“I take the pressure off people to have to perform brilliantly”

Ms. Enzweiler, you want to run your first half marathon next Sunday. On Instagram you take your followers with you while you train. How did you come up with this idea?
At the end of 2023, I started making some running videos for family and friends for fun. For example, when I did a 100 meter sprint challenge with my two twin brothers, or when I took my father with me. I once ran ten kilometers across Tempelhofer Feld with a friend – and we wanted to document that. I really enjoyed editing the video.

When I decided to start training for a half marathon with a 12-week plan, I thought it might be of interest to more people. I want to show that running is a sport for everyone.

42,000 people now follow you. You went from recreational athlete to “running creator” in just a few weeks.
With 10,000 followers, I started to realize: This could be something bigger. Now I even have a manager. Crazy!

You actually work in marketing for a telephone provider. How did you get started running?
At the age of 5, I joined an athletics club and then took part in the 400m hurdles as a youth discipline. That was really very hard and involved a lot of hours of training. At some point I couldn’t find the time for it anymore and went to the gym the traditional way before renovation work in my studio got me going.

Who is faster, your twin brothers or you?
When it comes to sprinting, I have no chance against my brothers. But I think I would definitely beat them in the long run. I even captured that in one of my videos recently. The end of the story was that we collected over 1,000 comments in less than ten hours and, for better or worse, both of us will now be tackling the Berlin Half Marathon next year.

Three more kilometers, two more, phew, pretty tiring… so your thoughts stay 100 percent in the moment.

Paula Enzweiler

Kathrine Switzer, who was the first woman to run the Boston Marathon in 1967, said: “Men will always be stronger and more powerful, but endurance is our strongest suit.” Has running also taught you to persevere better in other things?
Yes totally. I know that my generation is often said to give up easily. Personally, I don’t feel that way and I know the importance of perseverance. Running wasn’t a walk in the park at the beginning and I struggled through it. After two months of continuous training, the world looked completely different and I could see progress.

I think that can be transferred to many aspects of life and, above all, it gives me a certain level of calmness that I can try out a lot of things, but that doesn’t mean that everything has to be the best thing ever right from the start .

What is special about running?
It’s a sport for everyone. You need a pair of shoes, yourself, a route. Then you’re out in the fresh air, clear your head and do something for yourself. You also get to know an incredible number of people, which I wasn’t aware of before, that the running community is so big and that running brings people together incredibly. By the way, you can also combine running with a meeting with friends; a casual run to the nearest favorite cafe has recently become my favorite Sunday activity.

Many runners say that. But what exactly does it mean to clear your head?
For me there are two forms. Either I really don’t think about anything other than this run: three more kilometers, two more, phew, pretty tiring… so my thoughts stay 100 percent in the moment. Or I consciously take time while running to think about a specific thing. Then I am more creative and mentally agile than sitting at a desk. At the end of a run I have some clarity for myself.

Why did you sign up for the competition?
At the last Berlin Marathon in September I saw lots of pictures and videos of the atmosphere on Instagram. That really excited me. My goal is to do this now. So now the half marathon is on the program, and as a native of Berlin, the Berlin half marathon is a real home game.

Your followers provide endless feedback…
Yes, many people write that they think my energy is great and that my videos encourage them to run. Something like that touches me. Of course there is also negative feedback, but more critical questions about why I make such a thing out of a half marathon. But there is nothing that brings me down.

I think there is hardly a more pleasant feeling than listening and having goosebumps because the song is so beautiful inside you.

Paula Enzweiler

How do you explain why so many people are interested in your videos?
I think there is no secret recipe here. I’m probably talking to a lot of people who don’t run professionally. I’m not a professional runner myself, nor do I pretend to be one. I take the pressure off people to have to perform brilliantly. You can run a half marathon not only as a professional, but also as a normal woman who just wants to do it.

Does having followers also give you the opportunity to make money?
As the reach increases, not only does the responsibility increase, but also the likelihood of landing on the radar of companies. But here too I’m completely calm and don’t pursue any agenda. If there is an opportunity to work with a company with which I can identify 110%, then I would be grateful for it. Everything is possible, nothing is neccesary.

Do you have a favorite running route in Berlin?
I actually prefer running in Brandenburg because I love fields and forests. Luckily I live on the outskirts of the city, so I can easily get into nature. Happy to listen to country music.

Country gets you going?
Well, when I train intervals, I tend to listen to techno, which pushes me. But on slower runs I like Zach Bryan, for example, the soulful songs. I think there is hardly a more pleasant feeling than listening and having goosebumps because the song is so beautiful inside you.

Will you also listen to music during the half marathon?
No, I soak up the energy and enjoy the route through Berlin.

Do you feel safe as a young woman running in Berlin?
Not really. I always run with my cell phone and I wouldn’t walk across fields or anything like that in the dark. In the evening I only walk on main streets that are busy and lit.

Many dog ​​owners don’t seem to care about runners. They do not keep the animals on a leash. How do you deal with that?
Oh yes, lots of them. I don’t have a dog of my own, but I am an absolute dog lover. However, I am always careful and have a certain amount of respect when I don’t know a dog and come running up from behind. Dogs can get scared or want to play with me, so I try to draw attention to myself. A little clearing of the throat or a light stomp is usually enough. Otherwise, I always seek eye contact with the owners, who in most cases call their dog over and are understanding.

Luckily I haven’t had any bad experiences yet, apart from being barked at every now and then. But I think that’s completely normal, most dogs want to race with me.

And the inner bastard? Let’s say it’s 7 a.m., drizzle, 4 degrees. How do you overcome that?
I often don’t feel like it and no one is always motivated! This is normal, you shouldn’t let it deter you. What matters is that you just do it. Most of the time the joy comes while running, but sometimes after two kilometers I notice that nothing is working. Then I turn into the supermarket and get a pack of mochi.

What advice do you have for other beginner runners?
Make it easy! If you’ve never run before, you can first set yourself the goal of running twice a week for two months and not judge it. Running is often not fun at the beginning, it is challenging and sometimes feels very monotonous, especially for beginners.

But after two months you realize that running can give you a lot – at least that’s how it was for me. My training plan is also very helpful for me, it gives me security. And my personal hack: put on sports clothes straight away in the morning, then nothing can stop you.

Heart rate monitors, expensive shoes, leggings made from breathable four-way stretch. How important is the right equipment?
It’s impossible without the right shoes – I now have seven pairs. I often hear how important it is that the feet and muscles experience different stimuli. In general, you don’t have to overdo it. At the beginning I always ran with my friend’s shirts, but now I have my own clothes. Only good headphones are always important to me personally.

What does your training look like in the last few days before the half marathon?
I learned that you only do light training because you don’t want to put too much strain on your body. I do a few more easy runs and a shake-out run. And on Saturday I eat a lot of carbohydrates and calories, in other words: pasta party! I’ll also worry about what to wear – and hope that the sun shines when it’s 20 degrees.