I Tried to Run With a Stranger in Germany — Here Is How It Went

Running in Germany started with a simple phrase: Guten Morgen — that is how you say good morning in German, which made sense because I was running in Germany for the second stop of my European running challenge. After successful running in Switzerland, running in Germany was next. Switzerland, I had high hopes. But Germany was about to test me in ways I did not expect.

Getting Kicked Off the Track

My day started at the Olympic Village in Munich, where I had located a track and even found another runner — a guy who runs for Colorado — to potentially train with. But before I could get started, we got kicked off the track. The facility had strict rules about public access, and just like that, my first plan evaporated. I watched him finish his strides from the sideline, and then I was on my own.

Intervals in a Munich Park

With only two runs scheduled in Germany, I could not afford a wasted day. I found a nice park nearby and decided to do my intervals there. The workout was hard — tempo reps around an unfamiliar route without any markings or measured distances. I ran without my phone for most of it, which meant no GPS, no splits, just feel. As a D1 runner used to having every interval precisely measured, this was humbling. But it also reminded me of what running felt like before all the technology — just effort and instinct.

Trying Schnitzel for the First Time

After the run, I made it a priority to try traditional German food. I ordered schnitzel — schweineschnitzel from pork — with pumpkin sunflower seed herb jacket, rosemary bacon potatoes, and cranberry compote. It was not what I expected at all. I had imagined something closer to the sausage I had in Zurich, but the schnitzel was its own thing entirely. The cranberry sauce with the pork was a combination I never would have tried at home, but it was really good. As an athlete who watches nutrition closely, it was nice to just eat something new without overthinking the macros for once.

The Desperate Search for a Running Partner

That night, I went into overdrive trying to find someone to run with for my second and final day in Germany. I started texting everyone I could think of, pulling connections, drawing strings — however that phrase goes. I reached out through Instagram, Strava groups, and even asked the hotel staff if they knew any local runners. Eventually, I stumbled on a connection: a friend of a friend of a friend who was training in Munich. It was a long shot, but it was all I had.

Running at the Olympic Village at 6 AM

The next morning, I was up at 6 AM and back at the Olympic Village. This time, my contact came through. I met Kevin, who was visiting Munich for training, and we did an easy run together through the grounds where the 1972 Olympics were held. Running past the Olympic stadium and through the surrounding park while the city was still waking up was surreal. Kevin and I talked about training, the differences between American and European running culture, and our respective seasons ahead. It was exactly the kind of connection I was hoping for on this trip.

What Running in Germany Taught Me About Persistence

Germany was the hardest country so far in this challenge. Getting kicked off the track, struggling to find a running partner, adapting my workouts on the fly — none of it went according to plan. But that is the whole point of a challenge like this. The easy countries do not teach you much. It is the ones where everything goes wrong that force you to grow. I walked away from Germany with a deeper appreciation for the effort it takes to connect with people when you do not have the safety net of a shared language or mutual friends. And I learned that sometimes, the best runs come from the most unexpected circumstances.

This was stop two of my European series. See how it all began when I first attempted training in Europe.