Sofico Marathon Ambassador Program

The race experience

The day was perfect for running. As we started, I felt great. The energy from the crowd was electric, so many runners, all pushing each other forward, supporting one another to reach the finish line. The sense of community and encouragement was truly inspiring.

Everything was going smoothly until around the 16th or 17th kilometer when I encountered two major inclines. These took a lot of energy, but I pushed through and successfully finished the race without stopping or walking. My goal was to finish in 2 hours and 30 minutes, and I secretly hoped to achieve 2 hours and 20 minutes. In the end, I clocked 2 hours and 26 minutes, which I consider a great result, and I am truly happy with my performance!

Training progress: Since my last update, I’ve been in great shape, no injuries or illnesses. This has allowed me to follow my coach Laura’s training plan perfectly. My consistency has paid off, and my endurance is steadily improving. Last Sunday marked a major milestone: I successfully completed a two-hour run, covering a total of 17 kilometers! That’s the longest I’ve ever run, and it has truly boosted my confidence.

Recent training & preparation: Today was a beautiful day here in Ghent, Belgium. I took advantage of the perfect weather to complete one of my final training sessions before the marathon. With just nine days left until the big day, excitement and nerves are building. Everything is falling into place, and I’m doing my best to stay focused and prepare mentally for the challenge ahead.

Goals & Expectations: Ideally, I’d love to complete the half marathon in under 2 hours and 30 minutes. However, even if I exceed that time, I’ll still be satisfied. The journey hasn’t been smooth—I’ve faced numerous challenges during my preparation. Since October, I haven’t had many opportunities to train properly, so simply finishing the race will be a huge accomplishment for me.

Special thanks: I want to take a moment to thank Laura, my coach, for her phenomenal guidance throughout this journey. She has provided me with invaluable advice on nutrition, running techniques, and marathon preparation. Her support has made all the difference.

Looking forward: I will keep you posted after the marathon. Fingers crossed that all goes well!

Since my last update, it’s been a challenging road. I had to take a break due to a back injury, but I was able to resume training just before the New Year. I managed to get two solid weeks of training in before falling ill again, which sidelined me for another three weeks.

Thankfully, I’m now back in my training routine and have been consistent for the past three weeks. Whether this will be enough to prepare me for the half marathon is still uncertain, but I’m fully committed to giving it my best shot.

Despite the cold weather, I’m staying positive and motivated. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by my progress—especially my endurance during longer runs without feeling exhausted. This has given me a real confidence boost.

Now, my focus is on staying healthy and avoiding injuries. There’s still work to do, but I’m optimistic and determined to cross that half-marathon finish line. Stay tuned for more updates!

The initial testing at Golazo Energy Lab was a truly eye-opening experience. Seeing the wide range of measurements and analyses used to optimize performance for both professional athletes and amateurs like myself was impressive. We observed how deeply one could dive into physical metrics to improve even the smallest aspects of performance, highlighting both our strengths and areas for improvement. We received tailored exercises aimed at addressing our weaknesses, which I found incredibly helpful. We also practiced different running techniques and learned the significance of each in terms of form and endurance. At the end of the session, we received detailed test results that gave us insights into our bodies and current fitness levels. In my case, the results were satisfying, yet they also served as a strong motivator to commit fully to the training program.

Right after this initial testing, I was feeling highly motivated and jumped into my training with enthusiasm. The first few sessions went well, though I quickly realized how repetitive the slow-paced running could be. It was a necessary part of building endurance, yet the monotony was challenging. However, to my surprise, the training was not as exhausting or difficult as I had anticipated. At times, I even found myself deliberately avoiding familiar faces on my route so they wouldn’t see the slow pace I was keeping! Week by week, I increased my rhythm slightly, and the training began to feel more comfortable and manageable.

In the past ten days alone, I managed to run in three different countries. I started with a session in Germany, then continued my training while on vacation in Slovenia. Finally, I had the chance to run in Belgium during a visit to our headquarters in Zwijnaarde, Ghent. During one lunch break, my colleague Kwinten and I decided to train together, which made the experience more enjoyable and engaging than running alone. Over this short period, I clocked roughly 30 kilometers across three countries, making each session feel like part of an international journey towards my marathon goal.

Unfortunately, however, I recently encountered an unexpected setback. On Friday, while moving some heavy thuja trees, I injured my back and now have to take a break from running. How long this break will last, I’m not yet sure, but I genuinely hope to recover quickly. I am determined to return to training as soon as possible so that by the next checkpoint on January 16, 2025, I can show improvement.

I’ll keep you updated on my progress as I continue this journey towards the marathon—hopefully with many more kilometers and fewer setbacks along the way!

| Meet the Ambassadors 2025

Petar Pilipovic

| Training updates

Follow Petar's journey

I dit it!

Building momentum

Back on track

Training, tests, and setbacks