For my dad's 55th birthday, we had the crazy idea of running 55 km together. The plan emerged just a few days prior, maybe a little short term for such a long run. To avoid any temptation of shortcuts, we chose to circle a lake, and Lake Chiemsee was the perfect venue for our birthday challenge.
On the 27th of July, the weather was surprisingly hot. After celebrating in the morning, we set off on our run at 4:45 pm, right in the heat of the day. Accompanied by boyfriend as a supporter on the bike, who provided us with gels, bars, and water, we began our journey.
I had only completed my first ultra marathon, the E51 at Eiger Ultra, a week earlier, so I was still recovering and found it tough to finish the run. My dad, however, had never run longer than a marathon before. Despite the pain, he remained focused on his goal, maintaining his pace and running faster than me after km 40. To make up the full 55 km, he ran extra loops at the end. His determination and perseverance were truly inspirational.
Very happy to have completed the run in just under 5 hours moving time. The highlight of the day was undoubtedly the night swim after the run!