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Pre-Race:
The concept of the Teuflischer Biber Ultra is quite simple: run 6 loops of 60k each in 10h each while collecting pages matching your bib number of all hidden books along the way to prove you found and passed them all. This year’s start corridor was described as „between 2100 Friday evening to 0600 Saturday morning“. 4 runners were brave enough to start the TBU 2025. During the briefing at 1900 we received the .gpx file, the printed map including the 18 dots for this year’s books and the description for each book. Similar to last year I plotted those 18 points as waypoints into the .gpx file in GC trying to be as precise as possible copying from a rather blurry printed map. After the last preparation were done the runner tried to find some rest. It was possible to lay down and close our eyes for some interrupted sleep waiting for the signal to start the race. The signal finally came at 0213 giving us exact one more hour to get ready to start.

Loop 1:
At 0313 we were finally allowed to start. The first climb to Book 1 gave a vague idea that this year’s edition could be a spicy one. Teun, Helge and me teamed up during the first climb onto Book 1 and sticked together for a little while longer. It somehow made sense to work together to find the books in the dark Eifel. With 6 eyes we were surprisingly fast in finding the first 8 books. Although the running speed of Teun and Helge was a bit above my comfort zone I tried to stick with them – an extremely important decision as it turned out I would need every saved second later on in loop 1. We split at Book 8 by coincidence – Teun ran the downhill way too fast for me and while trying to follow him I lost contact with Helge. For the rest of loop 1 I focused on pushing as hard as I dared with the fact in mind that there were more loops to come.With one eye on the timing I realized on the last 15k that there was no other choice than to go all-in in trying to get loop 1 done within time. Teun and I met once more at Book 10 which gave Teun a bit of a headache – together we found it and he could continue taking the lead. As the track was not only longer but also harder and equipped with more books compared to the 2024 edition I needed to fight for every minute at the end of loop 1. Finishing loop 1 I met Teun only 300 m before the HQ. He had his break and was starting loop 2 roughly 20 minutes ahead of me – something was definitely wrong at that moment – Teun should have been more than an hour ahead of me with his goal to finish all 6 loops.

Loop 2:
After 3 minutes refill and receiving the new bib number I started loop 2 with only 7 minutes spare to the 10h cut-off. It was crystal clear to me that I would not have the slightest chance to finish loop 2 in time – but so what: I was allowed to continue so why not at least try to relax a bit and collect a few more pages in the beautiful Eifel? Later in loop 2 I called the RD to pick me up – the fun was gone and to continue a journey I knew was a DNF seemed stupid. Even more surprising was that Teun also did not manage to finish loop 2 in time. This years TBU ended after two loops.

The TBU 2025 provided a beautiful course, wonderful books combined with perfect weather conditions. I finally had some time to discuss running and life with Teun – thanks for that, that is probably the best part of ultra: connecting to like-minded people and discuss one of the things we really love. Normally there would be hours between Teun and me running but this time we shared some time on the trail together – thanks mate, that was great and apart from the difference in running abilities we can work together quite nicely. Hope we get some more chances to do so.

After a short and cold night of sleep (which should have been a night out on the trails) we had the first coffee together wondering what happed and why we were already sitting there. We had several theories of why it went the way it did – later at home with a proper look at the data we found those theories to be true. We returned to the TBU with the impressions of the TBU in 2024. The track back in 2024 was a bit shorter than 60k – in fact it was only around 55k as the data show from both our watches. The 2025 track was around 63k. So we had to run 8k more compared to last year. Combined with a more technical track and a decent plus in D+ and 3 more books it finally made sense. The 2025 edition was way harder compared to 2024. Although it is of course the decision of the RD to create whatever he wants – this was too much of a change. It does not matter too much for myself as my abilities will never last for the complete distance but I feel really sorry for Teun. He prepared himself specifically for this event with the aim of finishing it off – only to be confronted with a 1.5h longer track. With this dramatic change it may not make sense to consider a third try at this race. At least the distance should be kept somewhat constant to attract runners for more than one try and give them at least a theoretical chance to finish. There are enough other variables (number of books, track design, D+) to provide something new and spicy every year. I truly believe the format is a great opportunity to provide something interesting to the BENELUXGER running community but only if it is kept in a reasonable and constant frame. The tendency to glorify certain events over there in the US is a mistake in my opinion and is not really helpful for the race future. It should be hard – it should seem impossible to most but it should provide a chance to finish so that the best can’t resist and can’t wait to line-up and give it a shot.

Nevertheless – thanks to the whole TBU team, the runners and supporters for another nice weekend!

Not all those who wander are lost!

Its usually a very very thin line if you base something on a famous project. You don’t want to be too close and you don’t want to be too far away either. You don’t want to copy exactly and although you know you will never going to create the same atmosphere you want to create something in that style with a unique and distinguishing flavour to it.

No need to mention the original – those who know know.

Although my initial feelings when I heard the concept were a bit mixed because of the above described challenges but the first edition of the Teuflischer Biber Ultra did very well and created a great experience. 6 runners signed up – 4 actually made their way to the Camp Hammer camping ground in the lovely Eifel where the first edition of the race had its base camp and start/finish location.

The concept is pretty simple. The race starts within a given time period (indicated by a signal of the RD giving you a 30 min to start warning) and the task is to complete a somewhat 60 km loop in 10 hours. Within these 10 hours you have to get ready for the second loop as well and sign off for the next loop before the 10 hours elapses. You can continue that game as long as you stay within the given 10h time rhythm for a max of 6 loops – 360 km. To prove that you completed all parts of the track 15 books were (well) hidden along the course and pages had to be torn out matching your bib number. Each loop a new bib. Only by showing the 15 pages you are allowed to continue. The first runner to start the next loop determines if the loop is to be run clockwise or counter-clockwise by throwing a stone. Sounds a lot to remember but nicely falls into place while doing it.

As the loop will never be exactly the same we are allowed to talk about what has happened starting February 3rd 2024 07:43 AM. Except for one book I will not give away the book hidings – who knows if some of the locations make it into the next editions. I will keep this knowledge and will use it to my advantage most definitely :).

The first loops challenge was clearly to locate the books. 2h before race start we received the GPX for the loop as we were allowed to use our electronic friends and a paper map indicating the book locations. A really brief description on 2 pieces of paper gave one sentence and sometimes a picture for each of the books which should help us to find them. To be honest – most of them were not really helpful. During the race briefing we got some additional hints but still – it was pretty sure that maintaining 6 km/h on a rough 2200 D+ 60 km loop while playing hide and seek with 15 books was on the edge of possibility for a slow runner like me. Perfect – exactly how this format should be presented. Possible for one loop but on the edge for me. Possible for several loops for the really strong ultra runners. Possible to complete 6 loops – questionable. It was up to us how to best prepare in the last two hours before start so I used some of my Garmin Connect knowledge’s to ease the job ahead.

Finally we started at 07:43 on Saturday 3rd of February 2024. The 4 of us. First loop was to be run counterclockwise and the book bags were numbered 1 to 15 – good to check along the way if all was well with finding them all. Daylight helped as well. Running with Désirée in the first loop meant having 4 eyes looking for books. Wouter and Teun teamed up as well at least for some parts on loop 1. In general probably a wise thing on loop 1 to be quicker in finding the books. Still: it took a while at each location. I think we only found 3-4 books within 1-2 minutes – the other took 5-10 minutes each. This adds up a substantial amount of time for the first loop. The track was well designed and offered some parts which were easily runnable. Thanks for this. It would have been impossible for me without these parts. The book/km density varied quite a bit as well which was good too as in some parts there were 5-7 km to the next book making it more easy to focus on getting some time advantage to this 6 km/h to make up for the time lost during the searches. Real fun but on the edge of being a bit stressful. We made it back with 45 min spare. Désirée stopped as planned before start – I continued on loop 2 with 20 min extra – roughly one hour behind Wouter and Teun. Although it was now really easy to locate the books (we were running in the same direction as loop one) the needed speed in that terrain together with a tired body made it more and more clear that finishing loop 2 within 20 h would not do for me. I was not really angry about that and decided to enjoy the experience being out there in the dark Eifel with constant light rain chasing and tearing out those pages. Until I had enough. I called the RD and was picked up in Erkensruhr for good.

On loop 1 it was uncertain if we would be in time – so starting loop 2 was the goal. Before the race I was dreaming of entering loop 3 – as I think that this is what I can do when everything is perfect. That it was going to be impossible for me was clear before start. So I am happily accepting it and made some valuable experiences to come back one day and push for 3 loops. Beyond that is expert terrain – so I am going to leave that with the experts.

Thanks to Michael, Kevin and Bianca for being stubborn enough to put the Teuflischer Biber Ultra on the race calendar – please keep it there. If it gets the attention it deserves it will grow. The seed is planted.

Désirée, Teun, Wouter – it was an honor to enjoy a nice camping weekend with you. Thanks for pushing at the end of loop 1 Désirée – I needed it. Teun – I still love your poem you wrote for us during Another One Bites the Dust Corona Edition. Apart from that we rarely met and it was my pleasure to finally spend some time. Amazing how you pulled of 4 loops – there are only a few, but you may have the 6 loops in you one day. Wouter – we mainly offend each other in various FB chats. It was great to have the possibility to do that face-to-face. We should do that more often.

Ah: what you all have been waiting for – the books. I only took pictures of some of them but here is a selection of titles:

Die Reisenden
Target
Nur nicht stehenbleiben
Als meine Fehler laufen lernten
Eiertanz
Du mich auch
Survivor
The ask and the answer
Tote lügen nicht