...2011 is almost over

only a couple of days left...

it was a great trail running season for me. most importantly no real injuries. really hope this holds for 2012 as well. ...some new shoes are already ordered ;-)

just briefly my statistics of this year so far (hope to be able to still add the one or the other mile):
although these are only average values, itis problably my best season in all of these "parameters"

distance traveled: ~3600 km
vertical climb: ~130000 m
hours on the trail: ~460 hrs

...enough on that and on to the trails;
the sun came out and i will try to add another peak to the list...

wish you all a good, healty and successfull 2012!

Hochreichhart (2416m) - crossing over

...perfectly clear (and a bit cold) morning session on friday. from the Ingering valley via the Schmähhausrücken to the top of the Hochreichhart (2416m) - basically now snow, but quite windy - further to the Schönebentörl and down to the Schönebenalm (where I helped to put up a weather station on the rock glacier there, which meant some more hiking with some extra load ;-)
just a fantastic scenery!

...after some meters on paved road, the gravel road allows a first great view to my todays summit. note the ridge in the middle.

...after the forest has been left behind, one climbs up this perfect ridge ;-)

...a look back down into the valley.

...almost on the summit. at least some snow patches ;-)

...view from the summit towards east. the summit right of the summit cross is the Gößeck. Down in the Mur valley you see the haze that makes a good excuse to climb a mountain ;-D

it took me 1:18hrs to get up here from the parking lot (1:50 in total from where I started).

...one of the (inactive) rock glaciers seen from the summit.

  ...on the way to the Schönebentörl. note the double arête on the left side of the picture (the small black spot just right of the trail on the lower left are 2 chamois). 

...view down to the Schönebenalm. The rock glacier just below me (where we put up a weather station later that day).

...great trails up there ;-)

almost at the end of my morning session. some icy patches inbetween. 

...arrived (2:26hrs). a view back (basically right where the sun is now).

Great session. Wunderful scenery.

some more miles to cover...

the trail season 2011 is getting long (~115000 D+/- and ~3150km since 1st Jan.), but this seasons weather is so perfect that there seems to be some more miles and climbs to come. hopefully, cause my variety of shoes is still too much, so I have to wear down some of them to have space for the 2012 models soon to come... 

...my current selection of shoes. the TNF Single Track in the middle of the first row is the one I did the Zugspitz Ultratrail (100k, 23.place), the Gran Trail Valdigne (100k, 5.place) and the Chiemgau 100 Miles (1. place)...
...the green NB MT101 is the one I did the Wörthersee Ultra with (see pics of previous post)...

...really looking forward to the light version of the TNF Single Track, the Hayasa; and the NB MT110 ;-)

my personal Wörthersee-Trail 2011 race recap

...a divided race experience. But let me start at the start.

perfect weather at 8AM. some 800 athletes from 14 different nations; and some 230 starters for the longest distance of the day, the 57km Ultratrail (including 1800m of climb)

first time doing an ultra (or lets say a trail of more than 21k) with my NB MT101 and without socks. and no hydration-pack, just a handbottle, some Gu and Chomps...
I was feeling good after the first meters into the race, so I tried to keep the (too) fast pace (something I do not train at all, cause it is not necessary for 100k's and 100mile events; BTW: some reports about the 100k Zugspitz Ultratrail 2011, the 100k Gran Trail Valdigne 2011 and the Chiemgau 100Miles will follow asap)

worked out nicely, managed to keep a fast pace till Velden, pretty much the halftime of the race (27km done). Two runners passed me inthe aid station and I left it in 5th place.
then a flat section along the Wörthersee. Beautiful, but kind of cruel for me. just flat ;-(

anyway, going onto the trails again left me feel better.
however, at ~34 km, my stomach started to rebel. why? I don't know. When I arrived at the Trattnig-lake, I aired my belly twice, and I was shaky. Should I quit?

Well, no.
...my girlfriend decided just the day before, that she will race the 30km Supertrail from Velden to Klagenfurt.
As I passed Velden already, all the supertrailers were still behind me. So I turned and walked back, to support her on her first ever trail race (and avoid a DNF)! In the meantime I could cheer up friends of mine (great race Isi and Jimmy; Chrisi: next time we'll start a bit slower, ok!) and many of the 57km starters.
Then, at a bit lower pace, we continued the race together. Enjoying the perfect weather and the nice scenery. The stomach was still rebelling, but there was not much to get rid of anymore.

At the aid station up on the Pyramidenkogel, I allowed myself to eat some soup. The rest of the time, water and the occasional chomp was all I thought I could handle.

After 6:23hrs, we arrived happy and in a good mood back in Klagenfurt. Silke: good job! 3:55hrs. ....less than 4 hrs, I knew you could do it!

To sum up, it turned out to be quite different than what I had planned/expected, but it was worth every minute (well, beside some at ~34 - 36km ;-)

It was a perfect event, super organized (check out the video of the race: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OctCdpg2sA&feature=player_embedded) and a great experience to cross the finish line with Silke. Thanks.
...I'll (or we will!?) be back next year.

back on trail

after 2 weeks climbing trip to Céüse, I'm back to my weekly running...

....2 more weeks till the Wörthersee-trail

http://www.woerthersee-trail.com/

looking forward to it ;-)