Our Coaches

Running is their life, coaching runners is their passion. The goal of our coaches is to make each of their athletes a better runner and to achieve their goals together. In doing so, they respond to the needs of the respective athletes and do their best to fully exploit the athlete's potential.

Our coaches do not believe in boundaries. What they believe in is the strength of the team. That's why they attach great importance to group training. This way the athletes can motivate each other during training. With the right structure, the right training, motivation, and the right team, anyone can run faster than originally expected.

BTC Head coach

Benjamin Schalanda

Before Benny discovered running for himself, he used to run up and down the outside lanes of the pitch in his youth. The speed was reason enough to give the middle distance in athletics a chance. Benny was eager to make this experience and found himself on the distances 400m, 800m and 1000m where he could impress with remarkable performances.

"Success can be planned"

In the meantime, Benny has not only gained a lot of experience in running, but also a lot of theoretical knowledge as part of the Medical Team of the BMW Berlin Marathon (2012-2016). With this combination he has already led many athletes in the hobby and professional segment to success in the form of running and athletic training and now he wants to make this possible for you too.

Areas of expertise

• Middle- and long distance
• Functional strength and athletic training
• Sports therapy for orthopaedic injuries

Btc coach

Brian Livingston

Originally Brian was a development officer for Australian athletics and has an innate ability to recognise and nurture talent, young and old. After his studies at the Australian Sports Institute, Brian is very familiar with the technical and nutritional aspects of running. At least as great is his experience in the psychological aspects of running, which he has gained in more than 20 years as an elite runner. And this is exactly what Brian tries to pass on to other runners in an incomparable way and with untiring commitment, euphoria and passion.

„My goal is to bring rhythm, harmony and balance to everyone through the sport of running„

Brian and his wife Lindsey are from Portland, Oregon, and together they run a travel company that allows interested people to see Ethiopia through the eyes of a runner and to explore the training methods and culture. Every time Brian visits Ethiopia, he brings new insights with him which he then applies to the team training.

Areas of expertise

• Middle- and long distance
• Running technique training
• Motivation Expert

Btc coach

Florens von der Decken

Florens' sporting roots also lie in football, where he was able to convince with his positional play and willingness to run. Later on Flo also found himself playing volleyball and table tennis. He gained his first coaching experience during his FSJ at the Table Tennis Association of Schleswig-Holstein and successfully completed the Table Tennis C-Trainer course during this time.

"If the run wasn't your friend, then he was your teacher."

Looking for a personal challenge, Flo discovered running during his studies and ran his first marathon after only a few months. With great discipline Flo acquired a lot of theoretical knowledge about running training, trained eagerly on his own and ran considerable times over 10km to marathon on the road, as well as two ultra trails. He also wants to share his knowledge and his diverse experiences on the different distances and surfaces with you. Long-term success paired with fun and health are at the forefront of his philosophy.

Areas of expertise

• Middle- and long distance
• Ultra- and trail running