Berlin Marathon: the 3 most inspiring performances, men and women

Berlin is where marathon folklore gets written. Flat roads, cool air, ruthless pacing. Here are the six races that still make serious runners sit up. Not the biggest names only but definitely the most inspiring executions.

How we picked

• Historical significance for the sport

• Quality of execution under pressure

• What a serious amateur can learn and apply

Men

1) Eliud Kipchoge, 2018, 2:01:39

The day perfection looked easy. Kipchoge ditched pacers early, ran the final 17 km alone, and chopped the world record by an absurd 78 seconds. He negative split, stayed ice-cold through 35 km, and turned the Brandenburg Gate into a proof of concept for pacing discipline. Lesson: trust the plan, not the watch panic. 

Why it still matters
Berlin rewards rhythm. Kipchoge’s control under fatigue is the template for PB hunters. Practice long segments at race effort and arrive with an unshakeable gel schedule.

2) Kenenisa Bekele, 2019, 2:01:41

Two seconds from the record after years of injuries and doubts. Bekele’s last 10 km was a masterclass in refusal to fold, closing faster while the field disintegrated. For older athletes or those coming back from setbacks, this is the North Star. Lesson: keep the ceiling high with consistency, then back your closing gears. 

3) Haile Gebrselassie, 2008, 2:03:59

First man under 2:04. Back-to-back Berlin world records and an era shift. Haile proved that the marathon could be attacked like a track race with precision and patience. Lesson: treat fueling and splits as non-negotiables, not add-ons.

Context note: Since then the men’s world record moved again outside Berlin, but these three runs are still the touchstones for execution at speed.

Women

1) Tigst Assefa, 2023, 2:11:53

A former 800 m runner detonated the record by more than two minutes and reshaped what we think is possible. Pace control, fearlessness, and a second-half that never cracked. Lesson: your background is not your destiny. If the engine is there and the plan is clean, commit.

2) Naoko Takahashi, 2001, 2:19:46

First woman under 2:20. A barrier fall that lit the fuse for two decades of progress. Millions watched in Japan. Technique tidy, effort relentless, confidence absolute. Lesson: the right day, a clear head, and a clean course turn belief into splits.

3) Mizuki Noguchi, 2005, 2:19:12

Asian record, course record, and intermediate world records at 25 km and 30 km on the way. She ran like a metronome and finished with authority. Lesson: if your training points to a number, do not leave it to chance on race day. Execute from 0 to 42.2.

What a PB-chaser can steal from these six

• Pacing is king. Set conservative early targets and protect cadence through 35 km.

• Fuel like it matters. Berlin rewards athletes who hit 60 to 90 g of carbs per hour on the dot. Rehearse the exact plan.

• Respect the splits, not the noise. Crowds lift you. They also trick you. Stay inside your effort until the last 10 km.

• Build a closer. Threshold volume and long runs with fast finishes turn good marathons into great ones.

• Choose the right corral. Being seeded correctly saves minutes. Proof of time gets you the space to run.

Sources and quick reads

• Kipchoge 2018 Berlin report and race archive. World Athletics+1

• Kipchoge 2022 Berlin world record overview and half split context. World Athletics+2worldmarathonmajors.com+2

• Bekele 2019 official recap and comeback features. World Athletics+2worldmarathonmajors.com+2

• Gebrselassie 2008 world record retrospectives. Track & Field News+1

• Assefa 2023 world record reports. World Athletics+1

• Takahashi 2001 first sub-2:20. Wikipedia

• Noguchi 2005 Asian and course records with intermediate marks. World Athletics+1