26.07. – Alpsee-Run Immenstadt – Overall victory with course record
Why I’ve just picked out a trail / mountain running as a training race, I do not remember. I know, however, that it a) payed off and I b) had a “tons of fun”. Always triathlon, running straight on the road or laps on the track can get boring 🙂 The “Nature park running around the large Alpsee” is not only due to its scenic location in the beautiful Allgäu worth a visit; all lovers of exceptional running experience will get paid off. There are two categories, 15km and 485 HM (high meters) and 25km with 950HM. I have chosen the latter; so what ..
Common start time was at 8 o’clock am on the eastern shore of Lake Alpsee, with an identical route of around 14 kilometres. I knew my competition from the list of participants, I had especially in sight a runner of my age from Osnabrück (marathon personal best 2:52h). And so it happened: she run 30-40’’ away within the first 3km; an announcement! But then came the (first) mountain and so my time 🙂 I had the sense of flying the 4.5km long climb with 250 meters and thus assumed the overall lead (also in the 15km categorie!). The rather steep 3km downhill was also as fast as possible, I haven’t had a clue if and how my competitors would catch up with me on it longer flat passage (approximately 8km):
After the split between 15 and 25km, I was not quite aware of my gap, looking back up the mountain I saw some runners, but felt reasonably safe; but alerted! So I run controlled – and lonely – on the shore of Lake Alpsee and finally had time to enjoy the scenery! After the said flat part it was then technically and altitude-technically again demanding: Narrow trails, many stony stairs, small streams and violent ramps with around 10-12% slopes waited on uns. “Do not go”, was then not so easy. But because I still did not know how big the advantage was, I gritted my teeth, thinking all the time about the cyclists of the Tour de France (which I daily pursued in detail), who rode in the last 21 days 80h and over 3,000 kilometres. Against that, such a mountain run is a piece of cake, frankly.
Only at 24 km an even more lonely marshals cheered me up and mentioned the victory. Yery cool. So that was it. After 2:04 I crossed the finish line overjoyed as 1st woman, 8th place overall (99 participants) and with my 4th overall win this season. But the greatest surprise was the new course record on the 25km!
Ah yes, the former mentioned runner opted on short notice for the 15k. 2nd women was Heidrun Besler in 2.07h. Born 1956. Chapeu !!
I have now a hard week ahead before tapering starts for the first highlight of this year: 70.3 The Championship in Wiesbaden.
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