A Spontaneous Decision, an Unforgettable Day

27 June 2025, 08:29:30 — Neustift im Stubaital
30 seconds to the start. I’m standing in the middle of the crowd, about 50 meters behind the line. A moment of awareness hits me — I’m about to run 32 kilometers of alpine trails with over 2,300 meters of elevation gain. I’m ready.
“Highway to Hell” blasts from the speakers — the atmosphere is electric. The starting shot cracks. We’re off.

One Week Earlier

Sitting on my sofa, an email from Plan B lands in my inbox. “After ZUT is before SUT.” I’ve run the Zugspitz Ultratrail three times and loved every single one. I get a flashback — that trail feeling. Without overthinking, I register.
Spontaneous.
Am I ready for this kind of distance? I’ll find out soon.

Hotel Rogen — Old-School Charm

Since I registered last minute, I wasn’t expecting much in terms of accommodation. But I managed to grab the last room at Hotel Rogen — lucky me.
The hotel has the cozy charm of the ’80s, and I like it. I ask the owner about breakfast. Big surprise: on race day, breakfast starts at 5:30 — cooked personally by the owner.
If that’s not runner-friendly, I don’t know what is.

Race Vibes and the Expo

Plan B, the organizer of the Stubai Ultra Trail, really knows what they’re doing. They’re experienced, passionate, and everything runs smoothly.
Neustift is a small mountain village — but this weekend it turns into a trail runner’s party zone. Music, good energy, and a vibrant expo full of tempting gear.
(Did you see the new Komperdell poles? I’ll grab a pair once my LEKIs give up.)
I pick up my bib, grab some cool merch — thanks Ledlenser for the bag! — and stick around to watch the start of the Stubai Sunnenseit’n Trail. 16 km, 750 meters of elevation. If you’re planning your first trail race — this is a great one to start with.

How to Use Your Pasta Party Voucher — the Smart Way

With your registration, you get a 20 € voucher you can use in local restaurants. Great idea!
I ended up at Herr Klaus — excellent food, perfect location. I enjoyed my dinner so much I forgot to use the voucher. But the super-friendly restaurant staff found a solution: I swapped it for a bottle of their fantastic house wine.
Pretty sure I’m the first trail runner to trade a pasta-party voucher for wine. Not sorry.

Midnight Start for the Brave Ones

While I was already asleep, the runners of the STUBAIER HÖHENWEG were starting their 78 km and 5,930 m elevation beast. Respect!
Maybe one day. I really like the idea of running into the sunrise.

Back to the Start

And here we are. 08:30.
I start steady — flat terrain, gradual climb. I’m somewhere in the middle of the field, just keeping a solid pace.
The first climb is serious: 7 km, 770 meters up. I reach the first checkpoint a few minutes before the cut-off. That surprised me. I knew I wasn’t at peak fitness, but I didn’t expect the cut-offs to be a challenge.
The climb continues for another 600 meters. It’s hot, and I’m sweating like crazy.

Downhill begins. Relief at first, but it’s steep and technical — focus is everything. I glance at my watch. If everything works out, I’ll reach checkpoint two (km 16) just in time.
At 11:45, I pass km 16. Cut-off time is 12:00. All good.
Except the checkpoint isn’t there.
It’s down in the valley — and between me and it, a steep downhill inferno. I push hard and get there at 12:05.

I ask the first person I see:
“Am I too late?”
“Technically, yeah.”
Oof. Disappointment. I expected checkpoint two at km 16, but it was actually closer to km 19.

Then — good news: the cut-off had been extended by 15 minutes here and by 1 hour 15 minutes at the next checkpoint.
Instant energy boost. I refill my bottles and push on.

And Then I Hit the Wall

The next climb is brutal.
I had a tomato, cucumber, and some peanuts at the last aid station — not the smartest combination. My stomach feels heavy, and I’m dizzy. All I can think about is lying down and sleeping.
It’s hot, my heart rate is through the roof, my brain is melting.

Looking back, I see three rookie mistakes:

1. Nutrition — Never try new food combinations on race day.
2. New gear — I wore a new white reflective cap. It looked smart, but trapped heat and didn’t let sweat evaporate. From km 4 I was basically showering in my own sweat.
3. Not adjusting early — I ignored all the warning signs. In mountain races, listening to your body is critical. Taking 2–3 minutes to fix a problem early can save you 30 minutes later.

Eight painful kilometers and 753 thoughts of giving up later, it starts to get better. My body finds its rhythm again.
I’m running. Steady. Focused.
The views are incredible. The vibe is strong.
Eventually — the finish line.

7h 31m 54s.
Last but one runner to cross the line without disqualification.
Tired. Happy.

I lie down on the warm asphalt in the center of Neustift. I need 15 minutes to come back to life.
Cold shower. Finisher shirt. Big smile.
It was worth it.