Gebirgsmarathon Immenstadt Training Plan & Preparation

Course & Elevation

The Gebirgsmarathon in Immenstadt is one of Germany's oldest and most brutal mountain runs, and the 31 km distance is its centrepiece. From the valley station of the Mittagbahn there is no easing in: the opening ramp climbs almost three kilometres at around 24 percent on average and hauls you up more than 700 metres to the first summit.

From there the route follows the ridge of the Nagelfluhkette, out towards the Hochgrat and back. Instead of one long climb you get a saw-tooth profile: short, savagely steep pitches of 20 to over 30 percent alternate with equally steep descents. More than 70 percent of the course is genuinely steep, with almost no flat metres to recover on. All told, the 31 kilometres stack up roughly 2,900 metres of vertical gain.

The trails are technical and in places exposed; the course is marked with red chalk spray, so loading the track onto your watch beforehand is wise. Because the route crosses a nature reserve, the aid stations hand out no cups and you have to carry at least 1.5 litres of fluid yourself. The finish sits at the Alpe Oberberg, after a net gain of a good 560 metres.

Pacing Strategy

Forget running splits — this is about vertical economy. Only 2.6 percent of the course is flat; over 40 percent climbs steeply and a third drops steeply. The start climb (kilometre 0.5 to 3.5, averaging 24.6 percent and touching over 70) sets how much of the race you have left: hike it at walking pace, heart rate under threshold, even while others run.

What follows is a sawtooth along the summit ridge — short, brutal ramps of 30 percent and more alternating with equally steep descents. The race isn't decided on any single climb but on the sum of these repeats; overcook the first ascent and you crack in the middle third. The steep descents (over 30 percent) drain quad strength — brake under control and save your legs for the final third, which climbs net higher to the high point.

12-Week Preparation

How do you train for this course? With nearly 2,900 metres of climbing over 31 kilometres and about 95 vertical metres per kilometre, expect to be out there for roughly five to eight hours – less if you are competitive, considerably more towards the back of the field.

This is not a steady tempo run. More than 40 percent of the route is steep enough that hiking is faster and more economical than running, and it is paired with equally steep descents that load the quads heavily. Think of it as a long aerobic effort broken up by many short, forceful uphill surges.

Three sections decide your day. The opening 700-metre wall tempts you into going out too hard; overcook it and the ridge will collect the debt. The saw-tooth profile of the Nagelfluhkette asks you to climb steeply again and again on already tired legs. And the technical, partly exposed descents come down to sure-footedness and protecting your muscles.

Set your priorities accordingly: treat uphill hiking (poles included) as its own skill, build plenty of vertical volume through long sessions, and above all run downhill under fatigue to condition your quads for the eccentric load. Train your footing on technical terrain and work on ankle stability. Practise self-supply with at least 1.5 litres on your body, and for the August date factor in heat and altitude acclimatisation.