FIT at the 2019 Berlin Marathon
While the historic Berlin Marathon celebrated its 46th annual event in September, FIT returned to this incredible race for the second time. From first-time marathoners to experienced participants, we hosted an amazing group of runners this year, as well as a handful of travelers who came along to show their support for those tackling 26.2 miles and experience the city of Berlin. Here’s a recap of our trip...
DAY 1 — CHECK-IN & WELCOME RECEPTION
The FIT Team all set up and exited to welcome clients to Berlin!
FIT Team members John McLay, Kayley Falls, Kelly McLay, and Danielle Moroukian.
We love kicking off every FIT tour by welcoming our guests with a quick “hello!” at the hotel to answer any arrival questions, followed by a welcome reception. It’s a fun, casual way for the FITfam to meet and greet everyone after their travels, and it also gives travelers a chance to ask any questions about the events ahead. While FIT has been to two Berlin Marathons, FIT Founder Kelly McLay has been to the event a total of nine(!) times and is very knowledgeable and familiar with the Marathon and the city of Berlin.
“The FIT team made me feel very supported throughout the whole trip — from the welcome reception to the Berlin city tour that ended right at the Expo…to the group bus ride to and from the breakfast run…to the pre-race pasta dinner…to Marathon morning when we all met in the hotel lobby and the FIT team walked us to the start at the Brandenberg Gate. I felt like I really had the ‘inside scoop’ on the race and the logistics, from Kelly’s pre-trip emails and also from the briefings we received in Berlin. By the time I got to the start I felt very prepared.”
Our welcome reception was hosted at Chupenga, where guests enjoyed delicious chips and guac, make-your-own burritos, and chunky salads.
“It’s the whole experience that was the highlight — meeting a lot of fantastic people that I will run with another day. I met two guys from Minnesota, and I go to Minnesota twice a year. I have two new running buddies.”
We’d like to send a huge THANK YOU to our long-standing sponsor Balega, who provided a selection of the highest-quality running socks to FIT Berlin marathoners. Balega’s company mission is built on Ubuntu, which means “shared humanity” in Zulu. They dedicate themselves to enriching the lives of those less fortunate around the world, and with every purchase of Balega running socks, you help them give back. We also love that Balega is committed to sustainable manufacturing practices. All Balega packaging is printed on partially recycled board, and their manufacturing facilities use a water recycling purification system that recovers up to 50% of wastewater.
We can’t recommend Balega socks enough — they’re so comfortable, long-lasting, and come in many fun, bright colors.
DAY 2: CITY TOUR & EXPO
Our Berlin adventure continued with a city tour on day two of the trip. FIT travelers trekked around the city (surviving some torrential rain — we said it was an adventure!) with an expert local guide for a historic tour through East and West Berlin, the Holocaust Memorial, Checkpoint Charlie, and more. The tour concluded at the 2019 BMW Berlin Marathon Expo, which is always quite the scene. “It’s a bit hectic at the expo!” - Kelly McLay.
Photo courtesy of Dr. Bryon Solberg, pictured in front of a segment of the Berlin Wall during FIT’s Berlin City Tour.
“I loved the City Tour of Berlin! On the remaining segments of the Berlin Wall, artists have rendered some wonderful paintings!”
DAY 3: 6K INTERNATIONAL RUN, GUEST SPEAKER & PRE-RACE DINNER!
The 6K International Run isn’t just for the marathoners, it’s open to friends and family as well. And we encourage any and all to participate as this is one of the most memorable experiences for our clients. The 6K concludes in the infamous 1936 Olympic Stadium, which is known for Jesse Owens’ gold medal victory where he won his 4th gold medal in the 4x 100-meter relay, setting a new world record of 39.8 seconds that held for 20 years.
Photo courtesy of Dr. Bryon Solberg.
“Do not miss the 6K the day before the Berlin Marathon! You meet and run with people from all over the world, and finish on the 1936 Berlin Olympics Stadium Track!” - Dr. Bryon Solberg, FIT Berlin Marathon Finisher
Following a few hours of free time after the 6K run, we hosted a very special guest speaker...
GUEST SPEAKER: MICHAEL CLINTON
We were thrilled to have Michael Clinton, author of "Tales from the Trails: Running for Life," as our guest speaker in Berlin this year. Beyond being a seasoned marathoner including completing marathons on all seven continents, Michael is a seasoned publishing executive, most recently serving as President and Publishing Director of Hearst Magazines, overseeing 25 magazine titles from Esquire and Cosmopolitan to O, The Oprah Magazine, Elle and Runner's World and Men's Health. Michael delivered a motivational speech prior to our pre-race group dinner, and it was so special to have Michael speak in person to our FIT group about to embark on their own personal marathon journeys the very next day!
Following Michael’s inspiring talk and book signing, the FIT group headed to the pre-race pasta dinner!
DAY 4: BERLIN MARATHON RACE DAY!
“I have many memorable moments, but one of the best was the support we received during the race. Kelly and her team were at 7km, 21km, and 40km, passionately cheering for us. Knowing that they would be at each of these points really kept me going! Danielle from Kelly’s team captured a photo of me which I love, that illustrates my joy from their cheering!”
It was amazing to also have a great team on the ground supporting our runners. Even though the rainy weather added an extra challenge to the day, our support crew was out on the course and celebrating the accomplishments of our entire team of runners. They were troopers!
DAY 5: OKTOBERFEST POST-RACE CELEBRATION
Many athletes and supporters opted to stay an extra day and attend the famous Oktoberfest in Munich with the FITfam. This is always such a fun event and a great way to celebrate the Berlin Marathon.
This is exactly how FIT Founder Kelly McLay always imagined her first Oktoberfest would be — 24 weeks pregnant! 😉
“I really enjoyed my first Oktoberfest experience, and I saw a lot of client smiles on that day. I love ending the tour this way — it’s so great. I’m excited to return again in 2020!”
Curious if we’re taking our clients back to Oktoberfest in 2020 — of course we are! It’s already included in the 2020 package, which is currently open for booking.
2020 Berlin Marathon registration is OPEN! Learn more and make your reservation ASAP!
THANK YOU to all FIT 2019 BERLIN MARATHON clients!
PS. If you traveled with us to Berlin 2019 and are looking for another fall race, please check out our newly launched tours to Medoc (September 2020) and Dublin (October 2020). We’d LOVE to see you there!
For information about all other FIT tours, please visit our FITRUN page.