Welcome to RUN LIKE A LOCAL—a series powered by Zalando which brings you the insiders’ take on running in three European metropolises. As we gear up for autumnal marathons and half-marathons in Copenhagen, Berlin, and Rome, we’ll get the best routes, coffee stops, and city hacks from five runners in our network.
This is the second installment, with Biel in Berlin. You can check out Biel’s favorite routes illustrated below, and you’ll find a full list of his recommended spots on Google Maps here. Enjoy.
When you think of Berlin, you think of fitness, right? Sure. This is a city better known for long nights and late mornings than for early gym sessions. That said, the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON draws thousands of runners to the city every year, and somewhere in that crowd, you'll usually find Biel (@bielruns), who perfectly embodies the city's running culture.
"What I like is that Berlin doesn't really have one running identity," Biel tells us. "Like the city itself, there are a lot of different little worlds existing next to each other. Running has become much more visible lately." In this strange co-existence of cultures, sometimes you're the one out for your morning run. Sometimes you're the one leaving the club.
Every city has its own logic, and Berlin's takes some cracking. Ask a local, though, and it all starts to make sense. In the lead-up to the marathon, Biel is showing us the routes, the recovery spots, and the after-run rituals that don't make it into the guidebooks—and proving to us that the best way to know Berlin properly is to run it.
Zalando shares this same perspective and, since 2025, has been the event's main sponsor. Come race weekend, they'll be celebrating the city's running culture to the fullest. From September 25-27, the Zalando RunZone at The Space on Kurfürstendamm 229 will bring together running enthusiasts, guided training sessions, recovery resets, panel discussions, and creative workshops. On race day, the celebrations will continue at Zalando’s cheer zone at Nollendorfplatz (KM 36.2), where supporters can come together to cheer runners through the final stretch to the finish line. If you're in town, make sure to stop by.
What's unique about running in Berlin?
You’re out for your morning run while half the city is still on its way home. Sometimes you’re the runner, sometimes you’re the one leaving the club.
How has the city's running culture changed in the past few years?
When I started running around Berlin, it felt more individual. You’d see runners, obviously, but now you see entire communities taking over the streets. Running clubs became a social space in the city, not just somewhere to train.
There’s also much more crossover with fashion, music, nightlife and art now. In Berlin, that makes sense. People don’t necessarily identify only as “runners”—running becomes another part of whatever else they’re doing.
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What do you love about one of the routes you’ve shared with us?
The 20km route is a very special one for me. My friend John, who passed away this year, showed it to me. Since his death, I’ve made it part of my weekly running routine. It goes through smaller parks and green spaces that are a bit more hidden, and not really part of the obvious Berlin running scene.
Any tracks or music you think suit each route?
Good techno always fits. Berlin, running, techno—you can’t really go wrong.
How would you describe the running style in Berlin?
Making running gear look like something they would wear outside training, too. Sometimes it’s hard to tell if someone is going for a run or going to a club. Sometimes it could be both.
How do you unwind after a long run?
Eat a lot, swim if I can, sauna, and then just walk around. Sometimes dancing and going out is a pretty good recovery session, too.
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What words of advice would you give any runner new to Berlin?
Don’t just run the obvious routes. Explore different neighborhoods, smaller parks, canals, and forests. Berlin is a city you understand much better when you move through it rather than just going from A to B.
And don’t let the winter stop you. If you wait for perfect weather in Berlin, you might be waiting for a long time.
Explore latest running gear for your race weekend and beyond on Zalando.
