Step by step to yourself – together with coach Roxy Westphal
Imagine this: your first day of running. You lace up your shoes, the air is fresh, and somewhere between excitement and nervousness you wonder: Can I really do this? Will I make it to the finish line at the VITAMIN WELL Women’s Race Berlin? In exactly that moment, Roxy is there. Not three steps ahead, but right beside you.
For four years now, she has been an integral part of the preparation course for the VITAMIN WELL Women’s Race Berlin. As a coach, mentor, and motivator all in one, she has guided countless women—from their first hesitant steps all the way to the finish line.
Roxy knows what it feels like to start small.
She got into running because she was searching for something: strength, freedom, and proof of what she was capable of. What came out of it was more than improved fitness.
“At some point I realized that running doesn’t just benefit me physically — it also calms my mind. From then on, it wasn’t just a sport anymore, but a real balance and source of strength.”
That’s exactly what makes her the kind of coach who doesn’t just hand out tips. She knows what it feels like to start small. What it’s like to doubt yourself. And what it’s like to grow beyond yourself, step by step.
When women support each other, they surpass themselves.
Roxy isn’t the kind of coach who runs ahead and shouts instructions from a distance. She’s right in the middle of it all. She sees the doubts, celebrates progress, and carries others through tougher moments.
“I’m a bit of everything: coach, listener, motivator. What matters to me is that every woman feels seen and supported.”
Over four years with the preparation course, she has experienced the same thing again and again: when women support each other, they grow beyond themselves. Every single time.
The preparation course – your path to the starting line
This course isn’t a training plan you work through on your own. It’s a thoughtfully designed program combining endurance, running technique, strength training, and mental training — tailored for women who are just starting out or returning after a break. You don’t have to be fit. You don’t have to be fast. And you definitely don’t have to be perfect.
“The course challenges you, but it never overwhelms you. Every woman is allowed to grow at her own pace.”
Alongside the physical training, participants learn to listen to their bodies more closely. And above all, to trust themselves more.
You can feel this especially clearly shortly before race day. Suddenly, a run feels much easier than it did at the beginning. In that moment, many realize how far they’ve already come.
“The course takes away a lot of uncertainty before race day. The women know what they’re capable of and they approach the start full of excitement.”
Women Who Run in the Dark
Roxy’s connection to the VITAMIN WELL Women’s race Berlin goes far beyond the course. At “Women Who Run in the Dark,” she has recently experienced women who are focused, full of energy, and often feeling for the first time that they are part of something bigger.
“There’s something incredibly powerful about it, combined with a lot of fun.”
For her, running together in the dark also carries a symbolic truth: you may start with uncertainty, but together it’s not only fun: It shows how much strength is created when women support one another.
Your first step
Are you still wondering whether the course is right for you? Roxy has a clear answer:
“If you’re thinking about signing up, that might already be the first sign that you actually want to. You don’t have to be perfectly prepared. You just have to start. The rest will come naturally.”
And if you need one last bit of motivation: “No matter how far you run, you will always find your way back to yourself.”
The next training course starts on April 13, 2026. Last-minute participants are still welcome to join.
