Random thoughts
Friday, January 24, 2020
The not so extreme extreme tour
Extreme cold, extreme weather, extreme wind, the 24h Burgenland Extrem Tour has seen them all. This year was unusual with near-perfect conditions, dry weather, temperatures around the freezing point and almost no wind. Only the high fog blocked the sun throughout the day, painting the landscape in a diffuse gray light.
After last year’s participation had ended abruptly, I was looking forward to another opportunity to participate in this unique event. Months ahead there was no doubt that I would be well-prepared and ready. Sadly, reality strikes and in the last two months I skipped most planned trainings for various reasons, good or otherwise, and barely scored 40 kms without any long runs.
At 04:30 in the morning a happy crowd started the journey in Oggau. Thanks to the dry weather, the tracks were much easier to run and faster this year. The first supply stop in Balf offered hot tea and cold chocolate cookies, good for a quick stop, and I reached Hegykő about half an hour earlier than last year.
The tour continued on frozen dirt roads and hiking paths alongside the Fertő-Hanság National Park, best known for its bird population. At this time of the year the only birds I saw were starlings flying in formations. Leading through an absolutely flat plain, the paths never seemed to end.
I got as far as Apetlon and, with an extra round through the town, finished here after just shy of 60 kilometers running and walking. That's more than half the distance of the 24 h Burgenland Extrem Tour, still a few kilometers missing for the full tour around Lake Neusiedl.
Congratulations to all finishers, extreme thanks to the organizers for another well-organized event, and I will be back for the 24 Stunden Burgenland Extrem Tour in 2021! #running #fdl #livelovemove #BurgenlandExtrem
After last year’s participation had ended abruptly, I was looking forward to another opportunity to participate in this unique event. Months ahead there was no doubt that I would be well-prepared and ready. Sadly, reality strikes and in the last two months I skipped most planned trainings for various reasons, good or otherwise, and barely scored 40 kms without any long runs.
The tour continued on frozen dirt roads and hiking paths alongside the Fertő-Hanság National Park, best known for its bird population. At this time of the year the only birds I saw were starlings flying in formations. Leading through an absolutely flat plain, the paths never seemed to end.
I got as far as Apetlon and, with an extra round through the town, finished here after just shy of 60 kilometers running and walking. That's more than half the distance of the 24 h Burgenland Extrem Tour, still a few kilometers missing for the full tour around Lake Neusiedl.
Congratulations to all finishers, extreme thanks to the organizers for another well-organized event, and I will be back for the 24 Stunden Burgenland Extrem Tour in 2021! #running #fdl #livelovemove #BurgenlandExtrem
Labels: running