in Berlin is decided between 30 and 38 kilometres, and the runners who execute have done the long-run negative splits to know exactly what those miles should feel like.
How I coach this build
Berlin rewards the highest aerobic capacity. 12–16 weeks of base before marathon-pace work. We don't shortcut this.
Every long run in the peak block: easy first half, marathon-pace second. Your legs learn the right order.
Two long runs on as-flat-as-possible terrain. No rolling hills hiding behind 'they make me strong'.
Berlin in September averages 10–14°C at start. We rehearse layering, fluid choices, and the temperature drop in the last 10K.
One threshold, one marathon-pace long run. Three hard days a week breaks runners over 35.
Three peak workouts at exact goal marathon pace. By race week you know precisely what 4:15/km or 7:00/mile feels like in your legs.
A sample peak-build week
Week 12 of a 16-week build for an athlete chasing a sub-3 Berlin Marathon. Roughly 55 miles, two quality sessions, one long aerobic run with race-pace work.
Get the free Berlin PB Blueprint.
The same 16-week framework I use with athletes chasing a Berlin PB or BQ. PDF, no fluff.
- 16-week training block calibrated for Berlin's flat profile
- Negative-split pacing template at five goal times
- Cool-weather fueling and layering protocol
- Race-day kilometre-by-kilometre pacing chart
Frequently asked questions
Three reasons: a near-pancake-flat profile (total elevation change under 80 feet net), cool September weather averaging 10–14°C at race time, and one of the smoothest road surfaces in any major marathon. Eight men's world records have been set on this course since 2003.
Yes — Berlin is the fastest BQ opportunity on the Majors circuit. The flat course gives most athletes a 2–5 minute time advantage over hilly races like Boston or NYC. We build specifically for the negative-split execution Berlin rewards.
Yes. Most of the roster is fully remote across the US, Canada, Europe, and South America. You get the same plan and weekly review wherever you live.
16–20 weeks before race day for a focused build. If you're aiming for a major time drop (15+ minutes), plan a 6-month build with a dedicated base phase first.
It's fast, but it punishes runners who go out too hot. The crowds and adrenaline at the Brandenburg Gate start make the first 10K feel effortless — and a lot of marathons unravel between 30K and 38K because of those first easy miles. We rehearse pacing discipline specifically for this.
Training plans start at $75 one-time. 1:1 coaching billed every 4 weeks: Aurora $250, Phoenix $350, ThunderBird $750 (capped at 4 athletes).