Gentle steam rises from the huge warm outdoor pool as it meets the fresh mountain air. Tired runners, beers in hand, chat happily around the outside, soaking their muscles in the thermal waters, watching the sun sink over the mountains that line the Gastein Valley. A buffet of the finest Austrian carbs awaits, the party is just starting to get going, and as the live band tune up, it’s hard to think of a better post-race party than this.
The Gastein Valley lies around two hours by car from Salzburg airport, and comprises three towns – Dorfgastein, Bad Hofgastein and Bad Gastein – linked by stretches of implausibly green grass and by walking routes, trails and roads, alongside a huge network of cycle paths. It’s a walkers, runners and cyclists paradise. You don’t even have to be into hardcore climbing – the valley floor is lush and more or less flat. Lining it, though, are the Hohe Tauern mountains and Alpine meadows that lack only Heidi yodelling, or possibly a Milka cow herd or three. It is almost absurdly beautiful.
The area is also famous for its curative thermal waters. The beautiful town of Bad Gastein boasts not only a waterfall right in its centre, but is also lined with grand buildings and hotels befitting its former imperial status. (The spas there were visited by the Hapbsburg Emperor Frederick III and for many years it was the fashionable spa resort of choice.)
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When it comes to that post-race party, the thermal waters bubbling in the pools, along with saunas and steam rooms galore inside, are found at the Alpentherme spa complex in Bad Hofgastein – and this is where the Infinite Trails races start and finish. Because unfortunately to earn that blissful post-race spa, you do have to actually do the running first.
Calling the race – or race series – Infinite Trails might conjure up a somewhat terrifying vision of endless mountainous loops. But fortunately, while the Gastein Valley is indeed packed with near-infinite trail options, the races on offer start at a very achievable 15km and go all the way up to the extremely challenging 60k, with 5,200m of elevation. Not for the faint hearted, though it should certainly earn you some extra post-race strudel.
The 15km option, however, is the perfect challenging-but-achievable race for relative trail novices. It’s certainly steep – there’s around 900m of elevation but pretty much the entirety of that is packed into 5km of the route. That makes it seriously steep, but over relatively quickly. All the races start early, so as to be done by sunset, so there is no running in the dark, and certainly nothing on the 15km route that could be described as ‘technical’ (a euphemism that always strikes fear into the heart).
Staying in town, you will inevitably be woken super early by the classic noises of a race start (cue the Eurotunes). The 60km runners start at 6am, the 15km not until a positively civilised 7:45am. The field is young and international – there are large, friendly groups of run club friends from cities in Germany, France and beyond. Everyone looks remarkably happy, in stark contrast to the usual pre-race set faces. Aside from those positioning themselves at the front with an eye on their watches, most people do not look remotely like hardened trail pros –- just like, well, your normal collection of everyday runners. And so, with some inspirational music, lots of selfies, and cheers, we are off.
It’s a fast, flat start – the first couple of km wind out of town before you abruptly hit the start of the climb, up gravel paths, winding through super steep forest trails (the type you hike up, hands on legs). It’s a couple of km of seriously hard work, less running, more stairmaster territory. The lungs are definitely starting to burn and the calves are screaming. People are definitely not chatting now. But while it’s hard work, it’s really not that long before you emerge at the very highest point of the race, and finally have a moment (and lung capacity) to turn and appreciate the stunning views. The early morning mist still sits like a pictureque soup at the bottom of the valley, and there isn’t a cloud in the sky. Taking photographs for the tourist board here must be one easy gig.
At this point there is also an aid station offering drinks and your usual carb-based snacks and sweets. It is manned by cheery volunteers encouraging us onward, and one Alpine cow, who looks mildly annoyed that she isn’t being allowed to examine the treats on offer.
And of course, what went up, now comes down. And what a glorious downhill it is. It’s the absolute prime gradient for flying down, on paths and gravel roads that allow you to take the brakes off without fear of tripping. The kind of downhill that makes you feel like a little kid again. Who cares if you can’t walk properly for two days, right?
And so far too soon, we are back in town and on the final stretch. As this bit is the same as the start, the flat allows you to pick up the pace and cross the finish line puffing hard, and at least looking like you didn’t just stop and take 246 photos of the views. Even if that’s precisely what you did.
And if this race has the best post-race party, the best downhill, and the best aid station cow, it turns out to also have the absolute best medal. On the finish line, local school children present you with one made from locally sourced timber, every single wooden roundel decorated uniquely by one of the kids.
Best still, it’s still only really breakfast time, and there is an entire day ahead to relax and enjoy the spa – entry is included in your race ticket, as is the buffet, the beer and a whole lot more. Or you can, of course, get a cable car up to intersect with the hardcore 60km runners at one of their own rather more mountainous peaks and cheer them on, before returning to the spa to get into the party mood. It really is the perfect end to one of the most perfect races.
The 2025 Adidas Terrex Infinite Trails race takes place from 5-7 September infinite-trails.com
For more info about the surrounding areas of Gastein, visit gastein.com/en
