Took the train from Voss to Finse the day before and enjoyed a super nice buffet with smoked pork and carrot cake. Turned in early and woke up at 03:15 on my own, feeling well-rested.
After some preparations, I was ready to go at 04:38. It was a bit chilly outside at 6°C, with a decent tailwind. I used a headlamp for the first 45 minutes and was then rewarded with a beautiful sunrise. However, the low sun made it quite challenging for the next hour, as it prevented me from seeing the trail clearly.
The weather forecast was good—clear skies and favorable wind direction. The trail was also completely free of snow, except for a short 5-meter crossing toward the end. I had a tailwind for most of the route, except for a stretch between 25–70 km where I encountered a side-headwind. From 11:00, the temperature rose significantly and stayed warm for the rest of the day, even at this elevation (1,200–1,400 masl).
I had to dig deep mentally when I passed the DNT Litlos cabin at 14:15. I ran right past people relaxing outside with tempting cold beers and Coke. Unfortunately for me, I was doing this unsupported and had to settle for the delicious mountain water, which was luckily plentiful along the way.
My goal was to finish in 15–16 hours, with a small hope of dipping under 15 hours if everything went perfectly. I had no major issues apart from occasional nausea and 5–6 close inspections of the trail—one of which resulted in a pretty bad hit to my left knee. Still, I managed to maintain a strong, steady pace throughout the day and found the motivation to keep pushing until the end—especially after passing Hellevassbu with 22 km left and 12 hours on the clock.
At the finish, I was greeted by local legend and Haukeliseter manager Håkon Aarthun, who kindly provided shower facilities and a cold beer.
Thanks for having me, Hardangervidda!