Schoenbuch Ultra-Trail

The third running of the Schoenbuch Ultra-Trail (SUT 100) was held 15 – 16 October 2016 in the Schoenbuch National Park.  Unlike previous years the weather held in Germany leading up to and during the 2016 SUT resulting in stunning race conditions.  Daytime temperatures were mild with Saturday evening nice and chilly.  Georg Kunzfeld set a new course record completing the 102 miles in 21:06 while Inge van Bergen came back again in 2016 to win the women’s title in 30:41.

(Photo Courtesy of Liviu) 

The 165 kilometer event is organized and directed by Andreas Loeffler with support from a super team of helpers made up of family members and friends from the small German village of Dettenhausen.  Andreas kicks off the SUT weekend the Friday evening prior to the race at the Sport Center in Dettenhausen with a race briefing and dinner.  More than anything else this pre-race get together is an intimate opportunity to see old friends and to meet new ones. 

The Saturday morning start(s) were relaxed.  Based on several runners requests Andreas organized two starts, one at 0700 and the other at 0800.  Seven runners started at 0700 with the remainder of the twenty-one runners going out at 0800.  Andreas warmed up the 0800 start with a fitting musical introduction through Iron Maiden’s “Run to the Hills”.

The SUT is an unmarked point-to-point route that loops around much of the Schoenbuch Forest.  The race is objectively 165KM or 102 miles long and must be accomplished within thirty hours.  The course is “objectively” this distance, but can be somewhat longer given your ability to navigate.  Elevation change over this course is approximately 4050 meters or 13.2K feet.  Beyond the distance the Schoenbuch Ultra Trail is challenging as it’s a trail event.  The trail courses through the forest, along refined and unrefined trail, over roots, rocks, abrupt climbs and descents, forest paths and over, through and under dead fall – a lot of dead fall (Andreas)!

As I mentioned, one of the great things about the SUT is that it is not marked.  Runners are afforded the opportunity to use a GPS, map, and compass.  I am relatively familiar with the Schoenbuch and its terrain as well as the course of the SUT, but would not want to run this course without a GPS that facilitates navigation.  Even while using my GPS and the correct GPS track I got misoriented both during the day and at night.  Have a GPS if you plan on running the SUT.

Seven aid stations (VPs) support the event and are generally evenly spread over the course of the SUT.  For a race of this distance the distribution and number of VPs forces runners to prepare and manage their own nutrition and hydration plans.  Support at each of the VPs was exceptional through the volunteers who were simply tremendous and the fare that was offered.  Pacers are authorized after VP 5.  I am not certain if any runners used pacers during the 2016 SUT.  Personally, I’m not a fan of pacing.  Dig deep cupcake, it’s your 100 miler!  

 (Photos Courtesy of Baumann)

Georg Kunzfled, Benedikt Wenzel and Jeremy Paxson broke away from the pack very early in the race with a blistering pace.  They dominated the race throughout the next twenty-plus hours.  Over the course of the event and its distance the running field spread out considerably.  Georg’s winning time was 21:06 and Claudia and Peer finished in 32:53.  Thankfully there was an enchanting harvest moon on 15 October as I spent a good deal of time trekking over the night course alone.

Highpoints of my race included running with a number of friends including Ramin, Jo, Jörg, Martin, Torsten, Tim, Inge, and Fons and meeting/running with Dieter, Ambrogio and Fredrik.  All of the VPs and their associated volunteers were fantastic, but special mention must go to Jürgen, his wife and Tim who hosted VPs 1 and 6.  Jürgen, himself an accomplished ultra-runner, catered to our every need and as always took some amazing photos.  I’ve been running in the Schoenbuch for more than eight years, but had no idea that there was so much new and unexplored single track.  Andreas – your SUT course improvements were phenomenal.  I’ll be back out there to explore them.  Oh – My compliments on the sock idea as a finisher gift.  Tee-shirts are cool, but the Wright Socks kick ass.

By and large I avoided any low points worth mentioning.  Any 100 miler is a test.  There is truth in the saying that “in a 100 mile race the physical is 90% while the mental stuff are the other 90%”.  My low point usually arrives in the early morning hours around 0300 or 0400.  Fortunately I was able to run with Dieter, Ambrogio, Fredrik and Torsten during this phase.  We shared a lot of laughs and kept one another moving forward.  I got to finish with Torsten who was on his way to complete his German Six Pack (six 100 milers in six weeks).  Damn Torsten... 

 (Photo Courtesy of Andy) 

The Schoenbuch Ultra Trail is a fantastic, friendly, challenging trail event.  I can’t think of a single thing I’d suggest changing.  Andreas - I hope you find the energy to host a fourth SUT in 2018!  Thanks again to you and everyone that organized, supported and ran this amazing event.

2 SUT 100 – Schoenbuch Ultra-Trail

The second running of the Schoenbuch Ultra-Trail (SUT 100) was held 18 – 19 September 2014 in the Schoenbuch Nature Park.  Torrential rains the Thursday and Friday prior to the start of the SUT 100 threatened to deliver typical early Fall German weather.  Uncharacteristically, the weather broke early on Friday and evolved into near perfect running conditions – cool, sunny and no rain.  Beyond the extremely wet and muddy course conditions were exceptional for the twenty-three starters.  Dirk Joos set a course record completing the 100 plus miles in 21:53.  Inge van Bergen, the only female finisher completed her run in 27:31.

The 100+mile event is organized and directed by Andreas Loeffler in the small German village of Dettenhausen.  Andreas initiates the event the Friday evening prior to the start with a relaxed race briefing and pasta party which occurs in the restaurant of the Dettenhausen sport center.  The SUT 100 is a “By Invitation Only” event which ensures a small starter field.  Friday evening provides both an opportunity to get an idea of the course, but also provides runners a chance to meet and socialize with the other runners.  The 2014 “By Invitation Only” starter field is what I’d term an eclectic group.  The runners field included local matadors, someone from China that lives in Norway, a German from Stuttgart that lives in Paris, a Dutchman and woman, Austrians that live in the US, and Americans that live in Germany.

Much like the evening prior the 2014 SUT 100 started with little fanfare and was what many would consider very “chill”.  We twenty-three were all at the sport center well before the start.  Shortly prior to 0800 Andreas gathered us together adjacent to the football field, shared a few last minute details and with little fanfare said, “Go!”

The SUT 100 course is a point-to-point route which loops around much of the perimeter of the Schoenbuch Nature Park.  The race is limited by a thirty hour time limit with a number of cut offs sprinkled at various VPs.  The SUT course features (I’m guessing) about seventy five miles of very single track trail.  Tim Scott characterized the course as “very runnable”.  I have somewhat different opinion as my recollections indicate that the trail offered difficult footing because of rocks, roots, deadfall, abrupt climbs and descents, standing water and mud.  Of the approximately 4064m of elevation change much of the climbing occurs over the last third of the course – Yes!  Although the course was very well marked I would not run the SUT 100 without a GPS.  There were portions of the course where the markings had been removed or it was simply so dark in the forest that you could not navigate to the next point without a GPS.  Seven aid stations (VPs) support the event with pacers authorized after VP 5.  For a 100+mile course the distribution and number of VPs provides an additional challenge for runners forcing you to ensure that you have enough to eat and drink between approximate twenty kilometers between VPs.  Support at each VP was exceptional as each provided wonderful volunteers that catered to your every wish and a cornucopia of beverages and food.

Jin Cao and Dirk Joos led early with very solid times into the first VP.  They would dominate the race throughout the next twenty-plus hours.  Over the course of the event we lost eight runners to various issues and at various distances. Thankfully there were no serious injuries or accidents.  Tim Scott and I approached the 2014 SUT 100 very conservatively as our various VP gates demonstrate.  I had a great time running with him, Tom, Johannes and the various others that we joined or that joined us over the course of this long distance adventure.  As I’ve said before, an ultra of this character is a singularly personal experience and endeavor; it is always great to work through the inevitable challenges with someone else.  I think that Tim and I compliment one another in our approach and I hope to tackle another adventure with him in the not too distant future.

Highpoints of my race included a number of different locations and experiences.  Jürgen Baumann and his wife who hosted VPs 1 and 6 are simply fantastic.  Jürgen is himself a very accomplished ultra-runner and knows how to cater to your each and every need.  Roman Schaictal and VP 7.  Roman – I was a little mentally “checked out” by the time I got to your VP.  Thanks for sharing the laughs!  I’ve been running in the Schoenbuch for going on six years, but had no idea that there was so much excellent single track to explore and run.  My compliments to Andreas on his course – simply exceptional!  My thanks and compliments to the Schoenbuch Braumanufaktur.  I generally do not like their beer.  However, they brew an excellent alcohol free Hefeweissen that I got to enjoy at each VP.

Low points…  Na – None for me.  As Tim said, “the SUT offers a very runnable course”.  OK…  There were a few, but not as many as I feared as I toed the start line on Saturday morning.  The night, a sliver of a moon when it finally came up, the arch of your reality becomes only the light which your dying headlamp casts at your feet.  Fortunately, my low hit an hour or so before the sun came up on Sunday morning.  While in this low I consciously and deliberately monitored my food and beverage intake and focused on casting out any negative thoughts.  I really worked to see negativity as clouds that would drift in.  I made a focused effort to mentally watch them blow away.  For me, events of this character come down to mental and motivational fortitude.  No kidding, yes, it is going to physically suck, but the mind and your spirit can accomplish much more than you appreciate sitting there reading this or while out on the trail.  Embrace the darkness and demand that it is your own.

The SUT 100 is an exceptional trail running event!  There were no shortages or failures associated with the organization.  Race volunteers are a wonderful group of people – my thanks to each and everyone of you that supported our running of the SUT 100.  (I’m still looking for the address of the farmer from Nufringen that provided the potatoes. Simply wonderful!)  Count me in for the 2016 SUT 100!