Großglockner Ultra-Trail (GGUT) - Dominik Böcksteiner

Dominik`s goal for 2020: the "GGUT" (110 km & 6.500 hm). In the Covid year, however, many competitions were canceled, including the GGUT. He took this as motivation and accomplished his "sports highlight" without a race number but with full enthusiasm.

In 2020, Dominik Böcksteiner (30 years old) set a personal goal: the "Großglockner ULTRA-TRAIL" with 110 km and 6,500 hm. After many competitions were canceled in an uncertain Covid year, the GGUT did not take place either. Dominik, however, took it as motivation and pulled off his "sports highlight" without a race number but with full enthusiasm and passion. Read this blog to know how he pulled through an extremely tough challenge.

Dominik does not see himself as a professional athlete. For him, a professional athlete is too far away, so he simply calls himself a passionate full-blooded athlete who likes to do fun summer and winter sports. He is already addicted to competitive sports for half of his life – 15 years. He sat for hours on a racing bike. At the age of 15, he started the first cycling marathons, rode amateur bike races already at the age of 16 until he got into the ultra bike scene in 2013.

"Christoph Strasser is still my absolute role model today and shows me what is possible when you love your sport and live it with full energy and above all with fun."

In 2013 and 2014 he was able to win the Race Around Austria with a course record in a 2-man team and this record lasted for a few years. Many teams have subsequently measured themselves against this time. After these two monumental victories in ultra cycling, he hung on for two more years and competed again in the Race Around Austria Challenge. He competed once as a solo rider and in 2016, at the conclusion of his cycling career, in a team in the RAA Challenge.

The Beginning Of A Mountain Running Era

With the end of his cycling career in 2016, he took a great liking to mountain running. Without knowing how to run up a mountain or how incredibly exhausting it can be, this running fever did not let him go. From that moment on, he knew that running would occupy a very big place in his life for the next few years.

The "fire was blazing" and he realized after the first races that he would definitely have a good chance in this discipline. He was able to run at the front in a sport without having had any special training for it - and that ignited this fever even more.

Twice he was in a team at the start of the Großglockner ULTRA-TRAIL (62 km and 4,500 hm), he won the Traunsee Bergmarathon in 2019 with a course record (30 km and 2,000 hm), he took 2nd place, in his age group, at the Hochkönigman (53 km and 3,300 hm) and he won the Traunsee Trailrunning CUP in 2020. He ran many competitions and even stood on the podium over the course of these 4 years.

His Greatest Successes In Running

In 2020, Dominik set himself a very lofty goal: the "Großglockner ULTRA-TRAIL" with 110 km and 6,500 hm. Unfortunately, 2020 was not as expected and for many endurance athletes, competitions were canceled - including his personal sports highlight was finally canceled and postponed. Dominik was not disappointed, but even more motivated to do the "thing" himself. Without a race number, but with full enthusiasm and passion.

He was in great shape, because in 2020 he could train really well. PANACEO also supported his project in the best possible way:

With PANACEO SPORT PRO-SUPPORT he was able to regenerate perfectly at all times, with Green Health OPC+C he optimally supported his immune system, and the two drinks: ENERGY ISO² and ENERGY BOOST³ he always had with him. In addition, he was able to protect, build up and also sufficiently strengthen his muscles with ENERGY AMINO⁸.

The „Großglockner ULTRA-TRAIL“ – 110 km and 6.500 hm

The GGUT was canceled for 2020. Dominik, however, wanted to tackle the course solo and run once around the Großglockner. A week before his start, he increased his intake of PANACEO products. The ENERGY AMINO⁸ for the perfect protection of his muscles, the PANACEO SPORT PRO-SUPPORT for a strong gastrointestinal tract and top regenerated thighs and the Green Health OPC+C for a strong immune system. The Green Health Magnesium & Calcium as well as the Green Health Gelenk-Aktiv were the icing on the cake before the run.

Dominik started in the best weather conditions at 21.00 in the evening in Kaprun, Salzburg. Top motivated with shorts and running shirt he went to the first aid station in Ferleiten, where he deposited everything he needed at almost midnight: food, drink, dry and fresh clothes, new backpack and poles.

Running time: 3 h / 21 km / 1,100 hm

On we went. Now the first hard part was waiting for him: 1,500 hm running uphill, then at the top over the eternal ice over 2,500 m above sea level - all alone and only with a small headlamp on his head.

This was technically very difficult and he had to swiftly and safely overcome the steep uphill. The downhill demanded his highest concentration in order not to fall and risk an injury. Likewise, some counter ascents were waiting for him. The next goal in mind was the Glocknerhaus, which he reached at 4:30 after 42 km and 3,500 hm.

His father-in-law was already waiting there for Dominik with warm soup, fresh shoes and new clothes, a warm blanket, encouraging words, a hug and with the important PANACEO products. After a 15 min break, we continued to the roof of the GGUT - the Pfortscharte at 2,825 m above sea level. The sun was now beginning to rise and light was starting to overcome the darkness.

The air started to became thinner. You always move at the GGUT above 2,000 m altitude, so it was slow and continuous marching. The thought of enough food and drink was always on his mind. The sun was shining beautifully and Dominik could absolutely savor and enjoy every step. At 2,825 m he had reached the highest point of his tour, all alone with the sun on his face, he looked at the path he had already covered. This was a great accomplishment but he was far from finished.

Further it went, technically very difficult, steep and fast downhill into the valley towards Lucknerhaus. A short last climb over alpine meadows followed with a long downhill went down to Kals am Großglockner, where his best friend Paul was already waiting for him. He was ready to accompany Dominik on the second half back to Kaprun.

Running time: 13 h / 62 km / 4,500 hm

Now it was time to eat, eat and eat. The PANACEO products were also consumed to further help Dominik toward his goal. We continued through a beautiful valley with waterfalls, streams and in all a beautiful nature surrounding with fantastic views of a breathtaking mountain landscape. With the final climb to the Kalser Tauern we went up again to 2,500 m above sea level. The weather at this point was cold and windy, around 10 degrees, but that did not change his motivation. At the Rudolfshütte, there was a short break and they bought something warm to eat. Evertything had to go fast, because outside it became more and more uncomfortable.

Running time: 18.5 h / 80 km / 5,500 hm

With the Kapruner Törl (2,487 m) the last hard climb was ahead of him. From this point on, Dominik was very cold and he had put on almost everything he had with him. Half frozen, they went on, with Paul pushing and pushing them. Slowly, the legs were also heavy, the back and the shoulder pinched and also the fatigue slowly crept in.

"After 18.5 hours on the road, I said to myself: Yes, that's the way it is now - keep marching and keep having fun."

Through the motivation of his friend Paul, they continued. Endlessly it went technically uphill and downhill, the trails were beautiful, but the focus was at this point already on completely different things. Paul went in front, made good speed and always motivated Dominik. The clouds hindered the view upwards, which especially denied the view of Törl. This made it difficult to know how far it actually was. It was still very cold with a strong wind and they knew that the rain would soon catch up with them. Therefore, Dominik tried to mobilize everything to get over the Törl as quickly as possible, then it was only downhill to the finish.

Still dry, but already slightly undercooled, they arrived at the Törl. Now it was downhill for many demanding kilometers. Dominik's left thigh slowly but surely quit and running was no longer possible. So he tried, as quickly as possible, to descend into the valley. In front they even saw huge downpours coming towards them, but then they were spared.

At the foot of the Kaprun reservoirs, the sky then opened its floodgates and it poured, fortunately they were out of the danger zone. Along the reservoirs it became slowly serious. In the heavy continuous rain, with extreme gusts of wind and 5 - 10 degrees they tried to somehow quickly move on. Physically and mentally at the limit, pain in the shoulder, pinching in the left thigh and close to hypothermia they were able to seek shelter in a hut. Dominik put on the rest of what he could still find in his backpack. In the continuous rain and under extreme cold, they continued to master the last, laborious downhill of 1,200 hm.

Running time: 23,5h / 94 km / 6.500 hm

It got dark, continued to rain in torrents and to top it all of, it was freezing cold. The final stretch was a torture and every step terribly heavy. Mentally it was a challenge but there was nothing left to do but march - run - walk.

"Then - in the middle of the forest we stopped. Paul turned around, hugged me and said:

You old bastard, you made it 100 km!!!

I was speechless - dead inside and at the end of my physical and mental capacity. Unable to divulge words in any halfway meaningful way. BUT incredibly THANKFUL that I made that mark, I was close to tears and couldn't believe it."

Soon after, it was done. The GGUT with 110 km and 6,500 hm was done at about 21:45. At the finish line, Dominik's father-in-law was waiting for them and welcomed them with the last shouts. Dominik was incredibly happy and speechless. He had tears in his eyes, not only because of happiness, but also because of the pain. Physically a bit battered, but still healthy.

"It's difficult to explain what was going on inside me at that moment, really hard to put into words. But one thing is certain: I'll be back, and then with a race number on my hip."