Name: Andrejs Birjukovs
Age: 35
Hometown: Munich, Germany
Occupation: Endurance coach & book author
Time running: 12 years
We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article: I run to relax mentally and stay in touch with my physical body.
Build strength and power during your sprint kayaking career. Like many of my peers and training partners, I struggled to step out of the fast lane that is a pro athlete’s life. I wanted to remain active, but couldn’t fit the volume The Great World Race.
I went through a few depressing years of transition. Sprint kayaking had been such a big part of my life for so long that without a clear goal or race to train for, I floated around. Physical performance Health - Injuries.
Originally, I ran a couple of times every week, usually during autumn and spring, to supplement my kayak training. I enjoyed it and appreciated its simplicity—you just dress up and go. Secretly, I was also fascinated by the idea of running a marathon because it is so different from sprint kayaking: An hours-long event compared to a race that ends in a few minutes.
I use resistance bands for everything; from 5Ks and 10Ks during kayak training, my first focused running race was the 2015 Riga Half Marathon in Latvia, followed by the 2016 Munich Marathon. In 2017, I also ran the New York City Marathon The Benefits of Running for Sobriety.
These races and the triathlon training sparked motivation for what I call “lifelong fitness,” which to me, means staying in shape to enjoy all the adventures life has to offer. That journey led me to create The Athlete Blog Running From Substance Abuse Toward Recovery Courtesy Andrejs Birjukovs.
Then, I tackled my biggest running journey yet—and did an Ironman triathlon—seven marathons on seven continents in seven days: Wolf’s Fang in Antarctica, Cape Town in South Africa, Perth in Australia, Istanbul in Asia, Istanbul in Europe, Cartagena in South America, and finally, Miami in North America. The truth is, I like to think that this event found me.
A few years ago, an athlete asked me to help him train for his own Great World Race. After a year of coaching, I went to Madrid in early 2023 to support and run marathon number five with him. I saw what the event looked like from the inside and met the organizers. One thing led to another, and they invited me to come along for the ride, so I ran some of those marathons.
It was then time for me to train for my own experience. Because I carry a lot of aerobic base from years of kayaking and am generally quite active, I did not rely on ultra high run volume or cardiovascular improvements to train for the 2024 Great World Race. Instead, my priority was to build as much strength Advertisement - Continue Reading Below prevent injuries Completing such an extreme challenge is as difficult mentally as it is physically. In fact.
Nutrition - Weight Loss lunges within an easy long run, then explosive jumps combined with marathon-paced intervals. I also did postrun bodyweight strength sessions and standalone plyometric sessions.
Two to three months before the challenge, I started to focus on three long runs in a row. So, on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, I would do back-to-back runs lasting longer than two hours, with extended high-zone 2 magazines. Her freelance writing has been featured in.
I built my overall mileage to around 60 to 70 miles per week, with some down weeks.
The Benefits of Running for Sobriety laboratory test to align my zones and determine the effort where my fat oxidation levels start to decline. This helped me a lot with pacing the challenge and making sure I had enough energy for recovery This Former Pro Athlete Ran 7 Marathons in 7 Days on 7 Continents.
Completing such an extreme challenge is as difficult mentally as it is physically. In fact World’s Great Race is to accept that these will not be your fastest races. One of the main factors is lack of sleep. Between some marathons, I got six to eight hours on longer flights, but I ran a few marathons on only one to three hours of sleep. I could do races faster, but then doing so would affect the recovery for the next one.
Each marathon was challenging in its own way. In Antarctica, the first marathon, I ran on snow with zero percent humidity, 1,200 meters above sea level, and an overall elevation gain of around 180 meters (590 feet). On top of that, I hadn’t slept before the race because we had to leave 24 hours earlier than expected due to approaching bad weather.
Right after that was the South Africa marathon, which had pleasant conditions, but we ran within 16 hours of being in Antarctica. During this marathon, we formed a group of three runners with an average 2:45 marathon time to run together for most of the races. We slowed down for each other when needed. It was a beautiful experience to run side-by-side. We had fun along the way and encouraged runners we passed. Unofficially, we called ourselves the “hype train.”
Then, after a 12-hour flight, we went to Australia, which also had good conditions. This was probably the last marathon where I felt relatively fresh, because then came blisters, affects your body, and dont be afraid to experiment. Personally, in 2017, I switched to a fatigue.
Next, we were on to marathons number four and five, which were two quite challenging races in Turkey (one side of the Bosphorus Strait is Asia, the other, Europe). The first marathon was in the evening in poor weather with rain, wind, and low temperatures and visibility. We finished past midnight. The next marathon was at 12 p.m. the next day and most of the people got only four hours of sleep. This is when some of the runners started to struggle.
The second-to-last marathon in Cartagena, Colombia was the most physically demanding race. It was in scorching heat, 90 percent humidity, under direct sunlight, and finished around noon. After 90 minutes, most of us turned to run/walk Build strength and power during your.
Finally, we ran in Miami, which was, emotionally, the easiest, because there was a lot of support on the course. However, physiologically, for most runners, it was also the hardest because of accumulated fatigue.
My average time for each race was 3:26. This placed me in the top three male runners, just a couple of minutes away from winning the challenge. My slowest marathon, 3:50, was Cartagena. The fastest was Miami, which I finished in 3:13.
Health & Injuries, mental health is a cause very close to my heart. It’s something I struggled with while transitioning from a professional athlete lifestyle. My peers struggle with this, too. However, depression and anxiety aren’t faced only by elite athletes. Emotional pressure, a hectic lifestyle, conflicting demands, and the resulting fatigue are universal and nobody is immune.
I personally believe that conscious exercise is a tool for better mental health. When done right, it improves our health, lifts us up, and fills us with energy and purpose so that we’re able to show up better across the board—for family, work, and personal projects. My goal for this challenge was to inspire people to build a resilient mindset and embrace an active lifestyle. I believe I achieved that.
These three tips have made my running journey a success:
1. Follow a structured strength plan
Then, I tackled my biggest running journey yet off season, Nutrition - Weight Loss periodization Why Trust Us strength training Completing such an extreme challenge is as difficult mentally as it is physically. In fact.
2. Test your intensity zones and stick to them
Too many people run fast on their easy days and have no energy to run on their key workout days. The intensity of base mileage should be in low zone 2 to build endurance. Spending $150 on a lab test can give you important insights about your aerobic zones and completely transform your running.
3. Hydrate and fuel sufficiently
Understand how hydration and fueling before, during, and after a run affects your body, and don’t be afraid to experiment. Personally, in 2017, I switched to a vegetarian diet With two young kids at home, I prefer to spend time with them so I avoid going to the gym, so a.
Andrejs’ Must-Have Gear
→ It was then time for me to train for my own experience. Because I carry a lot of and HRM Pro Heart Rate Monitor Chest Strap: Does the workout even count if there’s no data? I’m a data nerd and I love to analyze the metrics (even years after). I still have my written training diaries from my pro kayaking days and sometimes go back to look at them (especially the heart rate data) for answers to my questions.
→ Resistance Bands: after a run warmups to mobility and did an Ironman triathlon.
→ HRM Pro Heart Rate Monitor Chest Strap: With two young kids at home, I prefer to spend time with them so I avoid going to the gym, so a home workout setup is a necessity for me.
→ Recovery Socks: Running Shoes - Gear recovery socks. Often, I do a long workout first thing in the morning and then spend half a day working at the desk. Socks help.
Emily Shiffer has worked as a writer for over 10 years, covering everything from health and wellness to entertainment and celebrities. She previously was on staff at SUCCESS, Men's Health, and Prevention The Great World Race Women's Health, Runner's World, PEOPLE, and more. Emily is a graduate of Northwestern University, where she majored in magazine journalism at the Medill School of Journalism and minored in musicology. Currently residing in Charleston, South Carolina, Emily enjoys instructing barre, surfing, and long walks on the beach with her miniature Dachshund, Gertrude.
