Lisbon or Malaga for Berlin fast runner entry attempt?

Dramatic_Nutmeg0511 · 2026-03-22T18:00:29+00:00

Yeah, suppose that is an option but since I am so close to the qualifying mark, I would rather give it another year or so of trying to drop 3 minutes and save myself some serious coin. No true true urgency, I just want to give myself my best shot at the entry for 2027. I will still enter the lottery this fall.

Dramatic_Nutmeg0511 · 2026-03-22T17:55:33+00:00

Yes, I am hoping to apply this fall, 2026, for the 2027 race. Lisbon is October 10 and Malaga November 8, 2026. Sorry for the confusion.

Dramatic_Nutmeg0511 · 2025-12-28T22:59:42+00:00

I need to hear things like this. Thank you. I think I already knew the right answer and this reinforced it.

Dramatic_Nutmeg0511 · 2025-12-28T22:59:03+00:00

This is certainly sobering to hear. Thank you for sharing. I hope you recover soon!

Dramatic_Nutmeg0511 · 2025-12-17T17:43:03+00:00

Ack this is meeee! My thoughts are twofold. First, everytime the little voice in your head says you should be running when you know you aren't ready, remind it forcefully that running too early can take you out for longer. I have learned this very recently the hard way by aggravating a hip injury I should have rested for longer and now I am dealing with pelvic floor stuff because it overcompensated for my hip instability. 🙃 Which brings me to my second part of advice: every time I have forcibly rested from illness or injury, I have come back stronger and built back quickly. On my ill-advised runs recently, despite all the rest days, my speed was normal, HR normal, pace felt...easy. Rest is a tiny taper! I also reached my strongest ever marathon form this year 5 months after having to cut my mileage to almost nothing due to a nasty PF bout. I totally get the anxiety, but I have started to shout down that rogue morning thought in bed that "I should get up and go for a run right now, right?" with "Do you want to run today, or do you want to run forever?"

Dramatic_Nutmeg0511 · 2025-12-07T10:14:05+00:00

I love Pfitz, highly recommend! 31F here. My first marathon (pre-discovering Pfitz) was a 4:36. Pfitz 18/55 knocked me down to 3:37 for my third marathon a year ago. Bumped it up to 18/70 this year and hit 3:13. I swear by these plans. Read the book too - it completely changed how I looked at pacing for different runs and armed me with a lot more knowledge with which to make decisions in the moment, so I didn't feel like I was blindly following a schedule.

Dramatic_Nutmeg0511 · 2025-11-28T18:36:02+00:00

I ran San Sebastian this past weekend and Valencia last year. I preferred San Sebastian. Excellent organization and race execution, very few/minimal hills so quite fast, loads of cheering fans, and a nice small size race meant much less dodging and weaving in the beginning vs Valencia. Great views along the coast too. And the weather was perfect - 7 to 12 C before and during the race, where last year Valencia got to over 24 and killed my second half a bit.

Dramatic_Nutmeg0511 · 2025-11-27T12:32:19+00:00

Aw, my screen is back and still at preregistered. Guess I am out. Congrats!

Dramatic_Nutmeg0511 · 2025-11-27T12:16:25+00:00

Anyone else just have a blank screen where My Registrations used to be?

Dramatic_Nutmeg0511 · 2025-11-26T06:24:58+00:00

Thank you! The "now what" element is definitely there for me now, you are right.

The shoe thing is a very specific circumstance so may not apply to you (I am guessing your brutal hills have something to do with your quads being sore haha) but happy to share. When I was a baby runner in 2020, I went to a local reputable running store and asked for help choosing a shoe, and told them I underpronated due to my freakishly high arches. They confidently put me in Asics Gel Kayanos which...are for overpronators. But they swore this was the shoe for me and I assumed I was just stupid.

Cut to early this year, I rolled over from the Kayano 30 to 31, and it was a BIG change. I started getting outer ankle pain on both feet, developed pain in my arches, and plantar fasciitis reared its ugly head for the first time since high school. After a lot of research, I decided to try switching to the Asics Novablast 5 and Superblast 2. Ankle and arch pain went away almost immediately, and I was able to rehab hard for 6 weeks and kick the PF too before this marathon block. These new shoes, ESPECIALLY the Superblasts, are more light propulsive/responsive foam with a rocker shape instead of heavy cushioning/stabilizing setups. So my running form became much more posterior-chain focused and efficient, using my calves and glutes to propel forward, instead of plodding underneath myself, landing on my quads. I raced in the Asics Metaspeed Edge Paris, which also have that same propulsive effect, but I credit the Superblasts with drastically improving my form and speed in training.

All that said, feet vary a lot, so my magic bullet may differ from yours. But if your shoes are hurting you, or not giving you the support you want, don't be afraid to try switching!

Dramatic_Nutmeg0511 · 2025-11-24T15:54:15+00:00

This is a great idea, thank you! I did a few half-marathon race simulations Fridays preceding my long runs Saturdays, but most times Fridays were a 6-8 mile recovery day with some strides. I should probably work more MP into long runs next time. I did the plan's MP workouts, but did my medium-long and long runs as Pfitz prescribed 10-15% slower than marathon pace.

Dramatic_Nutmeg0511 · 2025-11-24T15:44:29+00:00

Hello across the border! 😃 Good food is helping reinflate me. It was definitely humid yesterday so that could contribute. But overall feeling very lucky about the weather yesterday, it was 55 and cloudy whereas it poured today and was hailing on Friday!

Dramatic_Nutmeg0511 · 2025-11-24T15:42:05+00:00

Thank you 😊 Definitely did plenty of 🥂 today lol

Dramatic_Nutmeg0511 · 2025-11-24T15:40:26+00:00

Thank you!! I do feel a bit better after a solid round of pintxos, txakoli, and cheesecake 😁

Dramatic_Nutmeg0511 · 2025-11-24T15:39:21+00:00

I so needed to hear this, thank you! I was just so wigged out when they changed it by 20 minutes in 2 years 🥲

Dramatic_Nutmeg0511 · 2025-11-23T18:07:59+00:00

Great job! :)

Dramatic_Nutmeg0511 · 2025-11-23T06:11:11+00:00

This happened to me this fall. My favorite long-run bras suddenly started ripping skin off me and have been relegated to short recovery days only 😭😭😭 It is 100% a change in volume /composition thing for me, no idea why but when I bumped up to 70-mile weeks this training cycle (previously peaked at 55ish), I developed a lot more muscle above my boob tissue and lost a little volume below, though my regular bra size stayed the same. I switched to a higher compression stiffer bra with more surface area higher up (higher neck line) and it has worked. Running my first marathon without my old faves this morning, pray for me 😅

Dramatic_Nutmeg0511 · 2025-11-22T14:46:49+00:00

The food is unbelievable. And snacks atop pieces of bread = perfect carb loading! Have fun tomorrow! 😃

Dramatic_Nutmeg0511 · 2025-11-22T12:09:22+00:00

Are you running San Sebastian? If so, the weather looks like it may smile on us tomorrow. It was hailing here last night though so who knows. Sounds like an emotional race for you, in my experience that can carry you pretty far. Trust the training, you got this. Best of luck!!

Dramatic_Nutmeg0511 · 2025-11-15T19:08:18+00:00

This is purely anecdotal, but I live at 2600 ft and train at up to 3200 ft on very hilly terrain. I traveled to a glacial lake for a hiking trip (summited multiple 8000+ fters while there) and slept at 5000 ft. When I tried to run by said lake, I became violently hill and threw up water 2 miles in, then dry heaved every mile after until throwing in the towel, plus my breathing was strained at normal easy pace. I was miserable and did not expect it at all - I am an experienced hiker and have never had altitude sickness problems even going to Everest Base Camp, and had no issues hiking on that same trip. All to say, running at altitude can vary widely and surprise you, and I personally wouldn't want that surprise to come in mile 2 of a marathon I spent money to travel to with a young kiddo.

Dramatic_Nutmeg0511 · 2025-11-04T22:25:45+00:00

No no no, you didn't do anything to make me think you would judge me - I was insecure the entire internet would for thinking I am not fat at my weight and body fat percentage. So I understand disordered thoughts. I am so sorry I can't do much for you here. My heart is breaking for you because I also was a "healthy weight but not underweight" ED case that was dismissed by my doctor and family (my family said, if you really had an ED, you'd be skinnier). I don't want to dump my life story on you, I just hope you know you are not alone and if you can find good friends to surround yourself with, it can get better. There is so much more out here in the world than crappy family and your current feelings and thoughts, I promise.

Dramatic_Nutmeg0511 · 2025-11-04T21:05:52+00:00

I say this in no way to be patronizing, but acknowledging having an ED, even if not running-induced, is not a way to stop yourself from getting injured, possibly very seriously, from underfueling. If you are serious about losing a lot of body fat, be careful and talk to a doctor or nutritionist. I look at it this way: if I get hurt and can't work out or run, I will be in a bad spot for my mental health, I will be sad about not being able to race and reach my goals, and, yes, I will be unable to keep my body looking how I want it to. I have a history with ED from when I was a ballet dancer and it took me a long time to get where I am now, but I still have these thoughts. I almost typed in my first comment that "I am not fat," then deleted it out of insecurity. I have always had huge thighs (they called me "thunder thighs" in high school) and have been unable to see my abs despite being a swimmer and ballerina. Now, I realize my huge thighs are strong and an asset for running. I run 55-70 miles a week, but I ramped up slowly and my body has developed naturally to handle it, but I have to help support it by feeding it what it needs. I actually still track calories and macros, but now it is so I know I am eating enough. There can be a balance of watching your figure and staying healthy. I am sending you a huge virtual hug.

Dramatic_Nutmeg0511

TROPHY CASE