Race report Laura Hornby

Never would I have thought when I started Couch to 5K in September 2023 that it would lead me to Berlin in April 2025 to compete in the Berlin Half Marathon with 42,000 other competitors. Now ranked as one of the 6 Super halfs (since 2024) with Lisbon, Prague, Copenhagen, Cardiff and Valencia – it’s safe to say I was very nervous about it all.
The run started in waves and I was in the largest and last wave to start off. I actually felt quite emotional
on the start line as Chariots of Fire was being played. We had the Brandenburg Gate behind us and we set off running towards the Victory Column which was very special. The route took us around the city taking in the sights including the historic centre although I was just focusing on the road ahead and missed some of the beautiful cathedrals enroute. Up until 14km I felt good but then the legs started to tire and I slowed down a bit however the support on the course was fantastic and definitely helped to lift the spirits. By 17km we had reached Alexanderplatz where there was a very long out and back section that felt never ending however I could feel the end was in sight.
Got a very supportive “Go Otley!” from Simon at 19.5km but I really had to push to get to the end (helped by a very friendly European shouting at me to “run, no walking, run!) which certainly made me chuckle
and helped me to overtake her with a half km to go.
Running through the Brandenburg Gate towards the end was something I will never forget. Berlin was certainly a great flat half marathon for my first time. The course was great and the support was second to
none, it really was incredible.

It was great to see that Sean, Rogan, Simon and Victoria all got round safe and sound too. Without
Sean’s support I would never have thought that I could ever compete in a half marathon.
Onto Cardiff for the next one……

1. Diriba, Gemechu Dida (ETH) 0:58:43 1st Female Haiylu, Fotyen Tesfay (ETH) 1:03:35 and For Otley AC

Sean Hornby 1:25:59

Rogan Ashton 1:31:52

Simon Brown 1:56:48

Laura Hornby 2:27:24

Online race results