As Summer Gives Way to Fall …A Personal Message from Uta

Dear Friends,

As the seasons change again, I hope you had a great start to the beautiful autumn and that you enjoyed a summer of fitness, training, and fun vacations. And now you can look forward with the same optimism to the promise of fall as I look forward to my cherished Berlin Marathon.

I would like to wish you good luck for your upcoming races and events. I hope you are satisfied with your level of fitness and your training in preparation for your Big Day. For those of you who, unfortunately, are facing the challenges of injury or work-related or personal situations which are delaying your training, please try to stay as positive as you can. It will help you find the hope, energy, and perseverance you need to get through this difficult time successfully.

It is so important to keep what I call a “Cool Focus” for your race at all times in spite of all the distractions you may be experience (such as those well-meaning friends of yours who ply you with all sorts of nagging questions just before your race day). You will find a few tips on how to handle them diplomatically in my article, “Keeping A Cool Focus: Just a Few More Days Until Your Marathon Celebration.”

Our Take The Magic Step team at the meeting in Colorado. Team member Robert Rogge is behind the camera. © Take The Magic Step®

Oh, the busy summer months flew by so fast! I was happy they began so well with a meeting of our Take The Magic Step team in Colorado and continued with many delightful running and biking events—especially the ones that helped to raise needed funds for the wonderful charities we partner with and support. I also used the summer for writing and coaching—and, of course, for further developing my speaking series, “Running To Freedom™.” As far as my own running is concerned, I am still having to be patient after hamstring surgery a little more than a year ago and the lingering problems from a serious bike accident. Ongoing treatment and therapy has helped me be able to run a little bit more, but I am sure you can imagine how much I am looking forward to being able to run freely again.

We had a wonderful trip to Concord, Massachusetts to join the kids and runners for their annual 5K Walk/10K Run fundraiser that benefits the Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House of “Little Women” fame. I was thrilled to see Jan Turnquist, who is following in the footsteps of the beloved author, and to discuss with her the beautiful work of this charity. To top it off, I had the opportunity to run with the participants in the event on a gorgeous Sunday morning.

Sharing some anecdotes with NFL Hall of Famer Joe Montana. © Jorge Navas

A few days later I was honored to be one of the presenters of the Vail Living Well health summit. I met NFL Hall of Famer Joe Montana and enjoyed seeing many of my friends who are health practitioners and fitness experts. Together we had a magnificent discussion, constructive meetings and beautiful interaction with those who attended this popular gathering. I particularly enjoyed the enthusiasm of the participants in my running clinic for beginners.

Sadly, these happy events have been overshadowed by the recent flooding tragedies in Boulder and across Colorado. My heart is filled with sorrow and my thoughts go out to those people—some of them friends and neighbors—who are struggling to put their lives back together again. There were so many amazing stories of survival and care, and I want to thank all of you for your uplifting spirit and your heartfelt support. A special thank you goes to my friends who helped me to cope with the flood damage at my own home. To all Coloradoans: I am carrying your courage with me during my stay in Berlin for the Marathon.

At the Berlin Marathon 1992… © Adidas

I grew up just outside Berlin, and I have so many fond memories of this race and its people. I will never forget the enthusiasm of the crowds and the joy of winning the historic 1990 Marathon, run just three days before Reunification finally united the East and West parts of the city. So I can’t wait to see my friends, family, and my fellow runners for this year’s celebration of the 40th Berlin Marathon. My thank you goes to the organizers for inviting me to Berlin.

Maybe I will get a chance to check out the race course and encourage some of the thousands of runners who are trying to maintain their “Cool Focus”—the final pre-race stage after months of preparation. I know I will not miss the wonderful kids’ events the day before the Marathon. And I am very much looking forward to spending time again with the “Kinderhilfe,” the children’s charity I support in my home town of Petershagen-Eggersdorf, close to Berlin.

For more about the events surrounding the Berlin Marathon and details of my participation, you can click the following link to the “Appearance” section. And you might like to read an interview I did in connection with my trip to Berlin: “On the Eve of the Berlin Marathon, Uta Recalls How This Special Race Changed History—and Her Life.” It also gives information on the race as well as my take on the future of women marathoning and details of some projects on which I am currently working.

Enjoy your marathon celebration. © www.PhotoRun.net

I wish you a wonderful autumn with exciting training and fun races, all with new fitness goals and, of course, with happiness and beautiful days of colorful fall!

Yours from Berlin,