My long-distance running secrets

What do you need for long-distance running? What keeps you going for mile after mile? I'm not talking lifestyle factors: healthy diet (yes), enough sleep (no), reducing your alcohol intake (maybe). I'm talking what happens on the run itself. And here I'm not talking speed, I'm talking endurance and efficiency. I have isolated two success factors in particular. Read More…

German political parties

On Sunday morning's 10K run through north central Berlin (I recommend the Volkspark Rehberge and the Plötzensee), I saw many political posters. These are for the German elections to the European Parliament, which take place on Sunday 9 June. So here is a guide to German political parties, with some comparison of the German and UK political systems. Read More…

Running in Berlin – Tiergarten

People say that Berlin is a 24-hour city. That may be true in the centre, but it's not true in the western suburb of Moabit at 6.00am on a Saturday morning. I saw very few people and cars at the start of a slightly extended 10K which included the perimeter of most of the Tiergarten – Berlin's largest and most famous park. Read More…