Taubertal100 - 100 miles run sub 21h on October 2nd, 21st
Key moments in the 100 mile run
It started on Friday afternoon, to Rothenburg. My friend Carsten accompanied me. His job was to drive to the individual refreshment points for over 20 hours and to keep me happy. Not an easy undertaking.
The registration was carried out corona-compliant and very cordially by the organizers. There was a joint dinner with all runners. The 24h world champion - Florian Reus, my running coach - then gave a lecture on crisis management during long runs. Among other things, he also won the Spartathlon and shared his experiences.
At 4 a.m. it continued on Saturday. Joint meeting at 5.20 a.m. Around 200 runners were greeted by a knight. The Taubertal100 run is a traditional messenger run - from Rothenburg to Wertheim - and when you arrive at the finish you will be knighted. An elaborate running event with great attention to detail.
The start was at 6 o'clock. I had come up with a plan, with a total of 12 milestone points, I should have a certain amount of throughput time to go below the total of 21 hours. Because this was the magical limit for me to qualify for the run in Greece, the Spartathlon over 246 kilometers, my vision.
The weather forecast was good, it was a challenge to tolerate direct sunlight for 3 - 4 hours. But no rain was predicted and no low temperatures were expected for the night.
The run can be briefly divided into two parts: running during the day - up to 100 kilometers and then at night - until 3 a.m. - to cover the other 61 kilometers.
The first crisis came at kilometer 80 - suddenly things slowed down. Basically, I can describe the run with two challenges - perseverance and time pressure. And after about 9 hours, the time pressure arose for the first time - will I be able to beat the 21 hours I'm aiming for? The good news was that I had concentrated and focused 100% on the run beforehand without putting too much pressure on myself, after all, it should also be fun.
My three boys and my dear wife were present at all other supply points from kilometer 70. Together we reached the 100 kilometer goal hand in hand. I am very proud of my family.
It was slowly getting dark, I said goodbye and went to the second round - the night run. There were refreshment points every 10 kilometers - I was still in my target time.
It was still possible to run with short sleeves. I was alone, 30 of the 200 runners had registered for the long distance. Everyone ran more or less alone on the track.
Even if I had taken a close look at the topography and the elevation profile, I found that I could no longer correctly estimate or see the route. There was a certain disorientation - I was slowing down. I already had experiences up to 100 kilometers, but now things got serious, it became important, how do I react, what happens when nothing works, but there are still another 50 kilometers to run? And now it got exciting. I literally counted every kilometer - it took longer and longer, and it got colder. I couldn't feel my legs anymore. In the meantime I had consumed 30 gels and liters of fluids. I had to force myself to take in energy through diet.
110 kilometers, check point, finally, break, sit down, relax. It didn't get better, I slowed down, 120 kilometers, my friend Carsten gave me the rations we had agreed on. I was choking so slowly. Alone, in the dark, it somehow continued, along the Main, another marathon ... meanwhile, at 130 kilometers I was almost 1 hour behind my plan. Shit, sure, arriving healthy is the most important thing for me, but all the preparation, all the focusing and training units, all the support from sponsors and friends ... how should it go on?
I had miscalculated with the break management, had stopped too often and now I fought my way forward step by step, walking breaks. Another 30 kilometers - and my destination seemed a long way off.
Florian Reus had said the evening before that sometimes it is also good not to look at the clock, to take the clock away and to get back into the rhythm. My mental trainer from Switzerland, Marjeta Gurtner, advised me the same.
Without an exact time, I listened to myself and just ran, slowly, but step by step, I didn't take any breaks for the last 30 kilometers and just ran through, ran, I was inside myself, suddenly space and time didn't matter more. I oriented myself towards the goal and was in the now.
Even today I can't really remember the last refreshment stations. The last kilometer was 100 meters in altitude - I couldn't go any more - and only had 15 minutes to reach my destination. My friend Carsten accompanied me the last few meters - finish line - accolade - done. First a beer.
I am overjoyed, the return trip took three hours, I couldn't sleep, the whole thing upset me too much.
My heartfelt and sincere thanks to everyone who supported me and believed in me! I have now run the 100 miles in under 21 hours, so I can qualify for Greece. The registration window for this is early next year - I'm looking forward to it!
