GroSglockner Berglauf – Austria – By Anna F… Written on July 19, 2010, by matt.
With 900 participants and a great female organising committee I had always heard this was a great race/event to go to.
As a human I do sometimes find it easier to do what I know and sometimes this means going to the same races instead of trying something new. So this year I am making a point of trying new races in new places and in different distances.
GroSglockner is the highest mountain in Austria and the race begins in the village Heiligenblut (1247m), and over the next 13kms follows the valley up towards the GroSglockner glacier, over the moraine and finishes at the Kaiser Franz Josef Hutt (2370m) with a 1km timetrial ascenting 250 vertical metres. It is a real mountain running race – although at times I definately had to power walk up the steep bits.
I was very excited to be part of the event and a little nice nervousness to be racing a new course. It was slightly drizzling and a bit cloudy which imade it perfect racing conditions for me. I set off at the front and stayed there for 1.27.58hours to win the race as well as the vertical timetrial.
The mens field was stacked with great international runners – with Jono Wyatt, 5 Kenyans, Markus Kroll and Robert Kupricka just to name a few. They had a close finish in 1.08hours (which I could hear from down on the moraine) with Jono chasing 2 of the Kenyans but just not able to close the 30second gap.
A great event for all the family with kiddies races, a fun 5km race and 3 wave starts for all abilities.
Anna x
