Race Information

• Name: Copenhagen Marathon 2026
• Date: April 10, 2026
• Distance: 26.2 miles
• Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
• Time: 2:49 low

Goals

Goal	Description	Completed?
A	2:45:xx	No
B	sub 2:50	Yes
C	PB (sub 2:56 high)	Yes

Splits

Kilometer	Time
1	3:58
2	4:00
3	3:55
4	3:57
5	3:53
6	3:50
7	3:50
8	3:50
9	3:51
10	3:48
11	3:52
12	3:52
13	3:56
14	3:51
15	3:51
16	3:53
17	3:55
18	3:51
19	3:53
20	3:54
21	3:51
22	3:53
23	3:52
24	3:54
25	3:55
26	3:51
27	3:48
28	3:57
29	3:55
30	3:54
31	3:54
32	3:54
33	3:56
34	3:55
35	5:19 :(
36	4:03
37	4:20
38	4:18
39	4:06
40	4:04
41	4:07
42	3:59
43	3:43 (700 meters total)

Training

As many others I (M35) have tried out the NSA method during this training period. Or at least a somewhat tailored version of it to adhere to my own weekly routines. This meant running 6 Days a week. With one full rest day, for the most part on Sundays due to various Life commitments that I won’t bother getting into.

I started training with this method in mind mid-october with a targeted weekly mileage of 85 km/week. I have gradually increased this mileage in periods and the last 12 weeks Before the race I aimed and comfortably landed between 105-112 km each week. I kept the same structure for the entire period though and in general my weekly Schedule looked like this:

• M: AM: 3x3 km, PM: Strength training/Prehab
• T: Easy
• W: AM: 10x1 km, PM: Strength training/Prehab
• T: Easy
• F: 4x2 km
• S: Long easy

During Winter, for a period of 5 weeks or so I had 10x1 km on Fridays instead. And switched out the ST workout on Wednesdays for a 5x5 min hill workout instead. I rarely did any doubles except weeks where life commitments and traveling prohibited me from the regular structure.

As the Marathon was creeping closer (around 12 weeks out) I started tweaking this Schedule according to "the sirpoc Marathon build (source)". the 3x3 became 4x3. I replaced the F ST workout 3 times during this for an Easy run instead and then a Classic 4x5 @ MP long run during the Saturday session. At one time I also replaced the regular Easy long run with a progression run going down to slightly below MP. Due to life constraints I had to move around some of the final workouts during the 2 week “taper” but nothing out of the ordinary was changed by me. I also did a small tune up 10 k on a hilly course in march finishing with a nice PB of mid 35:xx.

I had lab tests done at the beginning of the "block" in november 2025 where LT2 was placed @3:50 min/km, LT1 @4:20 and VO2 max @66. So I was decently confident in my paces during training. I had a followup lab test done mid april 2026 where LT2 was placed @3:45 and LT1 @4:15. I already had a hunch about these numbers going into each test because of the training in general. I can clearly say that I do not seem to be a hyper-responder at all to this method. 5 s/km in 6 months is by no means a breakthrough and I am a bit disappointed by the fact that all those hours, early mornings in darkness and snow I have put down has led to so little progress. But I guess that's Life.

Anyway, I had my numbers. The training was done. During my key Marathon sessions (4x5) I had always managed to stay below LT2 HR by at least 5 bpm when "cruising" @ 3:51-3:52 pace, so slightly faster than my goal pace of around 3:55 for the full distance A goal of 2:45:xx hour finish time

Pre-race

This is my 7th Marathon, so by now I have my routines set. I traveled to Copenhagen on Thursday in order to get a few extra days in the area. Mostly took it chill but did shift my diet to be more carb centric already on thursday. In general, these days were pretty uneventful leading up the raceday. I mainly focused on staying calm, taking in extra electrolytes, absurd amounts of pasta and the evening Before raceday I also sipped on a Maurten drink mix.

On raceday I woke up at 6AM (I had some traveling to do to the startline). The weather forecast promised and had also delivered perfect weather. around 10-11 degrees, cloudy and no wind. 2 hours and 45 minutes before the start I took my nomio shot, afterwards I ate my regular pre-race breakfast for the past 3 years. Overnight oats. I also started sipping on a Maurten caffeinated drink mix to top off the glycogen stores.

I arrived safely at the race area, warmed up and then entered my corral. I felt calm and collected. I had done my preparations and was looking forward to running a good race. Suddenly people started running, I did not hear a gun go off at all so I was a bit startled by this. But I guess the race was on.

Race

I had pre-prepped a Garmin pace pro with a finish time of 2:45:30. The plan was to take the first 3 kilometers "easy" with a pace of around 4:00 in order to have a smooth entrance into the race. Then I was going to gradually drop down to race pace and stick to that pace for the remainder of the course. This all went according to plan. Breathing felt fine, legs felt fine.

I think most of us who have done a Marathon knows that sooner or later the dark thoughts creep into the mind. Usually these creep into my mind not until the 32-34 kilometer mark when the fatigue really settles into your legs.

What was a bit different at least to me during this Marathon was that the dark thoughts came way sooner. I already started feeling them around kilometer 10. They would come and go, as would the beginnings of fatigue. Sometimes I would feel a bit tired. Sometimes I would feel incredible. But I was bang on pace the whole time but perhaps felt that I was working a bit too hard compared to what I should be doing in order to last the full distance. HR was a little bit over what it usually was in training, but not by much. And not over LT2 by at least a small margin (around 171 avg, with LT2 HR measured in October at 173 and at 175 in April). At kilometer 8-9 I found a group of young guys dressed in purple that were obviously running together. They basically kept exactly the same pace as me. So I decided to hang out with them and work together with them.

This helped me settle in. But I still had the same ups and downs as described before. But I felt like I was hanging on but still working hard. Even so, the kilometers kept ticking by. Every 5th kilometer I downed my maurten gel, I tried zipping on them and taking them on for a period of 2 minutes each time so as to not overwhelm the stomach. The kilometers crept by and I was working hard. But not overcooking by my own standards from what experience tells me in previous races. I was definitely at marathon effort and the crowd was electric the whole course!

At kilometer 35 disaster finally struck. A stabbing sensation to my abdomen, like someone is putting a knife in there and twisting. The pain is excruciating. 2 years ago I have experienced the same issue. A sudden out of nowhere stabbing sensation a couple of inches to the right side of my belly button, just below the ribs. I had not option but to stop and try and massage the area and calm myself down. I was forced to walk for 90 seconds to get it under control which I managed somewhat (although still in pain).

But the damage was already done. I was suddenly 1 minute behind schedule. And I could not get back to the same intensity without triggering the same issues. For 2 kilometers I “jogged” at around 4:20 pace. I tried taking on my planned gel + water but either source of nourishment just triggered the same issues. So further gels or water was to be a no go until the finish line.

I managed to get down to around 4:00 pace again. But the pain in my stomach would not go away completely. And the fatigue in the legs had really started to hammer down on me as well. I had by this point switched focus. 2:45 was out of the window. But the B goal of sub 2:50 was still well within reach. As well as the goal of a BQ (I am M35 and from my understanding for my age group the qualifier is sub 3 hours - the cutoff time, but please corroborate on this if you know more). This would also be a nice PB either way. And you cannot be completely unhappy with at least a PB

Lot’s of people were at this point passing me which was taxing mentally. But I fought tooth and nail to hold everything together. At last I rounded the last corner and could see the finish line 800 meters away. I took a look at the watch, I was still well within reach of sub 2:50. But even so I still managed a “long sprint” finishing the last kilometer by passing dozens of people with the “scary” average pace of 3:44 in the last kilometer. I finished at the official time 2:49:15

Post-race

After I managed to grab some water and sit down in the finisher area. I called up my girlfriend and gave her a report of what had happened. I took some funny pictures with my and my medal, rang the PB bell before taking a walk to the train and head home. My hips were sore, my knee hurt a bit as well. But this for the most part passed already the next day.

I cannot help but question if I have done something wrong with the NSA method. I have ran 1800 kilometers this year alone so far, it is not absurd amounts, but a decent amount none the less. I would have thought that I would have had more of a breakthrough after sticking to this method for close to seven months, but the lab tests tell another tale, black on white. My last marathon PB was done 1 year ago at the Stockholm Marathon where I ran 2:56 high. Copenhagen is way flatter, so I consider the times to be decently similar. I guess the result in Copenhagen can also be boiled down to me overestimating my abilities and overcooking things a bit too soon. But hindsight is 20/20 I guess. The course also "felt" a bit too long according to GPS in garmin, so I was always running a bit faster. But I guess I am mostly grasping at straws here, feeling a bit letdown by myself.

I am still sore in the abdomen two days after the race when the side stitches hit me. I never experienced this in training and it has only occurred a total of two times at all in my years of running and only during race. So I am not quite sure about the reason? Perhaps a weak core? Perhaps it is the energy plan? Perhaps it is the gels in general?

As for what is next? I have the Stockholm Marathon coming up in 3 weeks (5th time in a row that I run it). The plan is to do it “for fun” and act as unofficial pacer. The next “goal” marathon will be the Amsterdam Marathon in the autumn, as well as a bunch of halfies leading up to this. I will for one thing be back in copenhagen running the halfie there, which I am really looking forward to. I really want to experience a crowd like the Copenhagen one again.

I am decently satisfied with the shape I am in and will most likely continue with a variation of the NSA method during summer. But with less running volume, but keeping at least two sub T sessions and replacing some easy mileage with the bike. I enjoy the variety in sports, it keeps me happy and from burning out. I still have my hopes up that I will improve at a more “rapid” pace in light of the hours I am putting in here. But at the same time; this progression ,or lack of it normal? Plan for thie coming days is to rest a bit, then get on the bike to get the legs to turnover before going on my first run back in the weekend sometime.

Thank you for reading this far!

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