Grüntal-Winterultra.
The Grüntal-Winterultra is held every year on 28 December in Freudenstadt-Grüntal: four identical laps on field and forest paths. The gradients are moderate, but each one comes round four times, and that is what your preparation has to answer: being able to run the last lap the way you ran the first.
Grüntal-Winterultra 2026: Course, Elevation & Route Profile
The lap measures 12.5 kilometres. Its first third stays close to the starting level of just under 600 metres, broken only by a gentle ramp from kilometre 2. At kilometre 5 comes the part that defines the lap: 2.4 kilometres uphill at a little over five percent on average, peaking just below ten. The high point follows at kilometre 7.7 at around 755 metres, and a long downhill then leads back to where you began.
The pattern repeats without surprises. The long climb returns on every lap, for the last time at kilometre 42, almost exactly where a marathon would end. Around 200 metres of ascent per lap add up to just over 800. The organiser calls the course slightly hilly, and for any single lap that is fair; only the repetition turns it into a real task.
Place and date give the race its character. The address is Haldenstraße in Freudenstadt-Grüntal, and the date is not tied to a weekend: it stays 28 December, whichever day of the week that is. So you are running between the Christmas holidays and New Year's Eve, and because the course keeps bringing you back to the same spot, the day divides itself into four manageable pieces.
| Start | Length | Ø | Max. | Gain | Cat. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km 2 | 1.1 km | 3.9 % | 5.4 % | +43 m | — |
| km 4.9 | 2.4 km | 5.3 % | 9.5 % | +129 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 14.4 | 1.2 km | 3.8 % | 5.4 % | +44 m | — |
| km 17.4 | 2.5 km | 5.3 % | 9.5 % | +129 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 26.9 | 1.2 km | 3.8 % | 5.4 % | +44 m | — |
| km 29.8 | 2.4 km | 5.3 % | 9.5 % | +129 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 39.3 | 1.2 km | 3.8 % | 5.4 % | +44 m | — |
| km 42.3 | 2.4 km | 5.3 % | 9.5 % | +128 m | Cat. 4 |
Climb categories follow the road-cycling convention and rate the terrain itself (length and gradient) regardless of sport: Cat. 4 marks the easiest rated climbs, Cat. 1 the hardest, and HC (hors catégorie, “beyond categorization”) is reserved for the most brutal ascents. Short climbs below the Cat. 4 threshold stay unrated.
How to pace Grüntal-Winterultra 2026.
Start under control
The plan follows from the lap: four roughly equal splits, with the first allowed to feel far too easy. The quiet opening kilometres of each lap tempt you to push. Use them instead to stay relaxed and to eat, because right after them comes the section that costs the most.
Hold your rhythm
Your race is decided on the long climb of laps three and four. The average stays comfortably runnable and only a few spots are truly steep. Even so, it is smart to walk those spots from the first lap on, rather than starting to when you have no other choice. If you can still run at the top around kilometre 45, nearly everything left to the finish is downhill.
Spend what is left
The real trap is the descent. It is gentle, so you run it fast, four times over more than four kilometres. That is where your quads pay without your breathing telling you: bank time downhill on the first two laps and you will have no legs for the climb on the third. And how field and forest paths run in late December is something you only find out on race day, so go by effort, not by a preset split.
Training plan for Grüntal-Winterultra 2026: 12-week build
Build the base
Age-group athletes are out here for roughly five to seven hours. The effort is mostly steady and aerobic, with the long climb adding a noticeable but controllable load on each lap. What it asks for is less climbing strength than the ability to repeat the same switch between ascending and descending cleanly once you are tired.
Train race pace
The moment you are training for sits at kilometre 42: a climb of over two kilometres with a marathon in your legs. So put the ascent of your long runs into their final third and end them with a longer climb you can still run. Especially useful is a home loop of ten to thirteen kilometres with a climb of similar length, run three or four times in a row. It also teaches you to tolerate the monotony of repetition.
Rehearse the course
The descent needs attention of its own. Finish long sessions with several kilometres of gentle downhill so your quads get used to that load under fatigue, on field and forest paths rather than tarmac. Practise fuelling to the rhythm of the lap as well: at fixed points, ideally on the quiet kilometres before the climb.
Arrive fresh
The date shapes the build too. Your longest runs fall in the shortest days of the year, so plan them for daylight or get used to a head torch. Schedule the last of them about three weeks before the race so the taper falls over Christmas. Use these sessions to test your clothing as well, since you will spend hours switching between warm climbing and long stretches of descending.
Courses
Download the Grüntal-Winterultra 2026 course as a GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
Let YOUB adapt your plan for Grüntal-Winterultra dynamically
Ben connects your goal, the course, current load, recovery, and calendar. Your plan stays pointed at race day even when real life is not perfectly plannable.
Everything about Grüntal-Winterultra.
How long is Grüntal-Winterultra 2026?
Grüntal-Winterultra 2026 is 50 km long. That distance shapes how much aerobic endurance, pace durability, and race-specific work belong in the training plan.
How much elevation gain does Grüntal-Winterultra 2026 have?
Grüntal-Winterultra 2026 has around 829 m of elevation gain over 50 km. That affects pacing, muscular load, and preparation for late-race sections.
What is the route profile of Grüntal-Winterultra 2026?
Grüntal-Winterultra 2026 is classified as Rolling, averaging 16.6 vertical metres per kilometre. 18% of the route is flat, 33% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 4% is steeper than 6%.
What climbs does Grüntal-Winterultra 2026 have?
The hardest climb of Grüntal-Winterultra 2026 starts at kilometre 4.9, runs for 2.4 km at an average of 5.3% and gains 129 metres. Cycling-convention rating: Cat. 4. 8 climbs are mapped in total.
Is Grüntal-Winterultra 2026 a loop course?
Yes, Grüntal-Winterultra 2026 is laid out as a loop: start and finish are in the same place.
Is there a GPX file for the Grüntal-Winterultra 2026 course?
Yes. The Grüntal-Winterultra 2026 course is on this page as a free GPX download — ready to import into Garmin, Wahoo, Komoot, Strava or any other app that reads GPX.
How should I prepare for Grüntal-Winterultra 2026?
Preparation for Grüntal-Winterultra 2026 should account for 50 km, 829 m of elevation gain, current training load, and available training time. An adaptive plan helps place key sessions without ignoring recovery and real life.
What pacing strategy works for Grüntal-Winterultra 2026?
The pacing strategy for Grüntal-Winterultra 2026 should reflect 50 km, 829 m of elevation gain, and your current fitness. Start controlled and keep margin for sections where the profile or fatigue makes target pace harder.
When does Grüntal-Winterultra 2026 take place?
Grüntal-Winterultra 2026 takes place on December 28, 2026.
Where does Grüntal-Winterultra 2026 take place?
Grüntal-Winterultra 2026 takes place in Freudenstadt, Germany.
How do I register for Grüntal-Winterultra 2026?
Registration runs through the organiser: neckarlauf.com. YOUB shows you the course, elevation profile and training plan for your preparation.
