72,6km Supermarathon Rennsteig from Eisenach to Schmiedefeld (adh-Open), Germany
Besides the work at the Institute ELSYS and my studies there is something more - the sport! When I finished my work at the institute and my courses on Friday afternoon, I started to Eisenach. On Mai 17th there was the start of the 36.GutsMuths-Rennsteiglauf. After four hours of train travelling some friends welcomed me in Eisenach. I spent the night at their house. To arrive at the day of the race was not a good choice, because the start was very early. Starting at the train station we walked to the event tent to pick up our start numbers. After that we went to dinner and did some preparations for the race. Because I do not have any personal drinks, I only had to put the number on my running shirt and place the time measuring chip on my shoes.
At 4:30 the clock was ringing. Quickly dressing up and having breakfast, before we left for the start to Eisenach market place at 5:30. Ten minutes before the start we arrived there. More than 1800 runners grouped there to start at the Supermarathon of the 36.Rennsteiglauf. A new record of participants for this distance. The Rennsteig itself has a total length of about 170km. It starts in Hörschel an der Werra (a subtown of Eisenach) to Blankenstein an der Saale. In the dark age it marked the border between the Ducal Franconian and the Thuringian-Saxon domain. Besides the 72.6km long Supermarathon there were also a Marathon, a Half-Marathon and some walking courses. Each of them started at a different location and all finished at Schmiedefeld am Rennsteig. When I was there the last time, six years ago, the course was 74km. It has changed a few times in length during the last years. This was also depending on the expansion of the Rennsteig to an official wandering route. Even though the way was most of the time on big and good runable wood ways, it was still a cross-country race. So parts on the road were not normal. And there was another big difference to the city races - it was a steadly up and down. Because of this, we had to run up to the Inselsberg in the beginning. It was not the highest point, but still the first 25km was uphill. Past that it was a slightly up and down until Oberhof. Shortly after we passed Oberhof we reached the highest point of the course and the Thuringia woods - the Großen Beerberg. After that it was more or less only downhill to Schmiedefeld. With such time to time steep down hills it was better not to run to fast on these parts. As more strength is left for the last third, there are more chances to win some places. As said, so done! We hardly left the market place, the first runner paced up the first hill. Most of the runners on the top I know. So I did not make any thoughts about it, when they paced away. I knew, that most of them I would meet again. After eight kilometres two runners came from behind. One of them was a old college of my running club LG Würzburg. We talked a bit and paced each other. After kilometre 30 we passed the first runners. One after the other we worked to the top. After kilometre 50 some spectators called us under the first 20. Spectators? Yes, even though it was not one of the big city-marathons like Berlin or New York, the Rennsteiglauf had a big tradition. This was placed at the time of the DDR, when the Rennsteiglauf was "founded". Not only the people on the side of the course and the aid stations, also the wandering people clap and were pushing the runners. Aid stations where placed between four to eight kilometres. There was a huge amount of drinks (coke, water, tea, iso,gruel...) and some portioned snacks (bananas, apples, cookies, pieces of bread,...) as well as the personal stuff of the runners. At such "extreme" races not just drinking is important. That is getting clear, if you look at the finisher times. But back to the race. I knew about the possibilities of my "ex colleague" and after a few minutes of watching, I was able to estimate the unknown. I thought he will drop down with speed after about 60km. And it was like that. When we passed the aid station at kilometre 55, he stayed there. Up until there we where under the "Top 10". As we figured out later, it was not just from passing. As I said in the beginning, there were people which underestimated the course and had to stop. At the last few kilometres I settled up a bit from my colleague. During the last 15 kilometres we had to pass a huge number of walkers. It was not always funny, because some of them did not step besides, so we can pass. But over all, I think they were not really an interference for the runners. With a lot of clap the runners were expected in Schmiedefeld. It was obvious, that the sport or especially the Rennsteiglauf was something very important for the people in Thuringia (and the people came with other runners). After finishing, people saluted the other ones around. After that we went slowly to the aid tent to get some drinks.
Got some new strength and had picked up the clothes there was a new target - the showers. Against six years ago they were warm. By accident or because of a better continuous-flow heater?! It does not matter, they are warm! Refreshed from showering the next was to get some food. After such a race people should follow in good conscience their second hobby - to eat. The award party was two hours later, so we had to wait a bit. During that time we had again a short rain shower. But over all we were lucky with the weather. It was raining a few minutes in the beginning and the rest of the time it was dry. Around noon time the sun broke through and we had temperatures between 15°C and 20°C. Soon I met more friends which had finished, so we talked a bit. In the evening there was a party at the tent. Besides the ceremony of the organisation there was also a ceremony for students and of the EON-Workers. EON was one of the main sponsors. So it was again a long award ceremony, even though they did a quick job. But maybe that is the prize - who is running fast, has to wait long!
In total it was a nice event. Maybe a bit hard to start a "running career" but not impossible.
Well, by the way to answer some "typical" questions, like "how do you feel" or "are you satisfied". If you use also your head for "running", then you will feel good after the race and most of the time you will have a satisfying result.
| Men: | Women: | |||||||
| Place | Name | Surname | Time | Place | Name | Surname | Time | |
| 1 | Stork | Christian | 5:16:29 | 1 | Lennartz | Birgit | 6:32:38 | |
| 2 | Collet | André | 5:20:31 | 2 | Staubach | Astrid | 6:39:58 | |
| 3 | Dippacher | Matthias | 5:30:28 | 3 | Resche | Heike | 6:52:21 | |
| 8 | Koch | Rainer | 5:46:09 | |||||
Results of the organisation
Results of the students
Report of the UNI Erlangen
Altitudes
Map
Homepage of the organisation
Report of the DUV 03/08