The Berlin Braves have always believed that running is more than just pace and distance. It is culture, community and connection. As ambitions grew, so did the desire to go faster. Out of that drive came the Berlin Braves Racing Dept., a performance-focused crew within the wider club, led by Coach Liam.
At the 2025 Berlin Marathon, the Braves Racing Dept. lined up and hit the streets for the very first time, marking the beginning of a bold new era. The day did not bring a flood of personal bests, with temperatures soaring to 28 degrees under the sun, but it was still a powerful debut.
Cyprien flew through the first half before hitting the wall at 35K, still holding on to finish in a strong 2:51:54. Simon kept it steady, saving his legs for Chicago. Paddy called the heat “an absolute shitshow,” but with Torge’s support they pushed through the second half together, crossing in 2:54:54. Torge, although it was not the race he had hoped for or trained for, embraced the full spectrum of highs and lows that come with the marathon.
Sarah Laverty crushed it with a amazing time of 03:13:39, Claudia Gilles clocked an impressive 3:23:58, Sophie powered through with 3:14:59, and Toto delivered the team’s fastest time of the day in 2:50:28. Hanna celebrated with a new personal best of 3:28:57, while Luna focused on her half marathon debut in Copenhagen just days earlier, finishing strong in 1:28.
It was not the perfect race day, but it was the start of something bigger. The Braves Racing Dept. has officially stepped onto the stage, ready to grow, learn and chase what comes next.
Built over the past year, the Racing Dept. is about learning together, pushing each other to the limit and running with intention. As Simon explains: “It’s not about strict schedules or pure competition. It’s about helping our performance team understand their body, their training, and become more intuitive runners.” While clocking a PR of 02:46:22 in Chicago last weekend.
We can’t wait to continue building in 2026.
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