It Takes Time

There is no rush

In a week, my home town Garmisch will be full of trail runners running around Germanys highest mountain. A few friends will join the fun. I’m sensing the excited nervousness.

I also have a spot for the 30k.

I will not start.

Two weeks ago towards the end of a long run my right foot started complaining. Nothing major, but also a niggle that feels like I shouldn’t run too much on it. So, another set back. The weather was shit the past two weeks so I wasn’t really missing out on anything.

But sitting down today and thinking what I will write about I was just annoyed. That was the main feeling. Just annoyed.

Since the beginning of the year I slowly started to add more volume. More running. More gain. It all felt right. Until it didn’t.

I don’t think I did anything majorly wrong. No hero workouts. No super huge jumps in distance or elevation.

I took a look at my recent training weeks. 10k and 200hm more that week. Didn’t feel like I did something stupid there.

So what does this let me with? Is it bad luck? Does my body just take longer to get back to more volume? Should I take it much slower?

Thoughts that race through the mind when all you want to do is being out, moving effortless.

Back to the Zugspitz Ultra Trail. So I won’t start. I also canceled all my other races for 2026. No Lavaredo. No Eiger. It pains me. I was looking forward to those when I signed up.

But sometimes you just need space. Space to do what we should always do. Let the body adapt in the timeframe it adapts. Listening inwards more openly. Is it too much? Is it about right? What else is going on in my life? Am I doing the basics of Strength, Mobility and Sleep?

No rush. Everybody is on it’s own timeline. I’ll be back. I’m sure.

I feel super excited about the next year. Just listening in. Doing what I can, not what I must.

Like today. Being outdoors. In our backyard. Life could be worse.