Anthony does Berlin.

After years of running, triathlons, ultras, and basically finding new ways to make endurance sports harder than they need to be, Anthony finally ran his first marathon.

And he did it at the Berlin Marathon.

In this episode, Zach sits down with Anthony just 48 hours after the race to hear exactly what happened from the days leading up to Berlin all the way through the finish line.

And honestly, the week leading into the race was not exactly ideal.

Anthony tweaked his back deadlifting just days before leaving for Germany. He hadn't run more than 15 miles since Big Butts in July. Berlin was never supposed to be the big marathon attempt. The original plan was to enjoy the experience, get the marathon under his belt, and save the serious marathon effort for Rocket City later in the year.

Then Anthony decided he was going to race.

What followed was a 3:43 first marathon.

Zach and Anthony break down the entire race, including the Berlin Marathon atmosphere, the starting corral, race-day nerves, pre-race nutrition, carb loading, pacing, heart rate, GU gels, hydration, and how Anthony approached the first half of the race without burning himself out.

They talk about what happened when the race started getting difficult around miles 14–16, why Anthony thought he might actually crush the race around mile 18, and how things changed during the final 10K when his legs and calves started to hurt.

One of the biggest surprises wasn't even the 3:43 finish.

It was how consistent the race was.

Anthony went into his first marathon without a traditional marathon training block and still managed to hold a remarkably steady pace deep into the race. Years of running ultras and longer endurance events had given him a different perspective on what 26.2 miles actually meant.

After running a 50-miler earlier in the year, a marathon didn't seem quite as intimidating anymore.

The question was how fast he could run it.

And then there's the bigger story behind Berlin.

In 2020, Anthony weighed 316 pounds.

Six years later, he was standing on the starting line of the Berlin Marathon at 215 pounds, getting ready to run his first marathon.

That makes crossing the finish line about a whole lot more than a 3:43.

Anthony talks about the moment he saw MaKayla at the finish, the emotion that came with completing his first marathon, and why the race ended up meaning so much more than he expected when he signed up.

Zach and Anthony also talk about Berlin itself, the history of the city, the Berlin Wall, and what made running a marathon through one of the world's most historic cities such a memorable experience.

And, of course, they talk about what's next.

After running 3:43 with limited marathon-specific training, what could Anthony do with 10 straight weeks of focused marathon training?

That's a question for another race.

For now, this is the full story of Anthony's first marathon.

Anthony Does Berlin.

Endurance State of Mind is a Mississippi-based endurance podcast hosted by Anthony Herrington and Zach Vogt. Two guys who run, race, train, travel, make mistakes, learn a few things, and keep signing up for things that seemed like a good idea at the time.

If you like running, marathons, ultramarathons, triathlon, cycling, endurance training, race recaps, and the real stories behind the miles, you're in the right place.

Some people talk about endurance. We're dumb enough to live it.

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