My dad has been an avid runner when he was younger. He ran a lot, because he worked for the German army. He was so good, that they put him to races to compete. He didn’t have strict training regiment, but he was so good that he managed to run a marathon in Munich in 3 hours and 15 minutes. It’s very inspiring!
So, as many children feel with their parents, I want to do even better in running time. I set the (im)possible goal of running a marathon in a quicker time than 3 hours. 2 hours 59 minutes 59 seconds would be sufficient. That comes to a race time of 4:16 minutes per kilometer. Easy to do for a few kilometers, somewhat more difficult over 10 kilometers, and significantly harder to do over a distance of 42.195 kilometers. In my best running times I did manage a 5 km run in 18:57 minutes, 10 km run in 40:15 minutes, and my best half marathon time as of ~10 years ago is 1:33:37. So even if I would manage to hold that speed over a full marathon I would still need to be ~7 minutes faster for the full race. And after ~18 km usually the muscles get a lot more sour, and to keep running gets significantly harder. (for the anthropologists it raises the question whether humans are made to run longer distances than 10 km over longer, or whether we are only made for 10 km as hunter and gatherers :)).
So there is the big challenge. And in addition to my dad as an inspiration, I also see Casey Neistat & Kai Pflaume as inspirations for running.
- Casey Neistat did manage to get back to running after a severe accident. Doctors even told him he would never manage to run again, and still over a lot of hard and smart training, he managed to get back to running, and became so good that he managed to get his sub 3 marathon done. He talks more about it in his video Sisyphus and the Impossible Dream.
- Kai Pflaume is admirable in that he is a very public figure, and is active in so many TV productions between Hamburg and Munich. It takes a lot of dedication to make a marathon possible, and he also got amazing coaches, for making it happen as some of the best marathon runners in the world such as Philipp Seipp. The podcast he did with my friend Felix on his Calisthenics Podcast was very inspiring for learning about the approach, and I took a lot of how to train notes during listening to it.
In particular these are the notes that I gathered for the training approach for the run (with some added thoughts catered to my personal marathon training notes):
My dad was an avid runner in his younger years. Running was part of his life, especially during his time with the German army. He was so good that he was chosen to compete in races, despite not following a strict training regimen. One of his most inspiring achievements was running the Munich Marathon in an impressive 3 hours and 15 minutes. That kind of natural talent is something I’ve always admired.
Like many children looking up to their parents, I’ve set a goal to surpass his achievement—a dream that feels both impossible and within reach: running a marathon in under 3 hours. Just barely breaking that barrier, finishing in 2 hours, 59 minutes, and 59 seconds, would mean maintaining an average pace of 4:16 minutes per kilometer.
Sure, that’s manageable for a few kilometers. It’s even doable over 10 kilometers. But sustaining it for 42.195 kilometers? That’s where things get tough.
To put it into perspective, my best 10K time is 40:15 minutes, and my fastest half marathon, clocked about a decade ago, was 1:33:37. Even if I could hold that half-marathon pace for an entire marathon, I’d still be around 7 minutes too slow. And let’s not forget the infamous “wall” runners hit after about 18 kilometers, when the muscles start to burn, and every step feels like a mental and physical battle.
(For the anthropologists among us, it raises an interesting question: are humans really built for long distances beyond 10 kilometers? Or is our natural limit tied to shorter sprints as hunter-gatherers?)
Finding Inspiration
My dad’s legacy isn’t my only source of inspiration. I also look to people like Casey Neistat and Kai Pflaume, who embody resilience and dedication in their own ways.
Casey Neistat returned to running after a severe accident. Doctors told him he’d never run again, but through smart, determined training, he proved them wrong. Not only did he recover, but he also managed to achieve a sub-3-hour marathon. He talks about this journey in his video Sisyphus and the Impossible Dream.
Kai Pflaume, on the other hand, inspires me for his dedication amidst a busy schedule. As a public figure active in countless TV productions between Hamburg and Munich, he still made time to prepare for a marathon. With the help of elite coaches like Philipp Seipp, he reached his goal. Listening to his insights on my friend Felix’s Calisthenics Podcast was a game-changer for me. I took plenty of notes on his approach, which shaped my own training plan.
My Marathon Training Notes
Here are some of the key takeaways I’ve adapted for my personal training:
- Embrace high-heart-rate exercises: Running is the focus, but adding swimming and cycling keeps things fresh and builds endurance.
- Slow and steady wins the base: Most runs can be slow-paced to build a strong foundation. Closer to race day, I’ll include more tempo and interval runs at goal pace.
- No need to go the full distance in training: Long runs close to marathon length are sufficient. Going all the way risks unnecessary strain.
- Fuel matters: I’ll need to eat plenty to support the high training volume. Like Kai Pflaume, I’ll focus on eating enough to stay energized.
- Progressive goals: A half marathon is my first milestone before aiming for a full marathon, likely in February.
- Adapt to the seasons: In colder months, treadmill training at the gym is an option, but outdoor runs remain my preference when possible.
- Peak training distance and averages: In the 12 weeks leading up to the marathon, sub-3-hour finishers average 42 miles (68 km) per week, spread across 7 runs. These numbers highlight the importance of consistent mileage, with peak weeks 4-5 weeks before race day focusing on longer distances and tapering afterward for recovery. Source: Men’s Running UK based on Strava Data.
- Sub-3 marathon goal: Achieving a sub-3-hour marathon is the ultimate challenge, requiring consistent training, strong pacing, and smart race-day strategy.
- Supplementary training: Running has given me so much—discipline, endurance, and a sense of accomplishment. And let’s just say, running has a way of improving your performance—on and off the track! 😉
Staying Connected
One thing I love about running is its ability to connect people. Wherever I am in the world, I can find running groups. Sharing my half-marathon goal is a great way to bond, and running with others can push me to improve.
Balancing Ambition and Life
Running a sub-3-hour marathon isn’t just about physical training. It requires purposeful prioritization—getting enough sleep, managing stress, eating well, and balancing life commitments.
But balance doesn’t mean perfection. Focusing on one area, like marathon training, might mean deprioritizing other aspects of life temporarily—and that’s okay. It’s about being intentional with my time and knowing that I can revisit other priorities later.
For me, this journey isn’t just about running fast. It’s about becoming the kind of person I want to be: ambitious, healthy, and connected to others.
And once I achieve my (im)possible dream of running a sub-3-hour marathon, I’ll head straight to my dad—who’s nearing 70—and challenge him to beat my time. Hehe, game on, Dad!
P.S.
I plan to release running blogs on here and vlogs about my training journey. It sounds like so much fun to record quick vlogs while running in exotic places. In the coming year, I’ll be training in Germany, Thailand, Japan, France, Portugal, Switzerland, and many more locations. So, it’ll be visually exciting—and hopefully full of valuable lessons to share!