Back in January, I registered for this race due to happen in May. This is because the logistics involved in doing an international trail race are a bit much. So in the first week of February, when I got the news that the severe back pain that had been bothering me was much more than a simple spasm, it was a big shock!
I had almost given up the thought of being able to do this race, but my physio assured me that I’ll get there if I do a rigorous rehab. Fast forward three months - after a lot of boring rehab work, I found myself at the start line in Innsbruck - feeling fit and healthy.
When I’m training for a trail marathon under normal circumstances, the training is pretty standard: 7-10 hours of weekly running, while mimicking the elevation profile and trail type I’m going to face. But the injury complicated things this time. I was limited to four days of running and had to get the rest of the volume through cross-training.
Since I had only 6-8 weeks to prepare for this race while recovering from injury, creativity became essential. I had to do smart work instead of hard work. The training plan I developed was based on these principles:
| Day | AM | PM |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Medium long run | 90 minutes – 2 hours | Short strength session |
| Tuesday | Short recovery run | 40–50 minutes | |
| Wednesday | Tempo speed work on flats (20 min WU + 30–40 min speed + 15 min CD) | Short strength session |
| Thursday | Recovery bike ride | 90 minutes | |
| Friday | Long run | 2.5 – 3.5 hours (simulate race terrain) | |
| Saturday | Muscular endurance | 90-min hike with 5–8 kg weight | Short strength session |
| Sunday | Rest day |
20-minute mobility routine for injury rehab done 7–10 times per week.
I did 4 specific long runs to simulate the elevation profile of my race. The course had a long 13 km downhill section after the first big climb. It was important to condition the legs for these steep and rooty trails.
It is one thing to do a fast downhill in isolation, but completely different to do it sandwiched between two big climbs. Simulating this race profile in training helped me a ton.
I also practised my nutrition and hydration strategy thoroughly during these long runs. The goal was to get in something between 80–90 grams of carbs or 320–360 Kcal per hour. By the last long run, my gut was well trained to ingest these many calories while being on the move.
I also wore my running vest and carried the mandatory gear in my last two long runs to get used to the weight.
Checking the race course before the event can be a game-changer in trail races. This is especially tricky since you’re always tapering before a race. I showed up at my race venue a week before race day, which allowed me to do a long run on the course and check a key section. It helped me to know what to expect, so I could manage my effort even better.
Having not raced in the last six months due to various circumstances, it would have been natural to expect pre-race nerves. But I felt surprisingly calm and focused. There’s a profound sense of gratitude that comes after a setback.
Forget racing with a time goal, I couldn’t have even imagined being here after the injury. Everything ahead of me felt like a bonus, and I was stoked to enjoy the trails around Innsbruck!
Part 1 : Choose to believe. (0 - 13kms)
The race started pretty hot from the gun, as expected. Folks sprinted out as if they were running a 5K. I was really focused on keeping my effort under control and not getting carried away. So I was shocked to find myself running at 3:30/km down the hill when I glanced at my watch. I significantly reduced my pace, let runner after runner go ahead of me, and kept my ego in check. Irrespective of all these efforts, the heart rate seemed to linger between 175–178 bpm, which scared me.
A race that starts with an 800m climb right off the bat can be a bit intimidating, especially when the climbs are too steep to run. The sun was rising right beside us, and I was already beginning to feel a bit warm. I was climbing hands-on-knees, trying to stick with a lady who was moving at my pace. The mind kept playing tricks - you’re going too slow, why does the effort feel so high, it’s too soon in the race to be this warm!
I had a calm conversation with myself and brought my attention to the present. I had process goals for each section, and it was important to stay focused. I wanted to pace myself smartly and run my own race because that’s how I’d get the fastest time with this fitness. I stayed mindful of that throughout the first climb, up to the one-hour mark.
The good news was that the body was responding well muscularly, and I could push myself despite the heavy breathing and high heart rate. I was stoked about that. I made some adjustments to the fueling plan on the go, switching to smaller gels instead of the bigger ones. After about 1-1.5 hours into the race, I consciously decided to stop looking at my HR and go by feel. Saving my legs by being smart on the small downhills, but still letting gravity pull me a bit, knowing there was a lot of downhill yet to come.
Part 2 : Don’t wait! (13 - 23kms)
I was getting a bit antsy after the first climb because I was already running slightly behind my time goals for that section. Then came the perfect reason to push a bit. In the forest section following the first uphill, I found another runner breathing down my neck. He wasn’t willing to back off and stuck close behind me. Instinctively, I decided to open up my stride, winding between the twists and turns of the lovely forest trail. It was a fairly technical section, full of endless roots! Dropping this guy was so much fun, and I felt totally in control.
I was back to running entirely on feel. I had to trust that I’d put enough miles on my legs and that they wouldn’t blow up. Seeing a masters runner fly down a steep downhill gave me another nudge to not play it too safe! I shortened my stride and chose my lines - quick steps and light feet were the name of the game.
Once we came out of the forest, the path got smoother, and I found myself among a solid group of guys who were keeping the pace honest. I was acutely aware that I was reaching the halfway mark and was okay with my time so far. I had done 21.4 km with close to 1200 m of elevation gain in 2 hours and 30 minutes. At the same time, it was a bit scary knowing that half the race was still left, and I had already been pushing hard. But I also had a few things going well for me - I had been staying on top of calories and regularly dunking water on myself to stay cool. This ensured that my energy levels stayed stable, as long as I didn’t slip up on nutrition.
Part 3 : Find your flow! (23 - 29 kms)
Having seen the key sections of the race in advance came in quite handy, because I knew exactly what to expect. I flew through the aid station at the 23rd km without stopping—as planned. I had previously scouted this section up to the 29 km aid station at Kranebitten, where I expected to see my friend Siddarth. As I was adapting again to the rooty trails, another runner came blazing past me on the downhill. He wasn’t pleased that I had used the aid station stop to overtake him. I had a brief chat with him and encouraged myself to run alongside. He was setting a solid pace on the downhills, and I would catch back up on the uphills. The kilometres ticked by as we adapted our pace to the terrain and ran together for the next half hour.
I was energised to see the cheering at the aid station as Sid quickly handed me my filled soft flasks. The transition was seamless. In total, my aid station stopping time throughout the race was under one minute. The best part was that I had never felt this strong, energy-wise, three hours into a race!
Part 4 : Ouch (29 - 43 kms)
It ain’t over until it’s over. Now came the final 2 climbs of the race. I alternated a run-walk up the gentle gradients until we hit the steep forest section. I was barely inching forward on the 20%+ grades. Hands on knees, eyes on the ground, 10 steps of hiking, a couple steps of jogging. This carried on for an hour during which I was hurting the most. Energy levels were okay but my muscles had barely anything more to give on the uphills. Lowest of the low.
I attached myself to another runner who overtook me and was moving decently up the climbs. Forced myself to another gel and barely stopped myself from puking. The middle section between the last 2 climbs was slow moving and I could see my time target falling away. While this thought was demoralising, I did not allow myself to entertain negative thoughts. Decided to not look at my watch and focus entirely on what was possible at that very moment.
A group of 3 runners overtook me on the final climb, where I was basically crawling up the hill. Somehow the seemingly endless final climb was over and I started the final 4 km steep downhill section to the finish. Small hints of cramps that I had been ignoring suddenly became very loud. Surprisingly my calves were cramping, something that had rarely happened in the past. It was just a sign of how I had given everything to get here I suppose. I continued running with a weird form to compensate for the cramps, just using gravity to move downhill. The cramps were just a minor distraction and I had a feeling that they would fade away as I ran more downhill and that’s exactly what happened.
This is something that only comes with experience and I was glad that I did not panic in the moment. I moved up a gear with every passing kilometer as the downhill muscles woke up, and crossed 2 runners who had passed me moments before in the last climb. I was flying down the hill behind another runner, matching him stride for stride. In the final flat kilometer, I was still sipping some calories, marching towards the finish among rows of cheering spectators! That was an insane feeling of gratitude and accomplishment.
Mindset
Couldn’t have been better throughout the day. Small hints of doubts here and there, but I managed them pretty well. I had this ‘fighting’ mindset all day - nail the kilometre that you are in - be grateful for this opportunity to push yourself. Somewhere at the back of my mind, I knew that I’m gonna keep digging, no matter what.
Body
This race gave me a lot of experience and confidence in how to manage long races. I’m always scared of going too hard in the first half and blowing up later. But this time around I wasn’t running scared and found myself pushing earlier in the race than I would have otherwise. The last 4-6 weeks of build up especially with the longer long runs really prepared the legs well for a 5 hour race!
Shoes
Changed my mind after arriving in Innsbruck and made a decision to run with the Salomon S/lab Genesis. And it was the perfect call! Felt so smooth in moving over technical terrain - quick, light feet and fast strides. Loved the shoe!
Nutrition + Hydration
Ended up consuming 85 gms CHO or 340 Kcal per hour with 600mL of fluids per hour. 80mg caffeine in breakfast and 200mg caffeine during the run. Really happy with how I managed this, essentially the only thing that helped me survive the last hour of the race!
Though I did not meet my time goal for this race, I am so proud of myself for these last 3 months. I poured in hours and hours of boring, annoying rehab work to make this start line. I did everything that was in my control and flipped the script after a major injury. This opens up a world of possibilities in my mind for the future!
Sannat is an accomplished trail runner, an architect, and a personal growth enthusiast. He represented India at the 2023 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships. From running his first marathon in 2017 to podium finishes at the Solang Sky Ultra, he’s built a life around training in the Himalayas. Check out Sannat’s running action on Strava or Instagram