Weissensee Ungetüm Training Plan & Preparation

Course & Elevation

The WSUT20 is the shorter course of the Weissensee Ungetüm, a small, familiar trail event at lake Weissensee in Carinthia, Austria, held since 2023. The loop starts and finishes at the valley station of the Techendorf mountain lifts and follows scenic mountain paths, idyllic alpine pastures and varied trails high above the lake. Officially the course measures 20 kilometres with around 1,400 metres of climbing, the eight-hour time limit leaves generous margin even for hikers, and finishers earn ITRA points.

The opening is gentle: a 2.2-kilometre climb at 5 percent straight after the start and a second one at almost 9 percent gaining 303 metres from kilometre 5.3 warm up the legs. The centrepiece begins at kilometre 9.5 with the ascent of the Golz: 3.85 kilometres at an average of 18.5 percent, 712 metres of gain and ramps above 40 percent. More than half of the course's total climbing is packed into this single section.

From the high point the route drops almost continuously back to Techendorf, with nearly a quarter of the total distance descending steeply. Despite being billed as the easy trail, this loop is a genuine mountain race, just one that saves its monster until kilometre 9.5.

Pacing Strategy

The loop builds in three stages. A short opening rise at kilometre 0.2 and a longer Cat 3 at kilometre 5.3 (3.4 km at nearly 9%) bring you up to temperature without inviting a decision.

That comes on the climb from kilometre 9.5: 3.85 kilometres averaging 18.5% with spikes past 40% and 712 metres gained in one go – this is hiked, not run. Ration your effort so you reach that wall with intact legs.

After the summit at around kilometre 13 the profile flips: some seven kilometres of often very steep descending (nearly a quarter of the course drops sharply) back down to the Weissensee. The real trap isn't the climb but the transition – overcook the early ascents and you'll have no control left in your quads on the long, rough descent.

12-Week Preparation

Depending on your level, plan on three to four and a half hours for the WSUT20; the generous eight-hour limit also allows a far more relaxed day out. The effort is mostly aerobic, with one striking exception: the Golz climb from kilometre 9.5, which splits the race into a before and an after.

The first nine kilometres are runnable terrain with two moderate climbs, ideal for settling into a sustainable rhythm. Then come 712 metres of gain over 3.85 kilometres at an average of 18.5 percent. That is hiking terrain almost throughout, where strong, rhythmic uphill walking decides your finishing time. Train power hiking specifically on steep slopes, ideally in repeats of 20 to 40 minutes, and rehearse switching into that hiking mode after a good hour of running.

What you gain on the climb can be lost on the way down: after the high point the course drops almost without interruption back to the lake, with nearly a quarter of the distance descending steeply. Practise technical downhill running on tired legs, for example by finishing long sessions with a committed descent. Supporting strength and stability work protects knees and ankles against the eccentric load.

As a framework, three to four runs per week with one long run of two to three hours over hilly terrain and 800 to 1,200 metres of weekly climbing in the final build are sufficient. Test fuelling and gear in a dress rehearsal on similarly steep ground.