Strudel in the Hills

Last week, we swapped bootcamp circuits and local running trails for something a little more epic — the Innsbruck Alpine Running Festival. Fourteen of us packed our bags and headed to the Tyrolean capital for a weekend of mountain adventures, shared challenge, and unforgettable memories.

With race distances of 17k, 25k and 42k, our team had trained hard in the lead-up, using our Simply Human bootcamps and tailored running plans to prepare both body and mind. Everyone arrived ready — or so we thought…

We touched down in Innsbruck on Thursday, kicking things off with a welcome dinner and a buzz of anticipation. Friday gave us the chance to explore the stunning mountain landscape, with a cable car ride up the Nordkette to take in the summit views, followed by lunch at the Seegrube restaurant perched high above the valley.

But no adventure would be complete without a bit of drama. On Friday evening, while calmly packing his kit for the next day’s marathon, Sean realised he’d brought two left-footed trainers — and no trail shoes. Cue a mad dash into Innsbruck city centre, only to discover (thankfully!) that the shops were open late thanks to a shopping and music festival. One emergency shoe purchase later, disaster was averted.

Saturday was race day.

Sean, Angela, Sebastian, Aaron and Wayne were up early, catching the 6:45am bus to the marathon start line. The rest of the group enjoyed a more relaxed breakfast before heading to their respective distances: Martina, Beth, Richard and Amanda tackled the 25k, while Anna-Maria, Lauren, Hester and Immie took on the 17k event, which set off in the late afternoon.

With Kasra on cheering duty and everyone safely back by evening, the day ended in a blur of high-fives, medals, aching legs and big smiles. The climbs were steep, the descents even steeper, but the sense of achievement? Off the scale.

Sunday brought more exploring — this time to the Bergisel Ski Jump. We were lucky enough to see a live demo jump and soaked in the sweeping views from the top. After a hearty Austrian lunch, Sean and Sebastian caught a local football match at FC Wacker Innsbruck, witnessing an impressive 5–0 win, before meeting the rest of the team for a few well-earned beers.

On Monday, most of the crew headed home — but not before a final visit to a local Strudel café for one last taste of Tirol. Over flaky pastry and rich coffee, we shared stories, laughs and the feeling of having been through something genuinely special.

Sean, Angela, Lauren and Aaron stayed on for one final adventure, heading to the Alpenzoo on Tuesday before flying home.

This trip was more than a race. It was a celebration of community, of pushing limits, and of doing something extraordinary together.

Roll on the next adventure.