#runningwithattitude

As of today, I'm officially back to street marathon training for the @berlinmarathon 2017. This picture was shot at the start of my first marathon in 2015 (@maratonadiroma). I had to start with the very last corral, in pouring rain and with hardly any idea what I was doing. I will never forget the humility and respect I felt towards the challenge. It was scary and quickening at the same time. There's still a little bit of this feeling left every time I toe the line at a race, for which I am very thankful. It reminds me that I am very privileged and blessed to follow my passion to such a substantial degree. #runandriseabove #willpowerrunning #forwearerunners #thebeallandtheendall #lifeelevated #maratonadiroma #berlinmarathon #marathonrunning #trainsmart #runningwithattitude (hier: Rome, Italy)

Humbly embrace what every run demands from you and rather live than just survive. #willpowerrunning #goodcleanrun #finishline #zugspitztrailrunchallenge #runningwithattitude (📷 @munich_wieserle) (hier: Zugspitz Trailrun Challenge)

The pure joy of racing. #willpowerrunning #runningwithattitude #racingwithfriends #bleilochlauf #runproud #finishstrong (hier: Kloster / Saalburg)

A couple of months ago I wrote a blog post about the advantages of traveling light while running. My point was to reduce the number of items you carry, granting each one a very special and important role. Same goes for what you bring with you on the inside. Reducing your thoughts to what is essential in this very moment is the key to a great experience. It's all about the famous next step (and then the one after that) and breathing. Simple as it sounds, these two things can be really fulfilling, pushing a lot of unimportant things to the background. Run, free your mind and let life shine. #willpowerrunning #runningwithattitude #trailrunning #onthetrail #runproud (📷by Marvin Kessler) (hier: Vuurtoren Ameland)

A lot of things have to fall into place to make a race a 'perfect race'. How was your training? What did you eat? have you been stressed out lately? What about that old injury you've been dealing with? How's the weather like? Are you jet lagged? Which start block are you in? Is it a flat course? Are there enough aid stations? How did you sleep last night? And the night before? Are you mentally tough enough to give it all? Is your hunger to race big enough to dig deep when you have to? Yesterday's #berlinhalfmarathon was ALMOST a perfect race for me. It might sound strange, but it was the breakdown (and reboot) at the @lamarathon that gave me the confidence and mental strength to stay focused for 21.1km and to run right on the edge of my current physical abilities. It felt like nothing could stop me. In the end I topped my old halfmarathon PB from October 2015 by four minutes, which makes me super happy. I am very aware that this won't go on like this forever. The faster I'll get, the harder it's going to be for me, to run new PBs. Ultimately I will reach a point, where no improvement is possible anymore. Fortunately I've made my peace with this reality very early in my running career. My focus since then has been on the pure joy of movement and challenging myself. Things that can never be taken away from me. #willpowerrunning #berlinhalfmarathon #runproud #runningwithattitude #berlinerhalbmarathon #berlinhalf #marathonrunning #willpowerathletes (hier: 36. Berliner Halbmarathon)