UTMB 2012

...I'm in!!!
Just registered for the UTMB 2012 ;-)

Really looking forward to!

2011 review - 2012 preview

a new year has started. the old ended. time to sum up the 2011 season and to make plans for 2012...

season 2011:
a great season!
first of all cause it was injury free.
second, did 4 ultras and finished all of them.
third, won one of them and took home 5th place on another  ;-)

some statistics of 2011:
207 days running;
a total of 3657km (on average 17.67 per run);
+/-133516m (645 m of climb and descent per run);
468:59 hrs on the trails (2:16 on average per run)

some more details of that season:
I ran a lot and prepared well for the first ultra, the Zugspitz Ultratrail (101km, +/-5672m; http://www.zugspitz-ultratrail.com/index.htm) in Germany. However, the long runs (>6hrs) where largely missing. payed the price, as I had to dig deep during the 2nd half of that race. cramps,... still managed 23rd place.

2 weeks later (and some recovery) the next race started in Italy, Monte Bianco region: Gran Trail Valdigne (100km, +/-5600m; http://www.grantrailvaldigne.it/sito/en.html). This race was this year upgraded to a 100km course and was run in the other direction. also the start was shifted from Courmayeur to Morgex (already did the 87km races back in 2007 and 2008). Seemed that I had adapted to the distance! 5th place overall ;-) A wonderfull scenery and a beautiful and somewhat brutal rocky course. twice we met the runners of the shorter course, which gave loads of motivation (as much of the 2nd half of the course I was running completely alone).

another 3 weeks later back to Germany again for the Chiemgau 100 Miles (161km, +/-6750m; http://www.chiemgauer100.de/). This is actually a 100km race, but 50 of us started the night before the actual start and added a view (61) km. Started with a local who knew that section, cause navigation could have been an issue (and aid stations where limited). We cruised along the trails and gravel roads and through a beautiful night. pace was ok and time for some chatting. unfortunately, my running partner Wolfi had to quit cause of stomach issues. Continued alone through the dark; passed a couple of other runners (some of them started 2 hrs earlier than we did (every runner can chose when he wanted to start)). When I arrived back to the starting point after 87km it was by coincidence a perfect timing. We were only allowed to keep on running at 4:30AM. I had ~15min to refresh and then started into the early morning already on first place! (although I did not really realize this). From then on, it was a pretty lonely race, on the one hand cause I was in the lead, on the other hand there was much fog and visibility was pretty poor. In addition it was sometimes raining cats and dogs. Still the pace was ok and it took the leader of the 100km race till the last mountain we had to climb (the Hochfelln) to pass me. I enjoyed my hot soup up there and let him go. From there, only 20km were left, basically downhill. I did my very best to speed up a bit, but the beginning of the climb was pretty technical with loads of roots and steps. Really enjoyed the last few kilometers, although I was wondering when the next of the 100km racers would pass. Noone did and I entered the stadion and finally the finish line in 24:07hrs. Tired and dirty, my feet were soaked and could not really belief that I was first? Took me a wile to realise this.... ...a good beer later. Satisifed ;-)    (The next came in 4:25hrs later; actually 2:25, but he started 2 hours earlier).

as a small season final there was a shorter ultra near my girlfriends home: the Wörthersee Ultratrail (57km; +/-1800m; http://www.woerthersee-trail.com/). a "short" race, so just to see how it might work, i pushed hard from the beginning. well, too fast; but managed to avoid the DNF. and had a great second half of the race running together with my girlfriend (my "crew" at all the other runs!). for details see the untepenultimate post.

...I continued to enjoy the trails and do some personal projects. larger loops that I should have done prior to any of the 100km races. just me, my shoes and a backpack. great ;-)

all in all: more than I would have hoped for ;-)
and a big big THANK YOU so much to my "crew"!!!
...who tolerates my passion (or lunacy) and even supports me so much in doing it. Thanks, thanks, thanks!!!


- season 2012 plans:
after an easy start into this season cause of loads of snow in the mountains of Tirol and Salzburg (but some nice skitouring!), motivation is high already due to mild temperatures and snow-free trails here in Graz!
...and there are some good reasons to train for:

- trail running camp Lago di Garda, Italy (http://web.mac.com/trailmagazin/TRAIL_Magazin/Willkommen.html  page 16!) in late March as a season opening.
- Zugspitz Ultratrail (101km, +/-5672m; http://www.zugspitz-ultratrail.com/ultratrail_rennen_D.htm) in late June.
- Irontrail Switzerland (201km; +11500m / -12700m; http://www.irontrail.ch/news-irontrails-1.phtml) in early July.
- maybe (if I get in) Chiemgau 100 Miles (161km, +/-6750m; http://www.chiemgauer100.de/) in late July.
- maybe (if I get in) The North Face UTMB (166km, +/-9500m; http://www.ultratrailmb.com/accueil.php).
- Wörthersee Trail Maniak (57km, +/-1800m; http://www.woerthersee-trail.com/ ).




...keep you posted and wish you all a good, successful and especially injury-free and healthy trail season 2012!!!

...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 ;-)