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Half marathon project: One time is not enough - that's why I'm running around Lake Greifensee again

18/9/2025

Translation: machine translated

One half marathon and that's it? Not with me. A year ago, I ran my first half marathon at the Greifenseelauf. In a few days, I'll be at the start again.

Completely empty. The energy used up. All of them. Broken. Powerless. That's how I felt after crossing the finish line of the Greifensee Run almost exactly a year ago. 21.1 kilometres from Uster to Uster, around Lake Greifensee lay behind me, my first half marathon. Together with my friend and then work colleague Claudio, I had been preparing for the run for six months and together we reported on our (failures) successes, problems and worries here in the Galaxus magazine every fortnight.

As soon as we met up the following week for our summary discussion, Claudio sent me his registration confirmation for the 2025 race. «Well, challenge accepted», I thought to myself and followed suit. And so I'm sitting here now, reviewing the last twelve months just a few days before the Greifensee Run 2025.

In our summary at the time, I said I would aim for two to three half marathons and a few shorter runs per year in future. Looking back, I was perhaps a little too optimistic - but I didn't fail miserably with my ambitions either.

In small steps to becoming a popular runner

I ran one half marathon at the beginning of April in Graubünden. The Bündner Frühlingslauf from Thusis, along the Rhine to Reichenau. Instead of over 10,000 runners, there were only a few hundred at the start. And the numerous fun runners, spontaneous runners, losers and other modestly ambitious runners (to which I also count myself in a broader sense) were completely absent from the Greifensee run. With my 2:05 hours, I was therefore one of those left behind. Nevertheless, it was great because the weather and the scenery were really nice and because running alone was much more relaxed. I also completed one of the longer stages of the SOLA relay in Zurich in mid-May.

Both runs were really fun. Even though I started with significantly less training than a year ago. Until just over a month ago, I had been jogging twice a week on average since last September.

In return, I've spread my workload across other activities and attempts. I only did a trial session of Crossfit, which I really enjoyed, but the commitment to regular group training sessions was too much for me. Just like the «90-day fitness challenge for men», which a good friend recommended to me - and which I completed myself because he hadn't been allowed to jog for a long time. I haven't had this motivator yet. Maybe I'll give it another go this winter.

In spring, I did a few training sessions and a grassroots tournament with the floorball stick again, which I want to do regularly from next week. I've also had a gravel bike in my shed since this summer, which I've already taken on a few tours.

The power of competition

I've only increased my workload to at least three sessions a week since August in preparation for the half marathon. I was spurred on by the fact that I have since been connected to my boss Martin via my Garmin Connect account and have an insight into his daily training routine. And, what can I say - I obviously provoked him with my time of 2:00 hours last year. The fact that I beat him, an old running veteran, by five minutes in my first half marathon was obviously not so easy for him to digest and he is now aiming for a time of 1:58 with the help of a running coach. He will tell us about it next week (but he passed the main test with flying colours).

I haven't achieved my four runs a week since then and I haven't had a running coach either. But a few days before the event, I feel fit and well prepared. I doubt whether I can (and want to) challenge him, but who knows how I'll feel on the course. It's possible that my ambition will get the better of me, dear boss ...

Header image: Markus Ryffel`s/Jan Cadosch

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Oliver Fischer

Teamleader Editorial

Oliver.Fischer@digitecgalaxus.ch

Globetrotter, hiker, wok world champion (not in the ice channel), word acrobat and photo enthusiast.

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