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
Is this coaching right for you?
Coaching for this build runs from $250 every 4 weeks ($3,250 per year). Here is who it does and does not suit.
This is for you if
- You have a Berlin entry and you are there for the time — it is the fastest of the majors and you intend to use that.
- You can hold 45 to 70 miles a week through an autumn build.
- You want flat, honest marathon-pace work and a pacing plan you will not abandon in the first 10K.
This is not for you if
- You want the medal and the trip. That is a great reason to run Berlin and a poor reason to buy coaching — a $75 plan will get you round.
- You have not yet secured an entry. Do not start a paid block on the hope of a ballot place.
- You want in-destination support, race-week logistics on the ground, or a travel package. That is not what this is.
What happens after you book the call
Twenty minutes, free, and you leave with a recommendation in writing whether or not you buy anything.
Pick a time that suits you
Twenty minutes, video or phone, in English, Portugues or Espanol.
You get a confirmation email immediately
With the link and two short questions so the call is not spent on basics.
We talk about your goal, not my services
There is no pitch. If the honest answer is a $35 plan or Apex, that is the answer you get.
You leave with a recommendation in writing
A short follow-up email with what I would do next, whether or not you buy anything.
Refunds, cancellation and pausing
- Cancelling
- Cancel any time by email, with no notice period and no exit fee. Your current 4-week cycle finishes as normal and you are not billed again.
- Refunds
- Cycles already started are not refunded, because the plan for those weeks has already been written and delivered. If you cancel before the first session of a new cycle has been published, that cycle is refunded in full.
- Pausing
- You can pause for injury, illness, travel or life for up to 8 weeks a year at no cost, and your seat on the roster is held. Tell me before the next cycle bills. Beyond 8 weeks the seat goes to the waitlist and you rejoin when there is space.
- Price changes
- Your rate is fixed for as long as you stay coached continuously. Published prices only apply to new athletes.
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: Essential $250, Performance $350, Elite $750 (capped at 4 athletes).