Vaughn Pani's Staging Area

The Expo was great. It’s at an old airport and the location is convenient. However, special items like running shorts/hats/backpacks with the Berlin Marathon branding are sold-out by Saturday. Arrive early because by 11AM it gets really crowded. They printout your race number on a laser jet and give you a timing chip with a number that is also shown on your race bib. The timing chip can only be read if it’s on your shoe laces. According to their site, if it’s in your pockets or around your neck, the scanner cannot read it. They want their chip back in the end and have crew members at the exit gate to collect them. Crowd support was good. There are designated cheering areas throughout the course. So locals are out watching in groups and having fun, but are reserved. It gets loud like Chicago at the designated cheering areas and there are some really good bands throughout the course. Plenty of restrooms at the starting line. No issues there. Course is pancake flat with the exception of slight up hills on a few bridges over the river. Now the downside: There is a massive security area of fencing that expands miles and miles with only one entrance. I found that entrance the day before after a two hour search. On race day, they had put in another fence overnight and caused another half mile walk. No matter where your hotel is, you will be walking over 2 miles+ to the start line which is in the middle of a park not near public transit and only one entrance sort of near the finish line, but not the start line. The A,B, and C corral has too many runners for the space. There was no volunteers at the corrals checking race bibs to see if you were entering the correct corral. Which means, thousands of runners shoulder to shoulder climbing fences and police barricades (in high end racing shoes) at the starting line trying to find a space to get in the corral. Expect pushing and shoving. It was amazing a fight didn’t break out.

They only serve water on the course. The Germans, for some reason, do not believe in electrolytes whatsoever, and this can greatly impact how dehydrated you are at the end. Especially cause there is generally only a water station every 5K with these thick plastic cups. So when you get to the station plan on thousands of plastic cups on the ground. Only one time did they serve warm sweet tea other than water, and there was one station that gave out gels, but they appeared to be a local running club giving them out. It felt like there was no water stations the last 5K… it was shocking when you needed water most at the end; there were no stations. Major two thumbs down on that. You get through the finish line and the medal is really nice. Real art compared to other races! Long walk after the finish line again to get to a final water station, and once again no Gatorade/electrolyte whatsoever. It’s truly shocking. The bag had a little toddler size bag of pretzels, a chocolate croissant, some chocolate morsels, and a bottle of water. Of course it’s a long walk out of the security area before you can attempt to get to a train station. Overall, I had fun and liked the sideline support, but wouldn’t do it again.

Weather was in the 50’s but high humidity. I was sweating the first 8 miles significantly more than I would expect. No signs stating water station ahead. Stations are small and infrequent. Every 5km. Too many runners to see the water station coming up until you are right on it. So expect people will be darting across the street to get to one. Race started at 9:15AM, and much of the course is not in the shade. You appreciate the neighbourhoods that have significant trees/shade. You are completely locked in with a group of runners for the first 8 miles. Their pace is your pace cause there is someone always two feet next to you the first hour. Mile 16 is when people start dropping off and walking. Mile 25: there aren’t that many people left, and passing the Brandenburg Gate, you are almost running alone. Total tunnel vision to the finish line which is another quarter mile. BTW no mile markers! Only KM signs. So bring a watch that you trust! Non-alcoholic beer is served on the way out of the security area but not at the finish line like Chicago.

The race organizers put on a good show. Expo was very nice and ready for the massive crowds. Only downside, is you have to take a bus/taxi there. Not off a train station. For race day, there was communication email on what security entrance you must go to, and arrival/processing was quick and easy. Corral A, B, C are subdivided. Well staffed to make sure people go in their correct corral. It also gives space to runners, and you end up with runners that actually run your pace! They add a delay between corral starts to space groups apart. Two thumbs up on all of that! Red carpeting on the bridges to eliminate a tripping hazard. Plenty of long well stocked water stations. More crowd support than you could ever want. Actually too loud at times for me.

Downside: I’m not a fan of the course, but I would do it again. It’s a series of out and backs which is mentally straining cause you keep ending back to a ‘central hub’ and then going down another out/back corridor. Towards the end, you run against runners going the opposite direction 4 miles ahead of you. I found that really tough! Mile 20 was in an industrial area. It’s not like NYC where if you want to quit, there is a train station to exit to. You’re stuck continuing on the course cause there is no easy exit.

The finish line experience was fantastic! Having a volunteer pop open a can of beer for you at the finish line made it all worth it. I’m actually thinking of doing this one again so I can improve on my time.