My Berlin Marathon 2023, Lessons From Start To Finish

[@FlorisGierman]

*🚨BIG GIVEAWAY!! Win a pair of running shoes of your choice (up to $300 value). To enter, subscribe to my KZbin channel and comment: what is one lesson or takeaway from your recent training or racing journey? Winner will be announced November 30, 2023.🚨*

[@olivierauberger]

It's never over. Things may look grim during training or during a race, but if you make good decisions, your luck will turn. Mid-August, I had runner's knee and I had to find creative solutions to stay in shape. A month later, I finished my first marathon.

[@quyempire]

Learn to be patient and reflect why start this process in the first place. 😊

[@tainguyenndt]

"I have greatly admired your exceptional ability to run a marathon in under 3 hours while holding a camera and talking, and it truly dissolved all the psychological barriers I had towards this sport. Before, I used to think that marathons were always painful and stressful. About a year and a half ago, I completed my first marathon with a time of 5:46:00 - a rather disappointing result for me. I felt fearful, and since then, I didn't dare to think about running a marathon again. However, about 4 months ago, I coincidentally came across the MAF running technique through your KZbin videos. I found it relatively easy to implement and started training diligently with perseverance and inspiration, especially after watching many of your motivational videos on your KZbin channel. Recently, I participated in another 42km marathon and completed it in 4:30:00, an accomplishment worth celebrating. It has truly given me strong motivation to pursue a new goal: completing a marathon in under 4 hours in 2023. Coming up, on October 15, 2023, I will be participating in another marathon, and my current goal is to finish it in 3:55:00. I want to express my deep gratitude to you for sharing your knowledge about consistency, perseverance, and inspiration every time I step into those running shoes. Thank you very much!"

[@georgenieves4515]

Run slow to run fast ! I’ve been doing Maff going on about 2 years and qualified for 3 Boston Marathons and September 24 ran the Chicago Half Marathon and it was a PR and also a New York Marathon qualifier with a 5 second buffer and my average heart rate was 134 my Maff rate is 135. Thanks Floris !

[@trask9100]

That you're capable of way more than you think, even without a running background! I started running only 6 months ago having never ran prior, and could barely run for a minute or two at a time now I can comfortably run HMs at elevation. Throughout this I've struggled on and off with random minor injuries and pains with no real training plan other than to increase my mileage week by week, but week by week I see my miles going up bit by bit. The more I run, the easier running gets as well, you get better at tackling the mental hardships that you experience midrun, while also get better at staying "in the zone". I plan to run a marathon race next year and eventually want to get a sub 3 hour run!

[@pawemynarski7108]

Can't remember last time I bursted into tears as hard as when you addressed your kids on the finish line. Brings me hope that there is a lot of good parent out there. Huge congratulations

[@Rizwan98765]

Amazing effort - my lesson is “comparison is the thief of joy, just run your own race and don’t worry about others. Once you understand that you will appreciate each of your small wins and progress”

[@MS-ye9tg]

Hi. I don't need a prize (though I wouldn't decline). I actually just wanted to share that you're my favourite running coach and I share your podcast and channel with everyone I know who runs...but in answer to your question...there's so many answers. Maybe the best is: run your own race. Don't worry about the person next to you, you'll never see them again. Concentrate on your body and your run. A marathon is a collection of thousands of steps. The more you can focus and optimize each step, the more efficient you will be. So stay focused on your race and your form.

[@Weichi928]

My thoughts exactly. Still nice to see that our mentor is human. Reassuring.

[@EricFloberg]

Oh man! That shoutout to your kids!! Wow. So inspiring, man. Such unbridled, raw emotion. You should be so proud!!!

[@dsfrye01]

I can so relate to this feeling. It’s one of the emotions I go through at each finish line. To be able to transfer this accomplishment to your children is what every good parent desires. Absolutely love it Floris 8:12

[@klapaucius515]

My takeaway is that nothing beats consistency. I recently came back to runnning after taking around 5-8 months off. Feels like I'm starting from scratch. I went from running a 1:44 half marathon during a weekend long run to racing a 2:00 half marathon... So note to future self, regardless of what life brings, don't take breaks, run less, 40-50km/week but never stop completely, those adaptations don't expect you to come back, they just disappear as you no longer need them. And one last thing, you truly can't outrun a bad diet, no matter what anyone says, you could be in better shape, regardless of how much you're running, if you eat properly.

[@titosinha]

WOW, so many thanks, Floris, so inspiring and emotional for us as well to experience that marathon journey with you! This takeaway is precious: "You can see a personal best in other ways than your finish time too. For me, a personal best is showing up the best way that you can even when you experience challenges." You have made such a difference in people's lives and thank you so much! 🙏🏾

[@kieun1229]

Floris, I’ve been watching your content for 4-5 months since I’ve begun running. As a new runner who was too eager I ended up with injuries. I took a few weeks off and trained for my first half marathon following a lot of your HR training tips for 3 months and I was able to get to the start line healthy and finished under 2:15! I’m really grateful for you sharing your experience with low HR training bc sometimes the narrative around it can be discouraging, but it has been so critical for me in my running journey and just overall health too. I actually watched this video when it came out, but needed to come back and comment bc I thought a lot about what you said how PBs can come in different forms and not just the finishing time - for me, while I’m happy with my HM time today, I was also very happy with how I felt throughout the race, how I felt on the hills, and how I was able to enjoy the experience. I’m excited to continue training for other goals. Thx so much for sharing your journey and knowledge with us!

[@krisa.1263]

My takeaway during this current training cycle is to listen to your body and enjoy the ups and downs because life is like that. Winning is about doing your best and showing up to face life's challenges.

[@nvm1636]

Man those words you shared for your 2 little girls was simply beautiful! Biggest takeaway for me has been to enjoy the process. Shifting the mindset of trying to 'get through' the run to embracing each moment for what it is. Focusing on the simply putting together the next step forward both in running and in life generally :)

[@cocoylawsy]

From Philippines here and fairly new runner. Be patient and listen to your body, i am not a sprinter but a long distance runner WANNABEE!😁 Congratulations great run!

[@SpeedGio]

Hello! You just made me cry!! That finish talking to your daughters… 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼. Cheers from Colombia 🇨🇴 fellow runner 🏃🏻‍♂️.

[@sung3d]

My takeaway that I can related to myself: If you can't make it to the start line healthy, then you're not gonna have a race at all. Thank you for sharing your experience in Berlin.

[@alyssa9452]

Loved your little speech at the end ofthis episode about not everything going according to plan. Not running related, but we're building a house right now and it's so true, sometimes you have to just roll with what gets thrown at you! As far as running goes, I'm totally new to this, and its been a while that I've done something out of my comfort zone as an adult. Lots of learning moments figuring out what to wear and take with me on longer runs, lots of new emotions, and new feelings (mentally and physically!) My biggest takeway has been - get out of your comfort zone, it's pretty cool there 😊🤘

[@20sur20edu]

That shout out to your kids was so heartfelt ❤ had me tearing up

[@nadadoraid8147]

OMG, thank you, Floris, for your wise words... my Berlin Marathon is in 3 weeks, and I have planned since forever that tomorrow I would run my 4th and last 20-mile long run for this season..but I can't. My lungs are on fire..flu..cold...whatever it is that I have has diminished my lung capacity to a weeze. To be able to just NOT DO THIS RUN tomorrow will be tough. But if I do it, I KNOW I will regret having been stubborn. You get it :)

[@FlorisGierman]

Health first, running performance will follow. Enjoy Berlin, you'll have a blast out there.

[@GuitarTraveller]

Thank you, Floris. This was inspirational. Like John Lennon wrote, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." Best to you and yours, Tim Lawler

[@tompatrick795]

You are such a positive inspiration . My first marathon in 4 days , just turned 59 recently. I want to follow your approach. I also just signed up on Strava and will follow you there. Finding trusted advisors and being patient has been what I’ve been learning lately.

[@Meta-Drew]

I hope you reach your goals. Best of luck!

[@realgrilledsushi]

When you mentioned your car broke down and you have to run to meet up with him, I knew it was a bad sign. Your car broke down is a sign you musn’t run. I’m happy you finished and this inspired me to not DNF for my next year return to my trail marathon that I DNF’d this year. Thank you for this inspirational video and the lessons you shared. Again, congrats!

[@huss2172]

I'm running Berlin in less than 4 weeks time. My first Major. I was doing so well with my training until a month ago, where I injured my left ankle on an uneven surface. I was devastated as I worked so hard, like never before. It has been quite the process and journey. With limited time left, there's only so much I can do. I relate to everything you've shared in this video. I needed this. Thank you.

[@jeffreyalas210]

one big thing I learned is how to say "NO" Say no to yourself self not to push too hard, say no to inconsistency, and say no to unplanned runs when friends ask you to. many thanks for sharing your experience, kudos to all your videos and podcasts they helped me to start running, and learned a lot as in a lot!

[@finkledo]

I’m 5.5 months away from running my dream marathon, and after 3 years of being rejected, finally made it in for 2024 . I’m so excited!!

[@anita8833]

Congratulations on finishing another sub 3 hour marathon under challenging conditions. It always amazes me how you manage to talk and still run pretty speedy kilometers!! - A recently learnt lesson for me is - it is ok to be hanging out in the back of the pack. In fact, I think they have more fun. Happy trails.

[@user-im6eu2zg4b]

New runner here. Just ran my first 10k last week. Your vids helped get through my runs without injuries as a big runner. Running in the moment really helps man. Big thanks!

[@hamzabenarafa6782]

the lesson I learned from my Berlin Marathon(yes i run Berlin too 😊 sad i didnt met you there) is that even though I got sick towards the end of my preparation, I managed to run the first 32 kilometers at the planned pace. However, the last 10 kilometers were incredibly tough, but I was able to push through them thanks to my mental determination. It really made me realize how crucial mental strength is to achieve your goals. It shows that mental resilience can make the difference between success and giving up, even when conditions are less than ideal. It was a challenging experience, but it taught me to persevere and never give up, no matter the obstacles

[@stacybee9699]

My husband and I just started running in February 2023 in the hopes of getting active again. We were athletes when we were younger so we thought running won’t be that hard. March 2023 was our first race, we ran 12K and boooooooy we died after! HAHA! But we went back right away into training for our next race which is a half marathon in June 2023. Thinking about our first race, we thought running was easy especially for former athletes. But just like any sport, you gotta go back to the basics. We had to unlearn, learn and relearn about a lot to be better. We’ll be in our 3rd half marathon this weekend and we are aiming for another PB. We are very thankful to runners like you, Floris who are making insightful content. We have been dead serious about getting better in running and contents like yours have helped us a ton. We are aiming to run our first full marathon in 2024, targeting sub 4 hrs finish. Watching videos in the recent Berlin Marathon motivates us a lot to train harder.

[@michelledemayo9325]

Congratulations, Floris! Great job! Your girls have such a cool dad. 😊

[@therunningtattooartist5172]

Thank you so much Floris and Ben! I had an absolute blast! The injury segment really hit home with me.. and it’s what I’ve taken the most from this marathon. This was by far my PB performance mentally in any race I’ve done, the time was inconsequential. It was an honour hanging out with you guys. I learnt so much and had so much fun! Thank you for welcoming me in. See you in London! Great video! ❤

[@jarjar8]

Thank you for the wonderful video. Was so happy to meet you (and your parents!) at the shakeout run. Like you, this was my fourth world major and I have taken away something from each of them. With this one my hamstring cramped up at 16 miles, I slowed down for two, felt better but then cramped at 22 miles at I was toast after that. I think I didn’t eat enough gels as during my training I would eat every 40 minutes, but didn’t account for expending more calories during the race and should have dropped it to every 30 minutes. Was still able to get a PB by 1 minute 31 seconds but felt pretty crappy at the end. I think of it as my best worst race so far. Thank you again for the inspiring words and content. Cheers to the entire running community and those that completed the Berlin Marathon 2023! 🎉

[@dan-312]

Powerful concept - "You can see a personal best in different ways other than your finish time too. For me, a personal best is also showing up the best way you can even when you experience challenges. And that can be within your running, that can be within your professional life at work, that can be within your family life." Hope everybody listening to this can reflect on all of life's PB stepping stones along the way in pursuit of their overall PB's.

[@HeapsOfMeaps]

I have my first marathon coming up in 3 weeks. I think I'm going to be just as emotional, if not more than you Floris. One thing that has frustrated me during this training block is life. A few weeks ago I went to Spain to see family and the lifestyle over there does not fit into a marathon training block. Feeling as though I've not completed my training sessions well, and coupled with just finishing up recovering from a cold has felt as though it's knocked me back a bit. All that being said, I've realised I'm fitter than ever and worst case, as long as I do light sessions until my marathon, I'll enjoy it and I'll run very well. Thanks for the inspiration Floris.

[@SanjeevSajjanK]

Giveaway are temporary but lessons get itched into our mind which helps us to grow as a runner. I felt like running with you the whole time and got emotional when you dedicated your Berlin Marathon 2023 to your two adorable girls 💞 The most important lesson or takeaway from this for me is that the days leading upto the race day are equally important as the race day itself and not giving in to the temptations on rest days will be alot helpful than doing something unplanned which may cause injury. In the end, very rightly said that the finishing time is just a number and PB in itself considering the situation on race day. Thanks for letting us be the part of this amazing experience. Looking forward to seeing your world majors ahead 😀👍🏻

[@daviddiazlife]

Wow you did awesome. With pain and all!! You meeting your Family is always awesome to have cheering!! Beautiful recollection. That is priceless !

[@harpmyday]

Congratulations! I loved how you adjusted your expectations but still had a challenge ahead. No “throwing in the towel.” And the thoughts of your family at the end were so touching. That’s what it’s all about. Not just modeling strength of character for them, but also living a healthy life to be there for them as long as possible. Thanks for sharing.

[@davidstella6418]

Incredible performance with the odds stacked against you (calf strain and not being able to run for 18 days). Great video and very inspirational as I'm just 17 days out from my next marathon. Thank you!

[@danjonesguitarist]

Great video Floris, I was deeply touched. I ran it too with my brother-in-law, and I've posted a film. We were going at a far easier pace, and it was an incredible experience. My takeaway from Berlin 2023? Running marathons shows that humans of all ethnic groups, faiths, colours and persuasions can come together and share a common goal with a spirit of kindness and endeavour. I was deeply moved by the Saturday 'Breakfast Run' where thousands of people from 150 countries ran into the Olympic Stadium, ridiculing the philosophy of the man who built it. Hotel, expo, subway, start line, race, post-race and more. I've learnt that people are actually good and that there is real hope. Thank you again for a lovely video.

[@toon8945]

What I learned from running: In running, as in life, there will be times when you want to quit, when the finish line seems impossibly far away, and when the road ahead appears insurmountable. But by persisting, by taking one step at a time, you discover that you can overcome obstacles you never thought possible. You learn that resilience, dedication, and a willingness to keep going, even when it's tough, can lead to remarkable achievements. Running has shown me that the path to reaching my goals is not always smooth, but it is the willingness to endure and to keep moving forward that ultimately defines success. It's a lesson that extends far beyond the track or trail and serves as a valuable reminder that in life, too, determination and persistence can lead to remarkable accomplishments. Thank you for the video floris!

[@Floraneray]

Thank you for sharing your experience and being super honest about your struggles. It would be so easy for you to only share the highs but it was comforting to see some lows as well. I signed up for my first marathon and I found your videos very helpful. It's been a difficult adjustment to switch from strength training to running but I want to challenge myself. I am so happy to see that when I have the motivation and the exact goal I can really push my body. But after watching this video I know I will need to take a step back sometimes and let my body recover (always struggled with that).

[@OmahaMoose]

I'm a runner and a dad, and I just fought through a calf injury, so this video hit home for me in a number of ways. I teared up at the message to your kids; I never thought I'd get emotional about running, but there it is. We run for so many reasons, and some of them are sometimes invisible in our training, but I too run for my kids - to set an example, so they can have a healthy dad, to show them that work yields results. I run my first half-marathon soon, but I completed my first ever 13.1-mile training run this past weekend. It was something that, when I was almost 300 pounds and starting my running journey, I never thought I would be able to do. And yet, here we are. As I get older, I'm finding that I have met a lot of my life goals, but I'm finding new goals in running. I would love to be able to run a marathon some day, and if I do, you will have been an inspiration for me on that journey. Thanks for all you do, Floris.

[@rjaydriz1894]

Hello Floris, from the Philippines. Been following you for a while now. You are such an inspiration to me. Seeing you struggled during the race but still finished the race was such a motivation. I still yet to conquer a full marathon, though I stopped running for a month because of my son's hospitalization but seeing your videos motivate me again to go back running. I just love how you emphasize on the importance of family as a top priority. Key takeaway is "...not every race will turn according to plan."

[@toddmarentette]

Floris, you are the best! And you are so right, running a marathon is hard and we do hard things! To see you dig deep, and run a great race … love it. It’s always easy to spot the challenge after it happens, and when we’re feeling good, strong, having success in training, we need to remember that it’s easy to overdo it. But, you are strong and were able to shut it down for 2.5 weeks. Not many runners are that strong. You are the best coach, you teach us with words and actions. Berlin was epic!

[@djsteffler3784]

Congrats! I love that there is a purpose to running slower. I’m looking first to seeing some results this next spring!

[@MsCMR80]

Floris, I just watched this video and seeing your footage as you crossed the Brandenburg gate and dedicated the race to your babies had me weeping and then I had to pause. I paused because you inspired me enough to put my name in the lottery for next year’s race. Whether I get in or not, it’s not important. But what you’ve done and how you’ve inspired so many is an incredibly noble and beautiful thing. That’s my takeaway. Well done on completing Berlin in under 3 hours and here’s to recovering like the champ you are 🫡🥳🤩🥂🍾

[@davidvasquez3334]

Congratulations Floris! I have been following your channel for the past few weeks and even introduced Low Heart Rate training to my Mom and brother in preparation for our first marathon prior to my college graduation in the june. Watching you pass the finish line and your immediate response is to give a heart felt message to your daughters about your triumphs and hardships on your journey motivates me tremendously. Coming from a mediocre running background and wanting to motivate my family in improving their physical health, your videos are refreshing sense of optimism that shouldn’t be taken for granted. I hope to takeaway the amount of dedication that is displayed in this video for your love of your family, the sport, and passion to improve the running community as a whole. Thanks Again Floris and look forward to continue watching you do hard things!

[@topofthemountainfitness7245]

So much wisdom you have shared with us as an experienced runner, and also a very emotionally mature person.. i was quite disappointed in my last marathon when i had to walk to last 3km due to ITB issues finishing in 3:11, but after watching a bunch of Berlin marathon vlogs it reminded me that it quite often doesn't go to plan! so its a good thing that we love the process and every moment of the race experience. Really appreciate you sharing this race experience with us all Floris

[@Stefikp1122]

Probably you won’t read this comment after so many posting but i admire you for not giving up or skipping to another race to be fully fit again…i ran half marathon in NY this year not fully healed of my injury but I could somehow run and finish it. My lesson of humility 1Cor 9:24 Do you not know that the runners in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it. Running is also about cultivating ourselves. Congratulations on finishing it!

[@pameladh27]

Amazing run, Floris❤ biggest lesson is that thing don’t always go as planned, even if you’ve done it all right, but most importantly, it’s ok when they don’t, readjust your goal and find joy in the fact that you still went out there and gave it your all ☺️

[@pjalvarez3687]

Floris, I got emotional when you started talking to your daughters, I'm sure they are so proud of you and what you have accomplished. What I learned from this video is that even though you suffered through the race your attitude was always positive, focusing on the present moment and keep enjoying the race. Sometimes I get caught up in goals and numbers and forget how important is to have fun, talk to other runners, read the signs, enjoy the crowds, etc. So for that and all you do, thank you!

[@thetsan1750]

Congratulations Floris for running under 3Hr with bad calf! I think the most important takeaway from your marathon was strictly follow your original training plan to avoid injuries before the marathon. Good luck for your goal of running all six major marathons under 3 Hr in the same year! Respect for being such a great family man too!

[@davidleonard37]

Well done Floris, I did the Berlin marathon a few years back and it's calling me again. Well done on getting through it. The biggest thing I've learnt is more runs at zone 2 which I know you advocate. Then when I have to do speed work I'm not trashed so can do it harder and measured. Marathons are an emotional experience, highs and lows and your right you can expend a lot of negative energy in a marathon phase and it can drain you.

[@jacobreimers9150]

Hi Floris, thanks for sharing with such honesty and vulnerability. My biggest takeaway from your video is exactly what you said about redefining what your “PB” means when things don’t go your way and not letting your negative energy get in the way of your race. As it is a gift to be able to run (at all) and race in such a large event with so many inspiring humans. Marathons are hard and we can do hard things. Thanks Floris.

[@Demiduivenvoorden]

Flo, I'm so incredibly proud of you! And yes, I teared up-multiple times-watching this vlog... This weekend was by far one of the coolest weekends ever, and this race was special. For me personally, and given all the circumstances, this race went beyond my wildest dreams. And for you, too, given everything, you still managed to get that sub-3! I did it. You did it. We did it! Oh, and you were not the only one that got emotionally. I teared up multiple times at the start during the race and at the finish hahaa. That's what race day does with you! Can't wait to do another Major with you!

[@janet1792]

Congratulations Floris! Omg Marathons are hard and you're an inspiration and role model to not just your kids but to the rest of us who want to run a marathon one day! Thank you for sharing your experience! I will remember this video in my half marathon in 2 weeks. I have learned (from my last half marathon this past May) that even though I don't feel prepared, you determination, the energy of the crowd and the race atmosphere go a long way to getting me past the finish line. I thought I wouldn't finish but I did. Now my focus is to decrease my HR and my time. Thanks for your amazing videos Floris!

[@robertobottoni5044]

Hey Floris, you did a great job. You are awesome, man. The biggest takeaway is: do not waist energy in denial, anger and depression phases, go straight to acceptance, because there is nothing you can really do. I am saying this because I am coming from a long injury, almost 9 months without running and I really spent a lot of energy being angry. All the best man! Go get Tokyo!

[@richardcmacnamee]

Floris - Incredible effort and what a beautiful moment for your daughters to watch in the years to come. Your heart is very special. Never stop doing what you do so we’ll. Congratulations on every level.

[@davidsaukam8031]

Great to meet you along the run, Floris. It was a picker upper for me to see you, Appreciate you including me in part of your story. Congratulations on the strong finish and another sub-3 world major. Looks like we have the same goal there 🙌

[@RubelShikdar-oo5zu]

Man I cried with you when you were saying you are doing this for your daughters. What an inspiration. Keep going my friend. SUBSCRIBED!

[@njdnjdnjd]

This video was so relevant with my training. Dealing with injury is such a difficult part of running. I got stuck in the depression phase, even after I was all healed up. This was a powerful video for me. And even got my emotions at your finish line. Biggest take away was listen to your body, and don’t fight the niggles. Take a day off then evaluate, skip the denial phase, of course easier said than done. Thanks for sharing your journey! Great race plan and goal adaption.

[@DD_Davey]

Floris, dude , this was good. Glad you survived and you survived as best as one could. Congratulations!

[@stacybee9699]

Wohoooo! Congratulations Floris and to all the runners who joined the Berlin Marathon! I wish I could run at least 1 marathon major in my lifetime.

[@pull4adventures]

Training for my first 50. Doing HR training. I learned that consistency is key!

[@eby61mss]

Was expecting a pumped up berlin marathon vid but got teary eyed vid instead, kinda hits in the feels this one, thanks for pouring your heart out

[@daviddavidov3780]

Floris, you an inspiration! Well done for finishing your marathon under 3h!!! My biggest lesson was from my last training run - be present, relax and enjoy the moment!

[@Melvinbsu]

Great run Floris. If you are taking on any more new clients I’d love to have you as a coach. I shed a tear when you dedicated the run to your 2 little girls. I’ve only run 1 marathon in my life (San Francisco 2015 and I ran a 4:52) and I’m hoping to run more and sub 4 hours. One lesson I’ve learned recently is to just live in the moment and know that the pain is temporary and we should keep on pushing.

[@ashleymeins781]

My big lesson while I'm marathon training is to not be afraid of the pain cave. I can tolerate more than I think. It's very much mind over matter. Thanks for this amazing recap!

[@Jenniek1111]

Oh Floris!😢😅 That was amazing and I had tears in my eyes too when you caught sight of your girls towards the end of the race. Well done you!❤❤❤

[@moshoodayanda9072]

Starting slow is key! I usually start slow on my easy runs. Then,progressively increase my pace unknowingly. I started running 10km twice a day,before running 20km+. The first time I attempted 21km,I ran in 02:05:50,the following week I ran 25km in 02:05:00. Note- I still run twice a day,even after 25km,I run 10km for recovery in the evenings.Never think about the distance,run it. How you warm-up & cool down is very important too! Note-I don't drink water,take fruits,vitamins or gels during my runs,I do that after. I take water before my runs though,my tactic. I want to get use to this tactic,till when I can run 21km in 1hour 20mins before introducing water or gels during my runs. If you don't feel good,take a break! I'm currently working on my speed workout,that's where I lack. I run 400m for speed workouts in 1min32sec,prior to world record pace of 1min for 400m. Understand your body,go for it.

[@EmmiEmiliaR]

Shed a few tears with you at that finish line🙏🏻 A recent takeaway after being a runner for 4 months is the importance of cadence, running feels much lighter when intentionally focusing on increasing cadence. Thank you for videos like this, hoping to complete a marathon myself one day!

[@alfiejones13453]

Its been so great to watch you over these past few months. Your videos on MAF training have been so useful and its great to see you tackling all these great races. Inspirational! In terms of my takeaway from my running journey, I've been struggling with injuries and I've learnt to take it slow, never rush into it and know exactly how your body is feeling.

[@ronnieboy330]

Thank you for this video! I ran my most well executed half marathon a couple weeks ago but got injured a couple weeks later by not taking enough rest. I’m anxious for an upcoming marathon and need to remind myself making it to the start line is the true goal. Your experience rings so true and is what I need to hear

[@zero34runnr]

Congratulations! I had a similar situation! Just ran montreal marathon. I was very comfortable and confident to finish 2:50, but at 30k mark had stomach cramps and had to slow down and manage the pain and breathing, manage to feel good again at 38-39k but around 40k leg cramp sets in. Just continuously had to repeat on step at a time. Manage to clock 2:58:40. One take away, everything does not go accordingly to plan but, be flexible and have a plan ahead incase those things happens. Enjoy every moment and give thanks that we are able to do this wonderful thing called running

[@nikomariss8417]

Hi, ran my second halfmarathon a week ago in 1:50 after barely finishing the first one in april. Realized that first of all, hills are HARD. Secondly, how amazing it is to have family and friends waiting for you at the finish line

[@EL-fv2np]

Thanks for sharing your journey! It’s always inspirational to watch your videos. I live in Japan, and do triathlons during warm season, marathons in winter. It’s been particularly hot summer that has been lasting much longer than usual. I recently had my last triathlon race of the season on a really hot and humid day. During the run leg of the race I suffered from a terrible cramps on my quads that made me almost DNF the race. I ended up continuing to run as the pain subsided, and even gradually picked up enough pace to outrun the woman who was leading the race, overtaking her by 4 seconds to the finish line. My take on this experience is that no matter how hard it gets during the race, be patient, and don’t give up so easily. Your body might surprise you, in a good way.

[@kenklee4]

As a father of two children (girl/boy), I loved the dedication of this run to your daughters. Way to go Floris!

[@ganesangiridharan5187]

Congratulations. Proud of your finish in spite of physical challenges. But I always admire your pivot and maintain reasonable HR. Your mental strength says it all. Kudos to finish.

[@Kirsten138]

Holy sh*t that was inspiring! Really didn’t expect to have tears already 8 minutes in.

[@billylee5335]

My favorite Run Vlogger !!! 🏃

[@English.runner.en.Espana]

Floris your a legend you made me tear up! Lesson never give up as progress is not linear!

[@iamzeus6195]

We enjoy every morning. Hill station running is a little difficult. Before the finish line, we remember one line that is "no human is limited" and we do our best. Extra push when it feels like enough for today is the lesson I learn everyday.

[@jillshannen280]

Lesson I learned training for my 1st race. Take everything "in stride" just showing up each session or stride accumulated eventually finishes the race. I'm loving the process!😀

[@namnori]

Awesome video and great perspective on training, racing, performance goals, and running. I’ve been running since the age of 13 (I’m 58 now) and my PBs are likely in the rear view mirror. The greatest lesson for me is that we chose to do this and we all have our own reasons and motivations. When I was younger it was more about time and performance, now it’s more about the experience and feeling alive and being capable of doing extraordinary things. I will be running the Chicago marathon in a week and a half and while I have a time goal, my ultimate goal is to do the best I can for fitness I’ve built under the conditions of the day.

[@miroslavturcan6996]

I totally agree with phases of the injury - I'm going through some spine and hip injury which happened in the peak training for my Marathon (which I had to called off). Now I'm 2months after that and starting running again - everything seems to feel like I never run before.. at 6:30min/km pace I have HR of 170 and all feels stiff. It needs time to recover physically and mentally (leave your ego at home - you have to forget where you have been and be present, because this where you are now). Keep up the good work, Floris! There are sunny and cloudy days.

[@RunningFrom40-do9jj]

Wow, Floris...tears and goosebumps, my friend and fellow dad. That's a PB in my book any day. There are so many lessons and takeaways that I've learned recently on my running journey. From the benefits of proper movement (which leads to better form) to the utter necessity of discipline (Kipchoge says that if you're undisciplined you'll be a slave to your moods and to your passions - wow!), it's a daily journey of learning and being humbled. However, I think the most eye-opening realization I've had lately - and I thought about it a lot on my morning run just now - is how running mimics life. Life is hard. It requires discipline and consistency. It requires that we push through when we want to give up. This may sound cliche, or way too obvious, but if you let yourself ruminate on it, there is the potential to add so much value to your life via running. Running, to me, isn't the ultimate goal. It's a means to an end. It's a teacher. And I'm thankful every day I can get up and make these old legs and lungs do what I want them to. For those of you who need some encouragement: persevere, y'all. It's worth it. It's always worth it.

[@sue_bayes]

Got my first Marathon in Munich in 10 days so this was very apt, hugely inspiring and emotional. Thank you for sharing.

[@5128goldenrod]

Awesome, real, runners experience. Love the grief/injury cycle discussion post race. 12 years late in life runner i recently finally got this too…..Bargaining with an injury never works, it results in frustration and extending the injury by not rehabbing correctly, or ego forcing a too rapid return. The tough races are the best ones, with the most to celebrate and learn for,, regardless of time! Great as ever Floris

[@bobkrogh1670]

You were ready up until running's random bad luck hit. Been going through these cycles for three years now and a little frustrated but at 56 just happy to be in sub 2:46 form in the tropics but always an injury hits in the cycle and have to fight for sub 2:50. It is emotional knowing you gave it all when it would have been easy to simply jog. On a serious note - running on a bad calf can complicate things but sure you have a plan. You seem like a great guy - good luck.

[@yakiweiss546]

That's why we do marathons , Wow so exciting, well done Floris!

[@mtanzy]

Way to battle through 🎉

[@TommyD20]

Hey Floris. New runner here 😊 Was doing a lot of mountain trekking, and decided to start doing them faster, so I did a few trail/sky half-marathons. Started having knee pain (off course 😂), and after started reading/documenting more about running. Your channel is golden for me. 2 months into MAF method, and things are going great! So, what I've learned is that I don't need to rush things, I need to build a solid base, and improve from there. Thanks for everything!

[@joy_de_vivre]

congratulations! thank you so much for this video and i really needed this. i have been training for a half marathon for this november and i just got diagnosed with sesamoiditis this afternoon after running in a pair of new shoes and was told to not run for 4 weeks. i am now at the acceptance stage after watching the video and thank you very much for the positivity and the inspiration!

[@BilalOz2012]

Congratulations, wow, I teared up when you finished. I remembered my dad at the end of my marathon, he passed away from cancer 10 years ago, he was a fast runner when he was young but never took it any further because of poverty, Sydney Marathon was hard but some of my last few kilometres were for him.

[@fallsemo]

Welp. That message to your kids during the final leg made me emotional too. Thanks for sharing the hard and heartfelt moments of the race. One takeaway for myself over the last few months since watching my heart rate zone while running is that I've become more aware of overexerting too early. This has had a big impact on my running development.

[@jplasma]

Loved it Floris!!! Congrats and well done! Main take away is PB is not only race time, but also showing up as your best (whether for races or other aspects of your life).

[@chir00n]

Congrats! We did a hike today 15km/1300m, some sections barefoot on grass to strengthen the foot muscles. Next weekend I do a trail marathon with 1500m up and down. And I have done the Berlin half marathon about 10 years ago, what an experiance!

[@MarwedhiNurratyo]

Thank you for this video! Really such an inspiration. One important key or takeaway is when the body need rest during the preparation period, we should give the rights to our body to have a rest. Another lesson is, when you feel demotivated, remember that love (especially to our family) is exceptional power which can boost our body to go over the limit.

[@gailtonnesen]

Great video, and great advice - thank you for sharing this! Having fallen twice this summer, my recent lesson is don't zone out, keep my eyes on trail and don't trip over a rock.

[@guneycim]

As we age, the rest days become more and more critical, as much as we hate them. And calves seem to be the first to give up on us when pushed too hard. I hope you recover from this and come up with an amazing calf-strengthening video for all of us old runners. Amazing run, sub3 with a pulled calf is amazing. Congrats!

[@benjamintarantur6739]

congrats.. Running this race in just a few months and earning my 4th star as well!! can't wait and congrats!

[@aytenista]

OMG why I have knots in my throat and why I am crying. Thanks Floris, for all your kind help and sharing all your lessons learned with us. My biggest take away today is, taking rest as serious as I can.