Project Hermannsweg: 100 miles in 2 days
I am in need of a challenge. A chance to test my limits again. Especially now that all races and events have been cancelled.
I am currently in beautiful Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany visiting my boyfriend Jost. We’re staying in his childhood home and outside there is a hiking trail passing by. It’s called the Hermannsweg, and as it turns out the house is located exactly in the middle of the trail, in the midst of the beautiful Teutoburger Wald. The Hermannsweg is 160 km (100 miles) long from start to finish, divided into eight sections, and with around 4000 m of altitude gain. The start is in Rheine and the finish in Horn-Bad Meinberg and it’s been called one of the most beautiful hiking trails in the country.
A section of the Hermannsweg that I ran a few days ago. Who doesn’t want to run here!?
I’ve already ran local sections of the trail, but have yet to explore all of it. Ever since I arrived I’ve been thinking of doing the whole thing, but a 100-miler in one go is a little too much for me right now. But why not over two days? So I’ve decided to take on the Hermannsweg next weekend.
The plan & the route
Saturday April 18th: Start at 6:00 AM in Horn-Bad Meinberg — for logistical reasons, I am going to run the trail in the opposite way. Both ways are marked out, but the traditional route is the other way around.
My goal these two days, is to prioritize fun over fast (thanks Rickey Gates for that term!). The finishing time is unimportant, I am happy if I make it the whole way... Finish in Borgbolzhausen sometime in the evening, approximately 80 km (50 miles) later.
Sunday April 19th: Start at 6:00 AM in Borgbolzhausen. Finish in Rheine in the evening.
Altitude profile of the Hermannsweg. Photo source
Physical preparations
Monday: Easy strength training in the garden (60 mins)
Tuesday: Short, easy morning run (30-45 mins)
Wednesday: Climbing (full day)
Thursday: Active rest — walking (45-60 mins)
Friday: Rest
Wearing my Ultra Vesta in Sweden last summer.
Gear
Clothes: If the weather is sunny and warm, I will wear a functional t-shirt from Rab Equipment and my Arct’eryx Taema running skort. If a bit colder, wool underwear from Aclima and a pair of Rab Skyline Tights. Wind jacket from Rab Equipment.
Shoes: Salomon S Lab Ultra 2. My favorite shoes! But they are still quite new, so let’s see how they handle 100 miles.
Running vest: Ultimate Direction Ultra Vesta 4.0. Always. Super comfortable, small and light but fits an incredible amount of gear. Hands down the best running vest I’ve ever had!
Poles: I will not be using poles. Mostly to cut down the weight, and also I don’t think it’s necessary for the altitude profile of this course.
Weight of my pack: As much as it needs to weigh. But preferably no more than 5 kg.
Energy
I’m not the person to plan into exact detail what I will bring in terms of food and drink. As an ultra runner, this can be both a strength and a weakness… But I have a rough plan, and I plan to bring with me as much as I can from the start. More is less in this case, I think — due to COVID-19, most shops around here are closed. My vest will be heavier in the beginning, and lighter as the day goes on and I consume more of the energy I brought.
My favorite Hüma Gel is Mocha. You can get it here!
Food: I will definitely bring Hüma Gel with me – my favorite gel as it is easy to digest, tastes great and is made only with natural ingredients. Other than that I will make my own bars (recipe coming later!) made of primarily oats, dried fruits and coconut oil. Roasted peanuts with salt. German vegan candy/bonbons “Nimm 2 soft”. So delicious!!!! Smoothie for babies (my best insider tip for ultra runners!). Pure salt in a small ziploc-bag. BCAA tablets. Also, I would love to bring a chunk of bananas… But they are too heavy.
Drink: 1,5 L (3 soft flasks). I would normally drink Maurten. But I don’t have any here in Germany, so I will likely create my own sports drink of some sugary drink like Ice Tea, and just add some salt to it. I will stop by at a gas station every now and then to fill up my water bottle and maybe buy some extra snacks if I happen to run out.
Mindset
80 % excitement. 10 % lunatic warning. 10 % fear. Can I do it — physically and mentally? I guess we can only find out. But hey. If it was easy, it wouldn’t be as fun.
Aid stations and crew
I will not have any aid stations along the way. My boyfriend will drive me to the start and pick me up at the finish. But I’ll be sleeping in a bed, showering and eating at his place halfway.
BE MY CREW!
I will be posting live video stories and photos on Pace on Earth’s Instagram. Follow my run live and feel free to give me some words of wisdom when things start to get a little less enjoyable (because they will)… '
Links
Official Hermannsweg website
Pace on Earth Instagram
My Instagram
/Jënni