adidas Innsbruck Alpine Trailrun Festival 2026
Innsbruck Alpine Trailrun Festival – K110 Masters of Innsbruck
Innsbruck
Race guide
Updated 19 July 2026
The K110 Masters of Innsbruck is the flagship race of the adidas Innsbruck Alpine Trailrun Festival, covering 113 km and 4,704 m of elevation gain in a spectacular loop that starts and finishes at the iconic Innsbruck Landestheater. Threading through the mountains and valleys encircling the Tyrolean capital, the course visits the forested flanks above the Inn Valley, the high alm pastures of the Stubai and Tux foothills, and the historic towns of Hall in Tirol and Thaur before sweeping back into Innsbruck — a true circumnavigation of the city at altitude. With a high point of 1,713 m and a finish-line cut-off of 22:00 on Day 2, this is a race that demands solid ultra-running fitness, smart pacing from the gun, and careful management of the repeated climbs and descents that define the back half of the course. It is not a sky race chasing extreme altitude, but the near-constant elevation change — averaging roughly 42 m of ascent per kilometre — means there is no flat recovery stretch to coast on. Every section asks something of you.
Course & Terrain Overview
The route begins at 576 m in central Innsbruck and immediately heads west and south into the hills. The first major arc swings out to Birgitz (22.3 km, 827 m) and up to Mutterer Alm (31.1 km, 1,545 m), the highest alm checkpoint on the course, before dropping to Telfes (39.8 km, 1,363 m) in the Stubaital foothills. From there the course descends sharply back toward the valley floor, passing the water station at ÖAMTC (50.7 km, 829 m) and touching Bergisel (55.3 km, 636 m) — the historic ski-jump hill on the southern edge of Innsbruck — before climbing again to Heiligwasser (63.6 km, 918 m) and Sistranser Alm (68.3 km, 1,349 m) on the eastern side of the city. The back third traverses to Herzsee (80.7 km, 994 m), descends to Hall in Tirol (88 km, 883 m) and Thaur (94.2 km, 582 m), and then makes a final climb back to the finish at 1,045 m. Underfoot the terrain mixes singletrack forest trail, open alm paths, and short sections of alpine track — technical enough to demand attention on descents, runnable enough to reward those who have trained on mixed mountain terrain.
The Decisive Climbs & Descents
There are two climbs that define this race. The first is the sustained push to Mutterer Alm at 1,545 m, arriving at kilometre 31 — early enough that many runners go out too hard. The climb is roughly 700 m of vertical from the Birgitz checkpoint and sets the tone for everything that follows; blow up here and the next 80 km will feel very long. The second decisive section is the double-header on the eastern side of the city: the climb from Bergisel to Heiligwasser and then the continued grind to Sistranser Alm at 1,349 m. By this point you are past 68 km and the legs are accumulating fatigue from the earlier descents. The descent from Sistranser Alm toward Herzsee is long and quad-busting — with over 350 m of drop — arriving at Herzsee with roughly 32 km still to run. Protect your quads on every descent if you want to run the final stretch from Thaur to the finish, which includes a climb of around 460 m in the last 12 km. That closing ascent is where races are lost if pacing has been careless earlier in the day.
Pacing & Race Strategy
With 113 km and nearly 4,700 m of climbing, a negative-split mentality is unrealistic — but controlled effort in the first 55 km to Bergisel is achievable and essential. Use Birgitz (22.3 km) as your first honest check: if you are ahead of pace, ease off. Hike the steeper pitches on the way to Mutterer Alm rather than running them; the time saved is negligible and the energy cost is enormous at this early stage. The section from Telfes to Bergisel (roughly km 40–55) passes through the valley and offers the most runnable terrain on the course — use it to move efficiently rather than to chase time. From Bergisel onward treat each checkpoint as a mini-goal: get to Heiligwasser, then Sistranser Alm, then Herzsee in good shape before committing to a faster effort into Hall in Tirol. Allow crew to meet you at the four designated crew points (Birgitz, Telfes, Bergisel, Hall in Tirol, and Thaur) to refresh kit and nutrition without losing unnecessary time. The 22:00 Day 2 cut-off at the finish gives a firm ceiling, so calculate your required average pace early and check against it at each checkpoint.
Fuelling & Hydration
Checkpoint spacing varies considerably — the longest gap between supported stops is the 12.4 km from Herzsee (80.7 km) to Hall in Tirol (88 km), which is manageable, but the 8.3 km gap from Sistranser Alm to Herzsee comes at the most fatigued point of the race. Plan to carry enough food and fluid to cover at least 90 minutes between any two checkpoints. Given the alpine setting and the potential for warm valley temperatures combined with cooler conditions above 1,300 m, electrolyte management is critical — you will sweat hard on the climbs and chill quickly on the exposed alm sections if you stop moving. Aim for a consistent 60–90 g of carbohydrate per hour from kilometre 20 onward, using the checkpoints to top up real food alongside gels or chews. The water station at ÖAMTC (50.7 km) arrives after a long descent and before Bergisel — use it to refill fully even if you feel comfortable, as Bergisel is only 4.6 km further and a quick stop there with crew can add a buffer for the harder eastern loop.
Conditions & Kit Expectations
The Innsbruck Alpine Trailrun Festival typically takes place in summer, and the K110 spans day into night, meaning runners must be prepared for a significant temperature swing. Valley sections around Innsbruck, Hall in Tirol, and Thaur can be warm during the day, while the alm checkpoints at Mutterer Alm (1,545 m) and Sistranser Alm (1,349 m) can be noticeably cooler, especially after dark. A lightweight windproof or softshell layer for the high sections is not optional in the Alps regardless of forecast. Trail shoes with sufficient grip for wet grass and rooted forest singletrack are the right choice — the terrain does not call for aggressive crampon-style lugs but does punish road-oriented footwear on the descents. Mandatory kit requirements will be specified in the race briefing; carry a headtorch with spare batteries as a minimum, since a significant portion of the back half of the course will be run in darkness for mid-pack runners. Check the festival's official briefing for any year-specific mandatory equipment updates before race day.
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Checkpoints & cut-offs
✓ Course data verified against the official source (2026-07-05) · official source
0 km · 576 m · —
14.1 km · 635 m · Sat 03:00
22.3 km · 827 m · Sat 04:30
31.1 km · 1545 m · —
39.8 km · 1363 m · —
50.7 km · 829 m · —
55.3 km · 636 m · Sat 11:15
63.6 km · 918 m · Sat 13:15
68.3 km · 1349 m · —
80.7 km · 994 m · Sat 17:00
88 km · 883 m · Sat 18:15
94.2 km · 582 m · Sat 19:30
106.1 km · 1045 m · —
112.6 km · 575 m · Day 22:00
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