Since 2014, the Wings for Life World Run has been moving the world and raising valuable funds and awareness for spinal cord research. In May 2017, Natalie and I took part ourselves for the first time. In about five degrees Celsius and rain, we stood at the starting line in Munich's Olympic Park and wanted to run as far as possible for those who could not. While Natalie was not quite as ambitious one month after our start at the Paris Marathon and was caught up in the end after 31.45 kilometres, I pulled through, cracked the target of 50 kilometres and was caught up after 53.61 kilometres. Twelfth place in Munich. In the bus of the last 13 runners, I chatted with Hermann Achmüller and other top runners I had only known from TV. The fire for the worldwide event with everything that goes with it was finally lit after that weekend in May 2017.

So it's no wonder that in the following years we were there again and again and used various ways to draw attention to the unique event and the Wings for Life Foundation in order to get as many other people as possible to take part. In 2018, I met up with some teammates at home in Gengenbach and ran a good 35 kilometres via app. Similarly relaxed, but again with the will to contribute at least 30 kilometres to the worldwide total, I took on the organised App Run in Hamburg in 2019. In the end, it was a good 32 kilometres around the Außenalster, most of which I ran with Natalie.

Suddenly among the best in the world

In 2020, there was a lack of opportunities to start due to Covid. What I did have was a lot of stress from university exams. Of course, I still wanted to run in the Wings for Life World Run. "A marathon tomorrow would be nice," I thought to myself as I fell into bed after a long day of studying with a head that felt like it was smoking. At noon the next day, I was standing in one of Edinburgh's most popular parks, the Meadows, at 12:00 noon British time. I ran lap after lap of the 2.25-kilometre-long course and hardly slowed down, so that my lead was still large when I reached the marathon distance. What now? Keep going, keep going! Sure, what else? Several Meadows laps later, with over 55 kilometres in my legs, I started the final sprint. After 55.91 kilometres the Catcher Car caught me. First I was ranked ninth in the world, a few days later I found myself in 13th place. Top 10 or not, it didn't matter, I was happy to have shown such a spontaneous performance.

In 2021, the situation was similar. Less university stress, but still no serious preparation marked my start. First and foremost, I had the 50 kilometres in mind, which I wanted to crack for the third time. In warmer temperatures and in the noticeably more crowded Meadows, it was enough for 54.17 kilometres in the end. And then? Then came 2022.

In April 2022, I ran under 2:30 hours for the first time at the Manchester Marathon, thus achieving a goal that had been in my mind for years as a long-term goal. With the mental tailwind from the Manchester Marathon and my experience from five years of the Wings for Life World Run, I wanted to attack my best performance from two years ago and ideally improve on it. It was clear that this would require not only good form but also a bit of luck, for example with the weather. All in all, the weather was fine and the forecast wind on the Edinburgh coast seemed to be within reasonable limits, so I decided to speed up in the north-west of the city. Accompanied by Natalie and our German-Scottish friend Euan, I ran with courage and passion from the very first kilometre. Running all out for those who can't run (at least currently). I wanted to challenge myself and do my part for a successful Wings for Life World Run 2022. That's why I pushed when I felt like pushing - and actually also when I would have preferred to take it down a gear. Running with my heart in my hand.

From the world stage to the public bus

In retrospect, it feels almost surreal that I was actually able to run for the title of Global Champion. Outstanding runners for whom I have the greatest respect, such as Florian Neuschwander, the Wings for Life World Run legend himself, were suddenly out of the race and I was still running - and hey, the oven wasn't out yet. So I was able to have my say in the dramatic race of the last five runners worldwide and, as I heard in numerous news reports afterwards, I was able to cause a stir all the way to New Zealand. In the end, the Catcher Car caught me after 63.69 kilometres. Once again first place in Great Britain, but above all: third place worldwide! Unbelievable! And afterwards? Afterwards, I walked to the next bus stop, gave a man in a red uniform 1.80 pounds with the words "Single Ticket please" and took the bus home like every other walker who was also on the seafront on this sunny Sunday. And suddenly I was one of 500,000 people in Edinburgh again, or one of 161,892 World Run participants instead of one of the last five runners in the world, running at a monkey's pace while being followed globally on Red Bull TV & Co. Big shows and everyday normality are sometimes closer together than you think. But the next show is sure to come. Last but not least, thanks to Natalie & Euan who supported me on site, but thanks also to all the fingers crossed from my home in the Black Forest to my adopted country to New Zealand and the rest of the world. A special "thank you" also goes to all those who have organised or marketed the Wings for Life World Run for years and thus laid the foundation for the fact that at some point "those who can't" will be able to run again.