October 26, 2025, 4:10 pm | Read time: 6 minutes

Originally, I wanted to run the TUI Half Marathon in Palma. The idea admittedly came to me quite spontaneously, or—more specifically—three weeks before my flight to Palma. I couldn’t have known that over 10,000 runners from around 50 different countries have the same idea as I do every year. The half marathon had been sold out for months. “Then just run your own half marathon!” a friend suggested. And the more I thought about it, the better it sounded to me.

I’m not a beginner when it comes to running. Since 2012, I’ve regularly participated in fun runs—my first was an 8-kilometer women’s run. Back then, I was mainly drawn by the pink shirt and the goodie bag, but then I caught the running bug. Eight kilometers turned into 10, then 21.1.

2015 – My First Half Marathon

For my first half marathon in 2015, I went to quite a bit of effort and visited a friend in Berlin to start at the “Berlin General Rehearsal.” After that, various half marathons in Hamburg followed, but I wasn’t as hooked as I was with my first half marathon. Maybe it’s because you get more accustomed to the distance over time, and it becomes less special; after all, you occasionally have to run for about two hours even in training.

Often, the closer the half marathon got, the less I wanted to do it. I don’t like the fuss at competitions, the effort is too much for me—getting up early, long drives, no thanks. On the day of the competition, I often wake up nervous and meet most of my running acquaintances at the porta-potty. A half marathon in the sunny city of Palma, Mallorca, had tempted me again. Too bad it didn’t work out.

Challenge: Running a Half Marathon Distance Alone at Home

Thanks to my friend’s suggestion, I found a new challenge. But how does it feel to run a half marathon not in a competitive atmosphere and surrounded by other runners, but alone? Maybe you need the excitement of an official competition to perform at your best? Well, I would soon find out.

Excitement Without Competition Conditions

I planned my little private competition for a Saturday in October. The closer the half marathon day got, the less motivated I became (hah, I know that feeling!). While I was still excited two days before, the day before the run, I was filled with nervousness. I wasn’t really in the mood anymore, and I remembered how this last-minute nervousness had already tried to thwart my plans in the past. At least back then, I had the entry fee as a compelling reason not to skip the run. This time, I had to motivate myself entirely.

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Half Marathon Alone for Me—Here We Go!

“Isn’t running inherently a solitary activity?” I thought as I laced up my running shoes at six in the morning, clamped two pieces of toast with banana between my teeth, and got into the car. Off I went toward Hamburg’s Alster.

Starting Difficulties

I wasn’t really in the mood when I parked in the dark and saw the Alster in front of me, but oh well: “You promised yourself, follow through!” On my lap, I got off to a slow start. For whatever reason, my heart rate shot up, forcing me to run slower than I wanted—5:30 per kilometer. Maybe it was the excitement. Only after 20 minutes did my heart rate stabilize. If this had been an official run, I would have been annoyed that I couldn’t perform as usual. But I was lenient with myself and thought, “Okay, if it doesn’t get better soon, I’ll just stop after 10 kilometers. That’s still better than nothing.” Fortunately, after the initial warm-up, things went really well. After an hour, it was clear that I would definitely finish under two hours—even if I slowed down significantly. The joy made the movement feel even lighter.

My Personal Cheer Zone with Water Stop

After 16 kilometers, I had arranged to meet my friend, who was supposed to supply me with water. I sent her my location 15 minutes before our agreed meeting point and was delighted when I saw her turn the corner in Eppendorf. “I’d like to stop, but I’m afraid I’ll lose my rhythm,” I called out to her with a quick hug and opened my water bottle while running.

The brief meeting acted like a booster (thanks again at this point!), and I felt recharged. The cheer zone at a competition seems to have its justification.

Run with Me and Not Against Me

My run now felt noticeably easier. My legs felt light, and my heart rate was consistently in the anaerobic zone. I focused on it—I listened to my body, not the pace. The goal was to stay under two hours, but not at any cost.

Maybe it’s different in an official competition, where you might briefly subordinate your body to performance. But as a yoga teacher, I don’t like that anyway. I think it’s important to be mindful of yourself. Running the half marathon alone gave me a better sense of my own condition. You can tune into yourself better than when everything is loud and you’re running in a crowd. I like that, which is why I also enjoy running without headphones.

Ah, That’s Why Courses Are Officially Measured

The competition running courses are officially measured from Hamburg to Berlin. This ensures that the distance is indeed a half marathon, marathon, or whatever run is currently on the schedule. I realized that I had only roughly estimated the distance beforehand when my second lap around the Alster was finished. I thought I had completed 20 kilometers, but I was still about three kilometers short of reaching my “half marathon” goal. Darn! Relatively unmotivated, I added two more loops around an Alster inlet.

Half Marathon Alone: My Time

After 1:53, I finally reached the finish line—a bit slower than my last half marathon, but hey, overall, it was fun!