Finally, at the end of July: Course Director Wolfgang Pohl and his team inspected the newly designed eastern route step by step. With 305 kilometers it is the longest the GORE-TEX® Transalpine-Run has ever seen, and the difference in altitude totaling 13500 meters does add some spice to the mix. What has most notably changed, in comparison to the original plans, is the difference in elevation, but that will probably be appreciated by most runners. "During the inspection of the route we have eliminated some of the difficult high-alpine portions in order to make sure we can carry out individual stages safely even under adverse weather conditions and guarantee our runners' safety" The result is an unbelievably diverse and extremely tough route with very long distances asking participants to give their all. And, just as the western route, it'll be on the most beautiful trails of the Alps.
Short-term changes of stages/routes/etc. because of unforeseen circumstances are reserved to the organizer.
2010 Stage 1: Ruhpolding (GER) – St. Ulrich im Pillerseetal (AUT)
Start: 11:00 am
Vertical distance:
1223 meters ascent, 1034 meters descent
Horizontal distance:
36,30 Kilometers.
Ø Estimated time:
ca. 5,0 hours (10 km/hour horizontal, 600 Hm/hour vertical).
Opening the Gore-Tex® Transalpine-Run 2010, we have this ideally suited starting stage leading across the Chiemgau Alps via the mountain range Steinplatte from Ruhpolding to Waidring in Strub Valley. From there, beautiful hiking paths lead to the idyllically located stage finish in St. Ulrich at Lake Piller located to the west of the Lofer Steinberge. With more than 1200 meters to climb, this stage does not demand exceptional climbing skills, but with a distance of 36 kilometers it’s just short of the regular marathon distance.
Right after the start in St. Ulrich, the route takes a steep climb up the Mount Kirchberg before the long downhill section toward Pillersee Ache begins. The second climb of the day leads up Mount Reisenberg Kogel and then, after a short downhill interlude, to Alpenhaus at Kitzbühel Horn, where the finale will be a 1000-meter long, but varied descent toward Kitzbühel.
The distance of more than 46 kilometer from Kitzbühel to Neukirchen am Großvenediger turn the 3. stage into one of the two king’s stages of the Transalpine-Run 2010. The start of this famously infamous “Streif” to Hahnenkamm alone would be a challenging mountain run. It goes on across Mount Pengelstein continuously uphill/downhill through the Kitzbüheler Alps, when after Mount Stangenjoch there comes the last climb up Mount Wildkogel. The only recompense for the subsequent, extremely steep, downhill run toward Neukirchen is the great view at the 3000-meter high Venetia glaciers of nature reserve Hohe Tauern.
The 4. stage from Neukirchen am Großvenediger to Kasern in Ahrn Valley, at full marathon distance and an altitude difference totaling 1931 meters over the Tauern ridge of the Alps, leads over the highest point of the Gore-Tex® Transalpine-Runs 2010, the 2667-meter high Birnlücke. A unique landscape along the path and wonderful views keep the runners company on their way from Austria into South Tyrol’s beautiful Ahrn Valley. A bit of a relief on this stage should be the altitude profile, which only shows one single, but extremely long, climb.
Always providing a view of the mountain chain of the Zillertaler Alps in the North, the 5. stage of the Transalpine-Run, with an altitude difference totaling 1500 meters and a distance of nearly 30 kilometers, leads into the heart of the Rieserferner group of mountains in the South of Ahrn Valley. On this stage, too, the route expands into alpine territory and is second to none when it comes to scenic beauty. After a short downhill stretch to Durra Alm, the long cross way to the southern slopes of Rein Valley delights runners with perfect running ground. The unique climb along the Reinbach waterfalls toward Sand in Taufers wraps up this beautiful stage.
With an altitude difference totaling over 1500 meters and a distance of almost 40 kilometers, the 6. stage on the eastern route of the Transalpine-Run 2010 is probably the hardest that has ever been run in the history of this stage race competition. Till the finish in St. Vigil, the route first leads along the eastern side of Tauferer Valley until Bruneck. After crossing River Rienz the seemingly endless climb toward Kronplatz begins, never allowing even a peak at the Dolomites in the South until reaching the summit region. The final downhill section into St. Vigil in comparison will feel like a relief.
On the 7. stage from St. Vigil in Enneberg to Niederdorf there’s one highlight after the other. The first 13 kilometers from the town of St. Vigil through Tamers Valley toward Pederu are an ideal start for the runners due to its slight incline, but the first steep climb up Senneshütte is definitely something else. In an extreme climb, the course squirms in short bends up to the alpine plateau of Sennes, one of the most beautiful mountain pastures in the Dolomites. Via Seekofelhütte and Alta Via Dolomiti Nr. 1 we reach Pragser Wildsee, before another climb begins up Weißlahnscharte. Only now do we leave the Dolomites again toward the North in the direction of Niederdorf. At the end of the day we will have covered an altitude difference totaling almost 1700 meters and a distance of over 42 kilometers.
The final stage of the Gore-Tex® Transalpine-Run 2010 leads from Niederdorf in Puster Valley to the beautiful location of Sexten in the Dolomites. Before crossing the finish line in Sexten, there are again nearly 34 kilometers to run which are going to be quite intense due to a total altitude difference of more than 1200 meters. But the backdrop of this stage couldn’t be more beautiful and breathtaking, because with the Three Peaks, the symbol of the Dolomites, the field of participants will finish in truly inspiring surroundings!
