#zugspitz ultratrail

[doa-et]

Race Report: Zugspitz Ultratrail, 2017

I decided to run the 102km alpine race Zugspitz Ultratrail in preparation for UTMB, to get in some serious climbing, which is difficult in flat Sweden. It is also a Western States 100 qualifying race, which made it just more attractive.

The previous year, I ran the Lavaredo 120k and Tierra Arctic Ultra 120k. Both races went pretty well overall, but there were low points, death marches, DNF temptations, dawdling at aid station and at especially Lavaredo, snail-paced climbing with constant stops to catch my breath. There was a lot to improve. In other words, my confidence wasn’t very high and doing all my hill training on a steep 90m hill in Stockholm wasn’t that reassuring. Apart from my insecurities about long climbs at high altitudes, I felt I haven’t really nailed my nutrition in any 15+ hour race so far. I usually relied on gels and Tailwind, which often led to getting really tired of them after a few hours and becoming rather sloppy with eating and resorting to cola after a few energy dips. My goal for the race was to start conservatively and finish strong, especially considering the profile of the course which had 2/3 of the total climbing in the first half of the race:

To get the Western States qualifier I’d have to run under 22 hours. My A-goal was to stay below 18, mostly so that I could still get a good night of sleep post-race. Regarding nutrition, I planned on eating more salt from the beginning and listening to my body’s signal for hunger, rather than counting and forcing in calories like clockwork. Having heard great things about the aid stations, I looked forward to eating as much real food as possible. My friend Martin and I arrived in Garmisch-Patenkirchen on Thursday and headed to Grainau to pick up our bibs and join the pasta party on Friday. It was clear that ZUT is an efficiently and professionally organised event. No queues or stressed out volunteers were in sight despite thousands of runners on location picking up their start numbers for 5 different races and their free spaghetti.

After checking the gear for the last time and a few non-alcoholic beers later (another new strategy, the non-alcoholic part, not the beer), I slept surprisingly well for almost 7 hours until the alarm went off at 5am. Two hours later we were lined up at the start line.

The gun went off (not sure if there was a gun involved actually), a Bavarian marching band(!) led the 500 runners through the village for 300 meters.  After a few kilometres we entered the forest and the path inclined into a long but not too steep uphill. I tried to stick to my “smart” conservative approach as much as possible, walking all uphills to keep it as light and easy as possible, avoiding heavy breathing and lactic acid in my legs. Rushing the start to avoid queuing later on wasn’t really necessary as the first 10-20 or so km was on relatively wide hiking paths. Eventually the endless uphill was interrupted by steep downhill sections to be followed by similar steep uphill passages on single tracks and ski pistes. It became obvious that the course is quite technical and rugged. I tried to find the right balance on the downhills to save my legs by neither slowing down and breaking too much nor running down as if stung by bees.

Martin seemed to have a great day and kept running 50-100 meters in front of me most of the time. Was he trying to drag me, pushing me to running faster?  I felt good but cautious after an epic bonk 40-50km into Lavaredo last year so I tried to ignore him as much as possible and told him to not hold back or wait for me at the next aid station. I really wanted to be able to run the 25km flat part later in the race. We usually have a fairly loose commitment of sticking together as long as it feels natural and no one is having a major crisis. I love the company of good friends in races but have become a bit more aware of the importance of running my own race lately. It’s impossible to synchronise the high and low points in long races and sticking to the lowest common pace isn’t a smart strategy when you have a time goal.

We would however stay together for another 20-30 km and the long uphill to the highest point of the race became a very enjoyable hike. The aid stations were fantastic, loaded with fresh fruits, broth, cheese, sandwiches and cake. I stuck to eating real food, Scratch labs sport drink, and nibbled on some Powerbar chews. The Gu gels were left untouched for the entire duration of the race. We took a lot of photos of the landscape which was slowly shifting from forest, green grass with the sound of cowbells to more rugged high alpine environment.

There were two major climbs and descents before the half way point and even though my muscles were a bit tight, I felt good and the steep 1000 meter descent into the 55km aid and drop bag station was great adrenaline inducing fun. I had lost Martin a while ago on the uphill as he struggled a little with nagging knee and a slight loss of energy. I messaged my girlfriend in Stockholm to send some pictures and videos and to tell her that everything was fine. I also took the opportunity to check for placement (49th) and Martin’s position to evaluate if it was worth waiting for him at the next aid station or continue onto my own race. He was apparently some 20-30 minutes behind, a little too long to wait. I felt great coming into the drop bag station at 55km, changed my shirt, charged my watch for 10 minutes and ate and drank all I could. I rushed off maybe a bit to eagerly as I noticed three kilometres later that I had left my poles at the station. I ran 100 meters back, did some quick sloppy math and decided poles weren’t worth 30 minutes of extra running. I wasn’t too experienced with poles and doubted they were making me any faster. Of course, they certainly helped in keeping some leg and back muscles stay upright on uphills. But the next 25 kilometres were going to be flat and I wouldn’t have to worry until 85k and probably could grind it out in the end.

With considerably fresh legs and high spirits I ran through the flat valley, passed quite a few runners. I repeatedly checked my placement with my girlfriend. After hearing that I was at the 30th position 70 km in, a bit of competitiveness kicked in and motivated me to push further. The course slowly turned to be more hilly but also more spectacular. A few steep canyons on mostly forest switch backs and ridges later, the last 1200m uphill started. It was a steep and endless endeavour but I felt still great and kept passing a couple of runners on my now pole-less hike. The upper part of the hill was a 7km loop. Knowing that the middle of the loop also was the peak and beginning of the final steep downhill helped me march on without wasting time at the 87k aid station. By the time I hit Alpspitzbahn Bergstation at 92km, all the climbing for the day were behind me and I entered an almost too glorious, victorious state of mind. There was still 1300 meters to descend over 8km, but I felt pretty confident and planned to hammer down the hill as quickly as possible. It was getting cold at the top and darkness was approaching. I put on my jacket, gloves and headlamp and rushed off.

I made the decision to switch my 700 Lumen NAO for a much lighter 300 Lumen Black Diamond Spot before the race but I regretted that choice after a few meters in the dark. The upper part of the single track was covered in fist sized rocks, the lower forest part in mud, roots and steps and every extra light illuminating the ground would have helped. I tried to keep a running pace while staying cautious. The last thing I would need is falling off a cliff or breaking my legs after a tumble. I passed a lot of people, most of them running the shorter 80k Supertrail XL. Finally after 40 minutes I reached the outskirts of Grainau and having 2km of paved roads left I started to run as hard as I could to finish in 15 hours and 38 minutes (21th overall finish/19th in group). Celebrations were in order and I cheerfully drank 3 beers while mulling over the results. Shaving off more than two hours from my time goal was unexpected but more importantly, I succeeded in following through with my goals for nutrition and strong finish. Martin also stayed well below our 18 hour goal although he had to use his poles as crutches to descend the mountain to support his bad knee. The Zugspitz Ultratrail is a memorable race both in its beauty and difficulty. It’s also a well organised event with fantastic volunteers and aid stations and offers 5 different distances 25 to 100km - suitable for almost every runner. I recommend it!

[auffimuasi]

Zugspitz Ultratrail wird auf 15. bis 17. Juli 2022 verschoben

Zugspitz Ultratrail wird auf 15. bis 17. Juli 2022 verschoben

Der ursprünglich für den 17. bis 19. Juni 2022 angesetzte Salomon Zugspitz Ultratrail powered by Ledlenser wird auf den 15. bis 17. Juli 2022 verschoben. Grund ist der kurzfristig von der neuen Bundesregierung für Ende Juni angesetzte G 7 Gipfel in Schloß Elmau bei Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Dies hat die Bundesregierung in einer Pressemitteilung vom 14. Dezember offiziell bestätigt. Die konkreten…

[demmelmaier-wellness-coachs-hn]

. . . #wellnescoach #herbalifenutrition #nutrition #fitmom #lifestyle #gym #focus #fitness #teatime #prlife #bodyfulledbyherbalife #consistency #motivation #health #wellness #healthylifestyle #healthcoach #gymvirtual #fitnessmotivation #pilates #runner #nutritioncoach #gymnastics #healthlifestyle #inspiración #wellnescoachwanted #wellnescoachingonline #wellnescoacharoundtheworld #wellnescoachherbalife #wellnescoaching Hashtags sind mit @hashtaginspectr generiert (hier: Grainau Zugspitz Ultratrail) https://www.instagram.com/p/CE1-YmbIigp/?igshid=1b2771skyqfae

[patrickccaron]

Looking back at this year, it’s been quite a rollercoaster of experiences and emotions. Running brought me to many new places, introduced me to some really special people, and taught me numerous lessons along the way. Although I appreciate the presence of structure in my life and I have always set goals to help me get to where I want to be, I generally avoid making long term plans, as I know life and the world around me is always shifting. As much as we want to control all aspects of our lives, adaptability is essential, and something I am trying to become more accustomed to practicing. At times, I find myself being disappointed about how certain things pan out, what could have been, or what could not have been. Although I give those feelings some attention and thought, I try my best not to let them linger as I’ve been gifted with some incredible and transformative experiences as a result of the paths I’ve chosen or have found myself being guided toward. There’s so much in life to celebrate and be appreciative of, and I’m glad I can share it with so many people. To everyone who’s supported me throughout the year, thank you, and I hope I’ve been able to provide similar support in return! . When it comes to racing, here are a few of this year’s highlights (definitely a mix of terrain and distances, with each endeavor enjoyable in its own unique way!): . New Year’s Day Boston Marathon TARCtic Frozen Yeti Trail Race ~🥇(CR) New Bedford 13.1M ~ New PR Boston Marathon ~ New PR North Face Endurance Challenge 50 Miler ~🥇 Chestnut Hill Farm Trail Run ~🥇(CR) Zugspitze Ultratrail Independence Day 5K ~🥇 East End Trail Race ~🥇(CR) Bad Little Trail Run ~🥇(CR) Cadillac Doubleback FKT Wildlands Trail Run ~🥇(CR) Frenchman Bay (Conservancy) Autumn Trail Race ~🥇(CR) Moosehorn Ghost Run Half Marathon ~🥇(CR) Bold Coast Bash Trail Race 20M ~🥇(CR) Franklin Park Turkey Trot ~🥇(CR) . Also, a huge thank you to the brands who have supported my athletic dreams and been there with me every step of the way. Your kindness and belief in me are greatly appreciated! . @Salomon @Suunto @DrymaxSocks @InsideTracker @TriggerPin . 📸 @keeler.photographic https://www.instagram.com/p/B6uBVvOnrPN/?igshid=w04tx0suai9t

[jitkarichterova-blog]

V cíli Zugspitz Ultratrailu

Sepsáno pr běhej.com: https://www.behej.com/clanek/12912-serial-v-cili-zugspitz-ultratrailu-rozhodne-zazitek-z-nejlepsich

Zugspitz Ultratrail. Po několika měsících tréninku a těšení se, nastal konečně víkend závodu. Téměř 40 kilometrů a 1 896 metrů převýšení slibovalo skvělý zážitek, ale i velkou dřinu, která se neobejde bez bolesti. Není proto divu, že s vyčerpáním po státnicích jsem do Grainau přijížděla se směsicí nervozních a natěšených pocitů.

Navzdory všem malérům během tréninku jsem si Zugspitz Ultratrail opravdu užila. Nejenom samotným zážitkem a dojmy, ale i organizačně se rozhodně řadí mezi moje top 3 závody. Zugspitz se pro mě navíc nesl v duchu několika poprvé.

Poprvé mi závod v horách nepropršel, poprvé jsem běžela v Alpách 40 km, poprvé jsem v kopcích nezdržovala, ale naopak si vyzkoušela, jaké to je na úzkých alpských cestičkách předbíhat, poprvé jsem viděla během závodu u úrazu zasahovat helikoptéru, poprvé jsem se umístila v nejlepší třetině v kategorii a čtvrtině v rámci žen celkově a poprvé jsem nejela na závod sama, ale s jinými běžci, jejichž společnost celý závod zpestřovala a zpříjemňovala.

V den závodu jsme se dostali na start závodu do Mittenwaldu a zařadili jsme se do fronty na startovní koridor. Organizátoři byli při kontrolách nesmlouvaví, museli jsme prokázat, že s sebou máme mapu, dlouhé rukávy, lékárničku, rezervní litr tekutin, termodeku a dokonce podepsané veškeré jídlo. Tak se stalo, že když jsem dobalila můj minibatůžek, vážil asi čtyři kila. A jakoby té váhy nebylo dost, moje příšerné, původně pouze provizorní trekové hole s přiléhavým názvem “hekla” přidávaly další dobré kilo.

Ve startovním koridoru se rozhodně necpu nijak dopředu, stále netuším, jak mi to půjde, jsem nejistá a myslím si na čas pod sedm hodin. Řadím se tak někam na začátek poslední třetiny. To se mi trochu vymstí, když se na druhém kilometru naštosujeme na prvním úzkém stoupání a občas skoro stojíme frontu. Naštěstí se brzy protrhá a na širší cestě kolem jezer si už můžu běžet svým pohodovým tempem. Snažím se šetřit síly a běžím naprosto na pohodu, i tak se mi ale daří předbíhat. Asi jsem se přeci jenom zařadila v koridoru moc dozadu.

Na první občerstvovačce jen popadnu meloun a ani se nezastavuju, byla na mě příliš brzy, asi po 5 km, a vlastních zásob jsem měla dostatek. Cesta pokračovala po mírných kopečcích, spíš ale vlnkách, tady ještě byla hodně běhavá, a tak jsem dál povětšinou ke svému překvapení předbíhala. Dokonce i z prvního točitého a prudkého seběhu, který ale nebyl příliš technický, se mi dařilo předbíhat.

Zanedlouho se objevilo první větší stoupání od hlubokého kaňonu s říčkou k druhé občerstovačce na 20. km. Ve stoupání už mi začalo být horko a cítila jsem únavu ve svalech, také mi docházela voda, jinak se mi ale stále běželo skvěle. Nadšením a výhledy jsem se mimoděk skoro nemohla přestat usmívat. Mít vyšší tempo, možná bych byla doběhla s mouchami mezi zuby jako vysmátý cyklista.

Na druhé občerstvovačce jsem si kompletně dotočila 1,5 litru vody, popadla pár kousků melounu a opláchla si obličej, než jsem se vydala dál. Příliš jsem se nezdržovala ani nechvátala. Před námi bylo posledních běhavějších, leč vlnitých pár kilometrů a pak obávané i očekávané 8 km dlouhé souvislé stoupání na Alpspitze, přes 2 600 metrů vysoký vrchol.

Opět k mému překvapení mi nějaká síla v nohou zůstala a naučila jsem se kopce vycházet efektivně, nedělat příliš velké kroky, nezabírat moc silou a příliš prudce, abych se vyhnula křečím. Místo toho jsem dělala drobnější kroky, hodně se opírala o hole a zabírala rukama a zády. To se ukázalo jako dobrá strategie, protože jsem se postupně dál prokousávala dopředu. S přibývající délkou kopce postupně víc a víc lidí odpadávalo a sedali si na popadané kmeny při cestě jako vlaštovky na dráty. Byl to celkem úsměvný pohled. I když jsem také cítila únavu, nemám ve zvyku zastavovat nebo odpočívat a raději upravím nebo zpomalím tempo. Většinou jsem se ale chvíli musela táhnout v hadu lidí, čímž jsem si odpočinula, předtím než mě pustili před sebe a já mohla zase trochu zabrat.

Už nějaký kus před koncem první části kopce bylo slyšet mohutné fandění a povzbuzující kravské zvonce. Možná až příliš brzy, člověk si myslel, že už je skoro na vrchu, kde čekala další občerstvovačka, i když jsme měli ještě kus před sebou. Ani tam jsem se nezdržovala a jen si vzala meloun a okurku (ano, možná jste už uhodli, že mám fakt ráda meloun…).

Z druhé strany kopce bylo vidět sbíhat běžce dolů, většina z nás si tak klamně udělala představu, že už jsme skoro nahoře. Za další zatáčkou jsem si říkala, že určitě dojdeme jen támhle k lanovce, pak támhle na horizont… Asi čtyřikrát už jsem byla přesvědčená, že jsme nahoře, když se objevila další zatáčka a další kopec, který zhatil mé doufání. Demoralizovaná falešnými nadějemi mi připadalo, že se táhnu strašně pomalu. To se ukázalo jako nesprávný pocit. Nebo alespoň v porovnání s ostatními ženami v kategorii, kde k mému úžasu časomíra hlásí, že v úseku stoupání mám 12. nejrychlejší čas z 90 žen.

Když konečně na 30. kilometru začal seběh, byly už svaly výrazně unavené. Jenže pokud člověk běží z kopce pomalu, bojí ještě víc… Loňský semestr strávený v Alpách se nakonec poznal: Zjistila jsem, že nohy už umí číst terén mnohem líp a já se nebojím to kontrolovaným, ale rychlejším tempem pustit dolů, čímž jsem na velmi technickém a prudkém seběhu získala výhodu. Opět mě ale limitovaly omezené možnosti předbíhání. Netrvalo dlouho a doběhla jsem velkou skupinku asi dvaceti lidí, kteří byli blokováni přistáváním helikoptéry ke zraněné závodnici. Několik minut jsme museli čekat, a když nás konečně pustili dál, trvalo mi asi 15 minut předběhnout postupně na úzkých, kamenitých cestičkách celou skupinku.

I když celkově jsem si síly rozvrhla velmi dobře, soudě i podle toho, že jsem celou dobu předbíhala, ale zároveň si nechávala malou rezervu, přece jenom jsem ze sebe chtěla vydat to nejlepší a po předbíhání z kopce jsem poslední dva kilometry měla hodně na hraně, už jsem nemohla a do cíle v centru Grainau jsem doběhla jen s velkým vypětím sil. Skončila jsem nad své očekávání, 29. z 90 v ka­tegorii žen do 40 let a 48. ze 196 žen celkově, v čase 6:25.

Zugspitz byl ve všech směrech nad očekávání krásný a já už se svojí milou běžeckou společností plánuju účast i příští rok. Ještě nevím, jestli bych se pokusila o 60 km dlouhý Supertrail a nebo o vylepšení času a umístění a dostat se třeba do nejlepší patnáctky.

Jeden z mnoha krásných zážitků z Zugspitzu, který mi zůstal vryt do paměti, je, že i když elita si tak jako vždy běžela to svoje, celkově mezi běžci vládla všeobecná pohoda a spokojenost. Nikde jinde se mi nestalo, že bychom doběhli na vršek s krásným výhledem a několik běžců se zastavilo, vybalilo sváču z batůžků, pláclo sebou na lavičku a spokojeně se kochalo výhledem na Zugspitz.

A to je jeden z důvodů, proč mám běhy v horách radši než silnice. Nejenom kvůli krásným výhledům a atmosféře, ale i kvůli tomu, že skyrunneři a trailoví běžci jsou zkrátka pohodáři a srdcaři. Jistě, všude se najdou lidi, kteří to běží proto, aby si něco dokázali, díky Bohu jim ale většinou stačí dokázat si to jednou a pak odpadnou nebo si jdou přidat jinou trofej do sbírky

[hannes1811-blog]

Selfie beim Zugspitz Ultratrail #happy  #lifestyle  #fun  #nature #fitness  #sun  #sunset  #fit  #workout  #adventure  #mountains #zugspitz #ultratrail #like4follow #likeforlike #instagood #instalike #instadaily #instafollow #bigevent # (hier: Zugspitze/ Eibsee)

[willpower-running]

THE CREW

For this, we come together in unison. Different lives become one. Uniting us. Melting our hearts and souls together. We share equal values and one overwhelming passion. For a moment our diverging lives are parallel. For a moment we can be ourselves. For a moment we unite. We eat. We laugh. We chat. We run. We are alive. Together -  The crew.

THE CHALLENGE

Focus. Wrap your mind around this task. It's simple but not easy. It's joy and pain. It's fear and confidence. It's beautiful and grueling. Balance your capabilities and your emotions. Eventually you will master this. Run and Rise Above.

CLEANSING

This challenge strips you down. Bit by bit. Hour after hour. It reduces your thoughts and emotions to the very essential. The true compound of your being. Unfiltered. Unconditional. And absolute. The be-all end-all.

YOU VERSUS YOU

Everyone fights their own battle. No one will help you. No one will judge you. It's you versus you. Will you find what you hope to find? Will you endure all suffering? Will you stand your ground? Yes you will. Overpower - Overcome.

FINISH LINES

And suddenly all the tension, all the joy and pain comes to nothing in the blink of a moment. The unseen implosion, that you share with no one but yourself. They can’t see through your eyes. They haven't run in your shoes. They can’t feel what’s in your heart. It's all yours. For we are runners.

Taken from the “For We Are Runners” Documentary film on YouTube.

[runningcherry-blog]

Tomorrow I'll be running around the famous bavarian Zugspitze: The Zugspitz Ultratrail is calling and I am answering. This time only the Basetrail with about 36km but I am so looking forward to this scenery and beauty that right now it doesn't matter how long I'll take for the race. 

Picture found on trail-tips.com

[patrickccaron]

This past weekend I had the opportunity to return to the beautiful region of Garmisch-Partenkirchen to compete in the Zugspitz Ultratrail, Germany's largest trail race around its highest peak! Last year, I had the incredible experience of running the 100K there, and it was one of the most mentally and physically challenging journeys I've embarked on, making it all the more rewarding. I was thrilled when the idea of returning to the race was presented to me, knowing I could go back with new knowledge and skill sets, to hopefully improve upon my past performance. Unfortunately, the afternoon before the race, the 100K and 80K distances were canceled due to predicted thunderstorms, and we were all given the option to race the 64K distance instead. This meant we'd have a much faster race up front, with a lot more competition as well! The race kicked off in spectacular fashion, and I found myself in the lead pack, running amongst some of the top ultra runners in the world, winners of CCC, TDS, Tarawera, & Ultra Trail Mount Fuji among others. With 3,000 feet of climbing in the first 5 miles, I put my head down and focused on the next small step and the footwork to get me there, instead of looking up at the giant mountains looming overhead. This became a key strategy for the day, as coming from Boston, the immensity of these European mountains could easily become overwhelming. The course was even more beautiful than I remembered, with over 10,000 feet of climbing and some truly epic climbs and descents. I became comfortable with the uncomfortable, and pushed forward, working with my competitors knowing they'd help me get the best out of myself. After almost six hours of racing, the final descent came, and I found myself in 5th place, less than a minute ahead of 6th. Descending 3,000 feet over the last 3 miles, I tried my best to stay upright, working to hold onto my position and give everything I had racing to the finish. Emerging from the trail, sprinting through the town, and rushing across the finish line I thought back through the day and everything I'd overcome, proud to earn a top 5 finish in one of the most competitive fields I've had the chance to be a part of. (at Zugspitze Mountain) https://www.instagram.com/p/By6cfG9nekk/?igshid=1rruifghswv2z

[patrickccaron]

What a pleasure it was to meet several new @salomon teammates of mine at @zugspitz_ultratrail! Makes me even more excited to follow along and support them in their adventures going forward! 🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️ It’s important to remind myself, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” With the teamwork and support of others, anything is possible! 🙌 📷 @philippreiter007 . #TimeToPlay #SalomonSquad #SalomonRunning #RunNomadic #RollBetterPlayBetter #KeepaCoolHead #TeamHeadsweats #CrowAthletics #CrowElite #TrailRunning #Ultrarunning (at Grainau - Salomon Zugspitz Ultratrail)

[patrickccaron]

Thrilled to announce I’ll be traveling to Europe next week to toe the line at the Zugspitz Ultratrail, Germany’s largest ultra running event! Circumnavigating Germany’s highest peak, runners will take on 101.9 kilometers and 17,979 feet of climbing, with some of the most beautiful panoramic views of the Alps. One thing’s for sure, it’s going to be EPIC! 🤘 #TimeToPlay

[willpower-running]

Willpower Athletes Sascha’s moving race report on his Zugspitz Ultratrail 2016 participation and finish. What a great accomplishment! Borrowed by the nice collegues at http://www.movinguphill.com/