Uphill Diaries: Leoben - Mixnitz (Bike), FKT Steiermark Sprint Route (Run), Mixnitz

After the previous week's 40k run, I was feeling alive again. The next week during my runs I didn't feel any excessive fatigue. That's a good sign. At the same time I had three things in my mind: (1) the next weekend is going to be a long one again, (2) the weather is going to be excellent ("wolkenlos"), (3) I need to bring my mountain bike from Leoben to Graz.

Also, I was playing with this idea of running the FKT Styria sprint route again. The first and only time that I did that route was in June 2020; such a beautiful, technical route, around 25k with approximately 2000 m of elevation gain. In 2020 I didn't take water with myself in that run (an indication of "easy run"). So during the week I had this plan: on Sunday, November 31, go to Leoben by train, take the bike and ride until Mixnitz. Take a "short" break there and run this route. And continue riding until home.

For this run I decided not to do the same crazy things I did the previous week. On Saturday I almost didn't do anything. I did a short run. Afternoon I was at home, reading, watching series. I ate well. Slept apparently enough. This time I was "really" gonna enjoy my long day.

How naive I am.. Still.

I took my hiking backpack with me. I put my running equipment (water bladder, running backpack, gloves, food, etc) in this backpack. I also took extra warm clothes to wear them after running. I didn't dare going too light, as there were many unknown parameters for me during this day: Such a high volume of running and bike riding in a single day was new for me. It was fall with all its cold/fresh weather and short days. It was Sunday, no open supermarkets easy to find. No water sources that I knew. So I preferred to take more clothes, rather than risking it (in the end it turned out I took just enough of everything, nothing was too much).

Session 1

In the morning everything went as planned. At 9:18 am I reached Leoben, mechanically I did everything I was planning to do. Started to ride towards Mixnitz. I know the way until there, as I have done it by bike multiple times. I was feeling well, listening to some music, not pushing too much. I knew I am going to need my legs for the run. My plan was to push harder on the way to Graz, after the run. But I was not worried of being too late that I had to ride in darkness.

Session 2

I reached Mixnitz. Parked the bike at the parking place. I took my running equipment out. I was careful not to miss anything, to take everything with me. I also took 1,5 lt of water. After double checking everything I started to run. The first km went easy, after that all the hassle started.

My legs were feeling extremely heavy. My pack was also heavy. I thought I am taking too much water. The first time I did the same route without water, why would I need 1,5 of water now? So I started to drink early to make my pack lighter. But it didn't help. I was very slow. The trail was rocky, making it inefficient to run. It was more efficient to hike. So I was trying to find some balance between running and hiking.

The first climb, which happens to be also the biggest climb of the run: 7.8 km, 1250 m of elevation gain. It reaches the highest point of the run; 1713 m, Hochlantsch. Such a beautiful view, such a beautiful place to be. After this climb a downhill section starts, which leads to Teichalm, which is basically a lake on a plateau. From there another climb starts. This climb also marks the half of the route. So one should be happy to be here: only around 13 km more to go, with only around 650 elevation gain.

The thing is, I was already feeling very tired. Every jump from tree roots and stones on the trail were getting harder and harder. It was a neuromuscular problem. Accumulated fatigue makes muscles harder to function. So I had to be even more careful not to trip and fall; which also meant I needed to go slower.

The uphill led me to the Rote Wand. Unable to run, I was just trying to "move" fast. At some point on a flat trail covered with grass I tripped to a small rock and fell. I was embarrassed.

After the Rote Wand starts another downhill section, and the final uphill starts to the Röthelstein. The beautiful peak which is visible from my train commutes between Graz and Leoben. I basically hiked that uphill section, and when I arrived to the top I was just forcing myself to move. I didn't know what was wrong with me.

I knew that after this peak the last downhill of the run is ahead. I remember that the first time I spent unexpectedly too much time on this section, because it was just too steep. Steep trails, scree (veeery fun to run down), and the section which was secured by metallic chains. I spent again a lot of time here, until I reached to the normal trail leading me to the start.

I reached to the starting point, which is in front of a Gasthaus. I went to the Gasthaus to drink a big glass of mineral water with lemon. People there were looking at me in a weird way. I was unaware of the mess on my face.

Session 3

After finishing my "Sodazitron", I finished all my energy bars and started to ride around 16:15. My expectation was to ride as fas as I could. But after the exhaustion of the run it was not possible to ride fast. I was 3, 4 minutes slower in every 5 km than my estimations in the morning.

I was not completely familiar with the bike road from Mixnitz to Graz. I had done it only once, around 3 years ago. And in that time I also had difficulties to find the right way. Another bad news: it was getting dark. I put my head torch in front of my bike. But my back light didn't have battery. So I was just hoping to ride forward as much as I can until a police car stops me. I also prepared a lie for that case: "It should have been turned off during my ride without me realizing it."

Riding in total darkness, with only a fake bike ride illuminating the couple of meters ahead of me was a new, and very strange feeling. Every city on the way was like a checkpoint for me, so that in the worst case I can ride back and go to the train station and wait for the train to Graz. I was exhausted, didn't have light, and was tired of trying to stay on the bike road, and not to miss the right turn at every junction. So the idea of riding the train was attractive.

Another bad news: my head torch decided to alarm me that it is running out of battery. Great! Murphy's law was working. When I reached Gratwein I stopped to check the train hours. There was one in 35 minutes to Graz. I hesitated for a short time, but in the end I decided to continue to ride. It was only around 15 km to Graz from where I was standing. In normal situations this distance wouldn't mean much to me. So I decided to stop the negative thoughts, and to just move forward.

Finally when I reached my street I was almost crying: from happiness from keeping my promise to myself, being loyal to my initial plan.

Conclusion

I am very glad to have humbling experiences. I hope I can have these kinds of lessons in the future too. These are the actual days that make difference in ones long-term progress towards becoming a better endurance athlete, or a better self. I could also call these lessons "adventures" but I don't want to. I don't like this word, as it is being used by the people calling their boring life events, the people who I do not associate myself with. If tourists driving their luxury cars to get to the mountains, while doing a hike and take nice photos of themselves with mountain backgrounds for Instagram call their experiences adventures, I would happily call my long days "activities".