“SIMPLY DO IT!“

In my school days I was always on the move. After school and homework, I would ride my bike to the soccer field. Until the streetlights came on. I also played club soccer. I was always fit. Then came the Bundeswehr, far from home, with far too little exercise. I was in charge of the gas station, got my truck driver’s license, and for a year basically all I did was look out of a window. Then I had my first own place, my studies, “real” relationships, started a job, etc. – you know how it goes. All of it “poison” for the feel-good weight.

On 05/29/2008, weighing just below 100 kg, I tried to fight the 11 o’clock low once again with the very well-known chocolate bar. Somehow, however, something “clicked”. I didn’t eat the candy bar but went and bought my first running watch during my lunch break. After that, I told everyone that I was going to run a marathon in a year. Thus, I started small, increased my load, and finally trained with a plan. At the same time, I adjusted my diet and ate more consciously and healthily. In June 2009, I finished my first marathon, the Mittelrhein-Marathon, in 3:46 hours – and that with about 80 kg.

My motivation for running at the time was therefore initially – and this will be well known to many – to lose weight. Nowhere does that happen as quickly as when you run. Nevertheless, you should keep a moderate pace and be patient. Just like the slogan of the Saarland suggests: “Great things are always created on a small scale!” And you have to be aware that you run for yourself and not for others – and not like others. Everyone is different. Sure, I can’t compare myself with a professional athlete, but neither can I compare myself with my friend, brother, or neighbor. You can’t do everything. But what you can and should do is stick with it!

The best way to do this is by establishing routines. In order to beat the contingencies of the day, I started to go running in the morning at some point. I became an early bird. When the day starts, I have already done my workload. My workday may get longer then, I can answer the call of the beer garden, being late and traffic jams are suddenly only half as bad. This made my life very relaxed. Running helped once again. I created the best routine for me.

In the beginning, it was my goal to break the 3:30 hours at the marathon. I never managed to do that and ended up missing it by only 3 minutes on my best attempt. So what?! I got out the best possible performance for me personally. At the latest when my 2nd child was born in 2015 and I was 40 years old, this became clear to me. Humility and modesty became more important for me in my private and professional life than the eternal pursuit of more. This only leads to discontent because you simply can’t influence a lot of things. Acceptance is important. Routines and experiences are a very fine thing.

Everything had fallen into place, professionally and in my private life. This state of deep relaxation had more and more influence on my life, but also on my running. I ran as it went, just the way that felt right. Then, with the arrival of child number 3 in 2018, I gradually switched from road and pace to trail and distance. The mindfulness in and respect for nature has continued to captivate me since then. It is a wonderful way of decelerating. This and my mentality of making things easy made me grow into the ultra-running scene.

For me, 100 km is now no more a rarity than running up and down a pit heap from sunset to sunrise or going on the same route over and over again every hour during a backyard ultra. All at my pace and the way I feel comfortable. If I have a good conversation at a water stop and it takes a little longer or I want to enjoy the view on the way – then that’s just the way it is. For me, that’s what characterizes a race. That’s what I’ll remember in a few years, not the pace and not the finishing time.

My running life has adapted to my life – but maybe it was the other way around? In any case, it’s like dog owners who eventually look like their dog. You live the way you run. Personally, I think that’s pretty cool.

But what does all this have to do with running shoes? A lot. I like to say that in running, your clothes become less and less important from the bottom up. A running analysis is therefore a must for every runner before buying running shoes. The feet and therefore also the shoes carry you with every step. For me, my complete well-being rises and falls with running. As a massive overpronator, I am highly susceptible to injury, or rather, I used to be. In fact, since discovering True Motion, since 6/21/2019, I have not missed a single day due to injury.

Before that, I kept having problems with my sacroiliac joint or knees due to my misalignment. Attempts to get this under control with stability shoes and/or insoles did not fail, but only led to moderate success. In any case, there were always times when I could not run and was therefore unbalanced, restless, and unrelaxed. That was stupid. For me, but also for the people around me. Of course, a shoe is not responsible for everything, that’s up to you. But it helps. It is the most important companion if you want to achieve your running goals.

Everyone can rise above themselves, and to a certain extent everything is in their own hands. You just shouldn’t wear yourself out on things that are unchangeable or cannot be influenced. You should rather invest this strength in yourself and also have the courage to go one step further. There is always much more than you think. Running can help immensely to transfer this attitude into everyday life.

SIMPLY DO IT!