After starting the 2013 race season with two half marathons (The Berlin Half Marathon and the Spreewald Half Marathon) it was time to go for something a bit shorter to get the whole family involved. While Tiffany enjoyed the Avon Women’s Run on Saturday (with my mom, who ran her first 10k) the boys (i.e. my dad and myself) took to the streets on Sunday. We had registered for the Berlin Big 25 race which is a trifecta of distances – 10k, Half and 25km – which all get underway at the same time on the same track. The 10k distance and half marathons of course loop back earlier than the 25km race.
The Race Expo & Packet Pickup
Race packet pick for the run was open on Friday and Saturday at the Karstadt Sport location at Berlin Zoo. This is only about 10min walk from apartment and made for an easy stroll to get all the formalities out of the way.
There was not really a race expo to speak off, but a few stands with packet pickup and souvenirs had been setup on the rooftop patio of the sports department store. This was unfortunately all a bit hectic, given that packet pickup was sorted by last name – but there was only room for one cue. This lead to people haphazardly cutting into line and having to push through. Not very well organized in my opinion.
Getting a race bag to stuff all my gear into made from cloth rather than a simple plastic bag, however was a nice touch.
Race Day
The Berlin Big25 starts and ends at the olympic stadium which makes an ultra convenient race to run. There is fantastic access via public transport (just a quick ride on the U2 subway line) and plenty of space around the facility to make this one anything but crowded. I am not a big fan of pushing and shoving, so that made this race have a really good vibe for me already before even starting.
The Berlin Olympic Stadium on Race Day
Under perfectly blue skies we waited patiently for the race to get started while Tiffany and the rest of the gang slowly made their way inside the olympic stadium to get good seats to watch the boys roll into the stadium and through the finish line.
Getting ready to race
Waiting in the sunshine at the start was already a good indicator of what to expect along the way. The streets out here in West Berlin on which this race takes place are huge – with barely any shadows along the way. So while this is a flat race, it can get quite toasty on days where the sun is out in full force.
The Course
While I’m a huge fan of Berlin, I have to admit I was not crazy about this course. Perhaps it was unavoidable for the 10km race, but there is surprisingly little of the major sites to see along the path. Compared to the Berlin Half Marathon where you cruise by the most important sites of the city this one is actually rather dull. The most impressive building along the way is the expo center with its Funkturm and of course the olympic stadium itself.
Enjoying the run through the western part of Berlin
As is typical for Berlin, the run was flat and fast. One thing I found interesting though is that Kantstrasse (the long return stretch of the race) apparently has quite a long incline to it – I had never run this road before and you just don’t feel it when driving by car.
The real star of the race is the olympic stadium finish. After snaking through the access tunnels of the stadium runners were greeted to this view when emerging from the tunnel opening. Breathtaking! You can barely see it in the picture below, but the organizers had a camera set up along the opening so you would spot yourself on the jumbotron just as you emerged – that was REALLY cool!
The finishing lap inside the olympic stadium
Finishing strong on the last couple of steps through the stadium was one of the cooler experiences running so far. One feels so small running on the track – and the cheering from the audience really echos down to make you feel like a superstar. Very fun!
Getting close to the finish line
Upon finishing the race you get to rejoin your loved ones in the stadium – but instead of using one of the lower gates to walk directly into the stands runners had to climb ALL THE WAY up the stairs to exit the stadium and then enter again to walk down different stairs. Not very practical – and I am glad I didn’t run the Half or 25km distances. My legs would have been shot after those stairs.
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I was able to beat my previous 10k time by almost 8 minutes – finishing with a time of 53min41sec – I was extatic!
The Medal
I had already spotted this beauty on a mannequin at the race expo and had hoped it was for all of the runners and not just those finishing the longer distances. The creators of this medal have really put some thought into it. It feels nice and heavy, had a wide band and the design is very regal looking. Being a Berlin junkie I love it that the medal shows a runner blowing through the finish line with the Berlin olympic stadium in the background.
The Berlin Big 25 Medal
The Good, the bad and the ugly
Overall this race was a lot of fun, but nothing to really rave about. The expo and race pickup was hectic and unorganized and the race course nothing special. However, having it at the Olympic stadium with it’s easy access and amazing finish inside the bowl made this one a race to remember. Would I run it again? Probably – especially if I wanted to give an out of town friend a really special experience finishing at the stadium.
Another point of critique – the KM markers were only available for 10km runners until they left the main course and cycled back on the return road. Once on the return road only KM markers for 25KM and Half Marathon runners were displayed. Not such a major issue in these times were Garmins tell you down to the last CM how far along you are – but it’s always nice to double check without having to do arithmetic while sweating like a pig huffing and puffing down the race course.
