Trail running: four and a half days of running without interruption – sport

Around 50 people gathered at the valley station of the local mountain in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Some are wearing leggings, running shoes and small backpacks, others are standing in front of the black tent in thick down jackets. Music is blaring from the speakers, but there is still not enough snow for après-ski. What brings people together here is a “Backyard Ultra” – an extravagant running event that is limited to 24 hours as a precaution. “So that we can all still have something from the weekend,” says Lisa Buddenberg and laughs. She belongs to the “Nomads”, a trail running community in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, a colorful mix of locals and newcomers with around 30 active participants.

At 4 p.m. sharp, the 34-year-old shouts “Three, two, one!” and drops the wooden start flap. The runners sprint off, accompanied by three dogs and a baby in an all-terrain stroller. You have exactly one hour to cover the 6.7 kilometer route, which is known as a yard in runner’s jargon. For beginners, there is a shorter loop of 4.2 kilometers in Garmisch to encourage as many people as possible to take part. The goal is to complete as many yards as possible – a new round starts every hour until only the last one remains. The theory goes that after 24 laps you would have 100 miles. People also run at night, despite the cold, exhaustion and the temptation to go to a warm bed.

Lisa Buddenberg came up with the idea herself, inspired by the Backyard Ultra Team World Championships that took place in mid-October. National teams completed their rounds at 63 locations around the world with no time limit. The “Backyard Ultra”, which means backyard endurance race, was invented in 2011 by the American Gary Cantrell, who also founded the legendary Barkley Marathons. At the Team World Championships, the nation that completes the most rounds wins. The German team, consisting of two women and 13 men, ran in Nuremberg and finished 16th, while Belgium won the title with an impressive 1147 laps. Meanwhile, the last three Belgians remaining in the race also set the world record: They finished the Backyard together after running 110 laps each, which corresponds to 737 kilometers and four and a half new days. Megan Eckert also set the new women’s world record at the team world championship with 87 laps.

The route in Garmisch first leads past the sports center, where the Nomads meet weekly in the summer to train on the tartan track, and then along the forest with a view of the mountains. The sun slowly sets behind the Waxensteine ​​and the sky turns light orange. In the first round, the view helps with the effort, but soon darkness falls. The crew then places candles at the markers, and the runners wear headlamps and glow sticks to remain visible to others. The first strategies soon emerge: one runner slows down her pace uphill to save energy, others sprint as if they were aiming to get there quickly – perhaps also to have more time for regeneration. At kilometer four, “Hat Fun” is written on the asphalt in orange spray paint. At the turning point of the route, the Zugspitzbahn bell rings punctually as you enter Alpspitzbahnhof. The first runners now turn back and cheer on those coming towards them.

The race in Garmisch is officially over at nine o’clock the next morning

“It’s actually a shame,” says Lisa Buddenberg, who comes from near Bielefeld. “I would have liked to try the challenge myself.” In the heated tent, she provides the participants with tea, soup, fresh fruit, cookies and rubber animals. A track and field athlete as a youth, she started trail running six years ago and appreciated the free spirit of the sport. “It’s not the speed that counts, it’s the connection to nature,” she says. For her, the Nomads are a sports group and a circle of friends at the same time.

The first runners of the second round return at 5:36 p.m. They traveled quickly, says René Claußnitzer, one of the founders of the Nomads. But for him today it’s not about sticking to the challenge. He is also part of the support team. Four years ago, the Erzgebirge native moved to Garmisch to be closer to the mountains. He started running eight years ago, partly to counteract the parties and alcohol. It’s easier for him if there’s a half marathon the next day. A running group, the Pacekillers, had also been founded in Dresden at the time, but they were more active on the streets. Meanwhile, cross-country running communities are also increasing, which is a worldwide phenomenon. The 34-year-old now brings the party onto the trail with the Nomads, for example when they stand on the side of the path with horns, bells and megaphones at the Zugspitz-Ultra, the most famous trail race in Germany, and cheer on the runners.

What’s important at the Backyard Ultra today? “Eat, eat, eat,” says Claußnitzer, who has a bushy, long black beard and a gold nose ring. In addition, there is temperature management, not to get too cold even during breaks – and to divide your energy well. But the crucial thing is the “Iron Mind” to say: “Hey, one round is still possible”. The Nomads are named that way because the group is open to everyone, regardless of whether the person lives in Garmisch or not or what their background is. “For us it’s about community and the joy of running,” he says.

The race in Garmisch was officially over at nine o’clock the next morning; “Last person standing” was Monika Heitzinger, who had already reduced her speed on slight climbs in the first lap. In the end she was just alone on the route. When she put the last line on the big list on lap 17, she is said to have said: “So, I’m going home now and take a shower.” She then “got a bit tired” of the cold. On Saturday afternoon the community meets for a white sausage breakfast. A few run a lap or two in the sun, just for fun – and that’s what the Nomads are all about.