Tag: #ultheustadlwasser

Lunch the Long Way – A Girls’ Trip with a Bit of Schneeberg Crossing

Actually, I just wanted to go out for a nice, relaxing lunch.

But when all your favorite restaurants are somewhere up in the mountains – and you have the “wrong” kind of friends – you have to get creative.

My suggestion was: take an early train to Puchberg, then a small Schneeberg crossing – with coffee at the Waldschlössl as the final stop. I only casually mentioned that we might grab something to eat along the way. Anyway, it worked – and I had company. The fact that we’d have to walk a bit before and after lunch didn’t bother me. After all, there’s plenty of time to chat while walking or running. Especially with friends who, luckily, had already “warmed up” with 25–35 km the day before (thanks, WRU* 😉).

(*The WRU, or Wien Rundumadum, is a running race in Vienna where participants circle the city over a distance of about 130 kilometers alone or in team.)

The weather forecast, luckily, was wrong. Or maybe not completely – it didn’t rain, at least. Instead, we got snow, fog, and a good dose of wind. So no Klosterwappen summit this time, but at least we made it to Krummbachstein. Thirty minutes later, we were already sitting in the Naturfreundehaus Knofeleben – and I had achieved my goal: a cozy lunch in good company.

An hour later, coffee was ready at the Waldschlössl – just in time to check out the new construction site and catch the next train back to Vienna.

It was lovely, fun, and – at least in parts – even cozy. 🏃‍♀️🏃🏻‍♀️🏃🏼‍♀️❄️☕️

Route:

Puchberg – Baumgartnerhütte – Elisabethkapelle – Krummbachstein – Knofeleben – Eng – Waldschlössl

Distance: 20.7 km | Elevation gain: 1,550 m | Duration: about 5 hours (without lunch break)

Pace: trail running – just the way the speedy ladies like it

What was supposed to be a “relaxed” girls’ outing quickly turned into a winter trail-running adventure on the Schneeberg. Between snow, fog, and wind, there was still plenty of time to chat – and, of course, have coffee at the Waldschlössl. ☕️💪

Sopron Trail – More Than Just an Ordinary Sunday Run

After a successful Tapering on Sonnwendstein, our next trail adventure was upon us: the Sopron Trail. The night before was surprisingly calm – you could call it tapering for moms. Both kids actually slept (with a few interruptions, of course) almost until 7 a.m. Like a wellness retreat – if we hadn’t had to leave exactly at 7:00. Luckily, Christian always manages to save the day when the situation seems hopeless.

This outing had been on our minds for a few months: a Sunday run not too far away – easily accessible from both Reichenau and Vienna – not too long, with a bit of elevation, but not too much, and ideally no daredevil downhill sections. Just pleasant: for the heart, the legs, and the mind. And of course, scenic. Each of us got something out of it: for Katja, just a regular long run; for Gina and me, a little racing motivation.

A few weeks ago, L1 himself spoke up: he really wanted to join another race. He had a choice: either the 500 m kids’ run on his own, or 1.5 km with 60 m elevation gain – together with Dad. The answer was obvious – of course, with Dad. Fortunately, Chris’s recently broken ankle had healed enough that he could (with L2 in his arms) keep up. So it was clear: trail day would be a real family day.

And, as often happens – at least for the “speedy aunties” – it turned out to be a bit more than originally planned. The watch eventually showed 26.6 km and 860 m of elevation gain. But hey – who’s counting?

The real highlight? We clearly picked the perfect race. All four of us ended up on the (at least virtual) podium: Gina and Leno both took 1st place in their age groups, Katja and I were both happy with 3rd.

Was it hot? Oh yes! But luckily, the Sopron forest provided plenty of shade, the trails were smooth and runnable throughout. The vibe was friendly, the course varied and well-marked, and the organization pleasantly relaxed.

It began like any ordinary Sunday run – but in the end, it was something more. We started together, yet each of us followed our own path. There were ups and downs, shade and sunshine – just like in life. We ran, we paused, we laughed, we struggled – each on our own, and yet somehow together. It was simply a good day. And sometimes, that’s all you really need.

(📷 Alma Biró, Zoltán Pete)