The Writecation Diaries

Thoughts and perceptions of the last few days

To The Essential

The accommodation we are staying in, Lisa is accompanying me on my Writecation, says on its website that its architecture is characterized by omission. The rooms are completely clad in wood, the floor is made of stone. The ceilings are high. There are large windows on both sides. The Kramer behind, the Wetterstein mountains in front. The light is warm and indirect. What is missing is any decoration, pictures on the wall and superfluous electronic devices such as a television. Lisa and I felt very much at home here straight away. Even more so. The minimalist surroundings are incredibly decelerating. The perfect place to recharge our batteries. And for writing.

A beautiful text is like this accommodation. Reduced to the essentials. There is only room for words that serve a purpose. But these words have it all. They are clear and understandable. Like a beautiful place, a beautiful text is what it does to you. In order for it to do something to you, it needs a space. This is where the circle closes.

Separate Yet Together

After we arrived, Lisa and I went for a short run. The first half together, then separately. This may sound surprising, but although we share the same passion for running, Lisa and I rarely run together. There is no particular reason for this. Of course, we have different training plans and running goals, but it wouldn't be a problem to do normal endurance runs together.

Somehow, over the years, we have developed a habit of doing our sport alone most of the time. But at the latest when we reunite, for example after a run on the couch, it becomes our shared passion again. We exchange our experiences, tell each other what we've been up to, and plan how to continue running.

Even if we rarely run together, we still run together.

A Gift of Longing

The first birthday present Lisa gave me was the book "Second Sunrise" by John Trent. As a past president, board member, and 11-time finisher, he is an icon of the Western States Endurance Run. His knowledge of the race and his collection of historical documents is unparalleled. For the 50th anniversary of Western States, he put it all together in a wonderful book full of never before seen (at least by me) photos and stories of this epic race. As I flipped through the pages, I was immediately transported back to the world of Western States. Just looking at the photos takes me back to that special place, and I feel a mixture of longing and gratitude.

I choked back a tear, waited until my voice stopped shaking, and said to Lisa:

"We have to go there again."

Focus On One Thing. Then Another.

Here in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, there aren't many opportunities for flat running, but my run today took me along some interesting paths. Past the Kreuzeck and Alpspitz cable cars, I continued straight on towards Hammersbach. In the center of the village, there was a familiar spot. It was the entrance to the Höllentalklamm. This is where you are flushed out of the mountain when you are about to complete the Zugspitz Ultratrail. Or rather, you were. Until two years ago, the finish line of this lovely trail running event was still in Grainau. And it was precisely this last stretch that I ran spontaneously.

I feel very connected to the Zugspitz Ultratrail. I know numerous people around me who feel the same way. I ran my first real ultramarathon here and have been back almost every year since then, whether as a runner, a supporter or just to meet friends.

The last few times I ran the final 2 kilometers from the exit of the Höllentalklamm to Grainau, I was pretty shot every time. The last downhill of the Zugspitz Ultratrail is really something. On top of that, there is the prospect of the imminent finish, which is why most of the runners push themselves particularly hard on this section.

On this day, however, I ran this stretch in a relaxed manner and enjoyed being aware of my surroundings. Both Hammersbach and Grainau are quiet, tranquil villages with not much going on unless an ultratrail is thundering through them. Once a year, a handful of small, unassuming villages in the Zugspitz region are transformed into a trail running mecca. It was nice to get to know the other side for once. The off-season, so to speak.

But something else also happened. For the first time in months, I no longer found the idea of running up and down a mountain completely absurd. I had consciously and wholeheartedly committed myself to the road marathon, and am also convinced that my great experience in Rodgau was due to this consistency. At least in part. Fully committing to something concentrates your focus and sparks great strength. But just as much strength can also be unleashed if you simply do what your heart beats for. And one day mine will beat for ultra trails again. I can feel that.

Conversations Evolve

In the afternoon, my Writecation got a welcome break. There was a small, uncomplicated birthday party with 12 lovely people, plus cake and pizza and whatever else we could find to eat. People who run are always hungry.

It was once said that I like to talk and talk a lot. There is some truth to that. Yesterday I looked at this and tried to listen to myself to see what impulses I feel to talk and what it feels like not to give in to them right away.

We were sitting around a small table. The atmosphere was warm, there was a lot of laughter and joking. But we also had serious topics. I deliberately stayed away from the latter. It was interesting to see that the discussion covered all facets and perspectives of the topic, even without my contribution. Often it was only a second's pause and a new, exciting comment enriched the conversation. In the end, I had the feeling that I would not have made a significant contribution with my opinion. It may sound strange now, but I liked that.

I think my impulse to talk comes primarily from the sheer pleasure of saying something. In other words, to hear myself talk. Fortunately, I don't (hopefully) just talk stupid, but I'm also curious to see how the next conversation in a larger group will develop without my immediate contribution.

Only One Energy Source

My super cool coach gave me today's training session for my birthday. He's done this before – even without a birthday. Not entirely without intentions, of course. It gets me out of my training rut and forces me to think about what kind of running I enjoy the most at the moment. In the past, I've opted for everything from 1000 m intervals on the track, to running aimlessly through the mountains for 3 hours, to an increased tempo run. Typically, I always craved exactly what I hadn't had for a long time.

I'm still sitting in front of my notebook and haven't yet decided how I'm going to redeem my "make a wish" run. But I am seriously thinking about a rest day. The reason: I've written myself dry.

We all have just one source of energy from which we draw strength. It works like a battery. You use it up bit by bit and recharge it, usually overnight. It doesn't matter whether we use the energy for physical or mental activities. Both draw from the same source. The energy source doesn't care how many hours are left in the day or how important it is to complete task X or to-do Y. Empty is empty.

Today I've been writing since the early hours of the morning and most of my energy has already been used up. I always notice this when I find it difficult to grasp certain thoughts. They are there, in my head, but I can't turn them into words. It's a bit like when you realize while running that your legs no longer want to do what you want them to do. It's actually a very nice feeling. After all, it tells you that you've already achieved a lot and have every right in the world to call it a day.

I think I'll stop dwelling on this thought and save another 10% for a short run instead.

Thoughts Bubbling Over

Even on the last day of my Writecation I spent the whole morning writing. The last few hours flew by and, to be honest, I'm a little sad that the Writecation is already over. I had just found myself and was fully into the "write – eat – sleep" rhythm. It's still a bit early to draw a final conclusion, but this kind of vacation, or rather time out, touched me on many levels. I'm pretty sure that I'll soon be sitting in a nice accommodation with a mountain view again to devote myself to the essentials. Or what seems essential to me.

Right now, I'm sitting on the train back to Munich and typing a text into my cell phone for the first time since the flight back from Western States. That's a good sign. On the travel back from the USA, my many thoughts and impressions were so desperate to be put down on paper that they were practically bubbling over. I feel the same way after my Writecation. It feels like I've only just scratched the surface of dozens of topics. That makes me a bit tingly, but it's also nice to know that I won't run out of writing ideas for a while.