#219 Christopher Brenk Lives in the Highest City in America. Now a 2:17 marathoner

The Marathon Podcast is now proudly sponsored by Saysky Copenhagen. Use code TMP15 for 15% off at saysky.com.Get 20% off a Strava annual subscription with code KRISTIANSave on FlexBeam using code WARWICKRUNS or this link: https://rechargehealthas.sjv.io/55GAPbKristian sits down with Christopher Brenk, a Puma Project 3 athlete heading into the Berlin Marathon off the back of a 2:17 personal best in Eugene, for a genuinely unique running story: from Division 3 college racing to training at altitude in the highest city in the United States.Christopher shares how a spontaneous application with his college teammate turned into a Puma Project 3 selection, and what it's meant to suddenly have shoes, gear, and a community built around his marathon racing for the first time. He walks through his path from a small Division 3 program at St. Olaf, through years spent in Sitka, Alaska and Utah, to now living and training in Laramie, Wyoming, the highest elevation D1 city in the country. The conversation covers what it's actually like adapting to serious altitude training, how he thinks about carb intake and race nutrition heading into Berlin, and the strange in between space of running elite times without seeing himself as a professional.In this episode:- Getting selected for Puma Project 3 alongside a college teammate- Having shoes, gear, and a community for the first time- A Division 3 college running background and an unconventional path- Years spent living in Sitka, Alaska and Utah before Wyoming- Moving to the highest elevation city in the US for altitude training- What it's actually like adapting to serious altitude- Balancing running with a full time job at the university registrar- Race nutrition strategy and carb intake heading into Berlin- Chasing a new personal best at the Berlin MarathonTimestamps00:00 Welcome and introducing Christopher Brenk01:00 Announcing the podcast's sponsorship with Saysky Copenhagen02:13 Kristian's own training week update08:26 Welcome to Christopher and a wifi mishap10:08 How it felt to get selected for Puma Project 314:04 Running a 2:17 marathon while not seeing himself as a pro19:12 A Division 3 college running background19:59 Years spent in Sitka, Alaska before Wyoming20:00 Moving to Laramie for altitude training and his girlfriend's masters program52:15 Living and training in the highest city in the US53:39 Adjusting workouts to account for the altitude57:07 Whether the altitude benefits are finally paying off1:16:46 Race nutrition strategy and carb intake for Berlin1:19:02 Closing thoughts and good luck in BerlinChristopher on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christopher_brenk/Start your free Musicbed trial: https://fm.pxf.io/kristianwarwickFull episodes + the Boston 2025 documentary: https://www.youtube.com/@WarwickrunsFollow my training journey on Instagram: @warwick.runsMusic from Musicbed: MB01XPYH8ZYENVAMB0133EV2TCQFZY