at home… in China

Lap 1: Start Gmunden Schubertplatz up onto Grünberg

this is a good space for comments, or not?

Lap 2: Grünberg to the Start of the Naturfreundesteig

Altitude recording may be a bit strange here, because I only remembered to set a correct reference altitude towards the end of this lap (getting to the edge of the lake again).

Lap 3: Naturfreundesteig up onto Traunstein

The beginning of this part – going straight up with the help of metal ropes and steps, fortunately promises worse than what the entirety of the trail is like. There are quite a few shuffles up rocks, grabbing on to the safety line, and even instances where the path suddenly goes up a sheer rock face into which metal steps have been mounted.
Nothing for the faint of heart.

Actually, the highest point is 1575 m – t6c is showing 1572. I guess I reset the reference altitude quite well.

Lap 4: Down the Traunstein to Mairalm

Uff. A lap to see the difference to the pros: Took me about 2/3s as long to get down as to go up. One of the record holders of this mountain marathon needs 47 minutes up, and 17 minutes down… How good this isn’t quite considered a race.

Lap 5: Mairalm to Karbach

Finally, nice forest roads again. Making good time, feeling in recovery from Traunstein.
Hearing bad things about what’s to come, though…

Lap 6: Karbach to Daxnersteig, up to the Spitzlsteinalm

I was warned about this, and it is all true. – The path is quite difficult to find (though that was better than expected), and the way up is long and difficult, and once going up, it goes up relentlessly, without a pause.
Heart rate suddenly peaked going up here, I felt like that might be it. It settled down, though, and once I was reaching the top, I refreshed myself and found I did have quite a bit more energy left in me.

By the looks of it, this is where the GPS-POD had the most problems with signal reception and thought the route was much longer – although, it did seem at least that long.

Lap 7: Down Spitzlsteinalm, through Rindbach to Ebensee

Not too bad a descent (some rocks, some tree roots, but we have seen worse already), and soon hitting paved roads. How long pounding the pavement through villages can seem. Especially when the feet have already taken a pounding and the shoes aren’t quite made for that ground.
Still, this is (more than, actually) the half-way point.

Lap 8: From Ebensee up onto the Feuerkogel

Stairs. They are supposed to help one move up, but the legs feel much heavier on them than when it’s just a path. Not to fear, though: There are quite enough mountain tracks to go up, too. It’s another long slouch up, but I chatted up the girl I had been trailing up the Grünberg, and we wound our way up steadily.
Plus, it’s the last of the high peaks already!

Lap 9: Down the Feuerkogel by way of Pledialm, to In der Kreh

On a path I had hiked up two weeks ago. It is as difficult as I remember, especially now that the feet hurt more and more: the trails of rocks and roots aren’t ideal, and the hard-packed surface of forest roads is not good either.
Still, the views are great, seeing the Traunstein in the distance and thinking that I have been there already today…

Lap 10: From In der Kreh up over Hochsteinalm, and down to Mühlbach

Through more forest paths, winding the way up – and then rather more nicely, i.e. slowly – back down again.
Anyways, only two more – dare I say it? – hills to go…

Lap 11: Mühlbach over and up Grasberg

What should be one of the easiest parts, only that the legs are getting very tired. Next time, I need to change not only into other (warm-weather) tights, but also into road running-shoes at this point.
Wait, am I really thinking about a next time already? Must be the heat…

Lap 12: Grasberg to Gmundnerberg

I hit the "lap"-button one too many times at Grasberg, hence the different lap number. I guess it reflects the exhaustion at that point. Still, marching on. The end is near.

Lap 13: Down Gmundnerberg, and through Gmunden to the Finish

A little surprised by how the path is going, it’s a bit different from how I expected. At least we are hitting a muddy trail again – now, that’s what the shoes I had decided to use would really be made for.
The paved roads slow me down again, but of course there was still enough energy left for running the last kilometer.
The last few meters, kids cheered me on and even ran with me. Sweet. And sort of embarassing.
That there is still enough energy left for the final run, and even for embarassment… I’m counting it as a good sign.

I did it. I turned 30 this year, the mountain marathon had its 20th anniversary.This auspicious time, the first try, I finished.