I started at 5:45 in the morning and climbed a beautiful hiking trail on rocky terrain that would every now and than allow me a glimpse on the Garda Lake. I have only ever known the mountain Altissimo from biking, but running it up is equally fun.
Eventually after three hours and with the perfect weather conditions (it was very foggy and therefore not hit at all, but rather cold if you didn’t move due to some wind) I arrived at the Rifugio Altissimo.
There I got 1,5 L of water to refill my water bottles.
The first downhill was a lot of fun, since it was technically, just as much so you could stay in a flow. I had to go over to the ridge since the sun came out in that very moment, offering me a beautiful view (therefore I missed the trail once… I didn’t figure that out until after).
My absolute favorite part of the whole trail was the traverse from the Monte Baldo Gondola Station all the way over, along the ridge, to the Rifugio Chierego. It was a very technical ridge line, even including chains at some parts.
I would split the downhill in the the first part, that was on open meadows (got lost once again, since there were too many trails and fences (and watch out for the cows, they don’t like fast people)) and the second part, which did very much have a MTB trail character (making me want to have my bike for the very first time on a trail run ever).
Eventually (after getting lost again and jumping down this 2m wall on to a grass field), I arrived in Gaon, where a fountain delighted me right away.
The road run through some colorful Italian villages down to Garda was quite hard at first, since the sun burned like hell, but at some point you simply accept it and I enjoyed the run at a very very easy pace.
The last part down to Garda was along a river, with good tasting water and some beautiful horses on the way.
In Garda the route went to the very southern end of the town and me, being super tired already, ended up I a dried out river (?).
Arriving at the finish point and the Lake was an amazing feeling.
What a varied tour. I loved every moment of it, no matter how hard it might have been at some points.