Mein Overland Triathlon Epple/to/Dobel, Karlsruhe, Ettlingen, Albtal, Germany

English version

Inspiriert von einem YouTube-Video des US-amerikanischen Profi-Triathleten und großartigen YouTubers Eric Lagerstrom aus dem Jahr 2022 wuchs in meinem Kopf die Idee eines eigenen ersten Überland-Triathlons. Doch es dauerte bis zum 17. September 2023, bis ich ihn endlich das erste Mal durchführen konnte. Ein Vortest umfasste nur Radfahren und Laufen.

Dieser individuelle und kostenlose Überlandtriathlon führt vom Epple-See zum Berg Dobel im Nordschwarzwald. Man könnte ihn auch als Cross-Triathlon bezeichnen, da Radfahren und Laufen zu einem großen Teil auf Trails stattfinden. Die Strecke liegt in der Nähe der Städte Karlsruhe und Ettlingen.

Der Epple-See ist ein kleiner Baggersee in der Nähe von Karlsruhe, der für die Öffentlichkeit zugänglich ist. Schwimmen ist dort ausdrücklich erlaubt, also ein idealer Startpunkt für dieses kleine Abenteuer. Die Radstrecke führt von der Rheinebene über schöne Waldwege bis in die Kleinstadt Bad Herrenalb. Hier wechselt man auf die Laufstrecke hinauf zum Dobel.

Jede/r ist herzlich eingeladen, diesen Triathlon selbst auszuprobieren und zu sehen, wie sie/er diese Herausforderung meistert. Ich würde mich freuen, wenn Ihr mir Eure Trackingdaten und/oder Fotos/Videos schickt. Ich werde sie hier auf der Website einfügen und Eure Ergebnisse in die Tabelle unten aufnehmen. Bitte lasst mich wissen, was Ihr von den Strecken haltet und was Ihr sonst noch zu sagen habt!
Da ich diesen Überland-Triathlon ohne jegliche Unterstützung absolviert habe, waren meine T1- und T2-Zeiten nicht sehr schnell - etwas, das ich beim nächsten Mal sicher verbessern kann. Und ich denke, dass ich beim nächsten Mal schneller laufen kann. Ich hoffe also, dass ich diesen Triathlon im Jahr 2024 wiederholen kann und mindestens 15 Minuten schneller bin. Die FKT (fastest known time) ist also bisher 4:07:22 Std und Ihr seid natürlich eingeladen den Triathlon auszuprobieren und die Zeit zu schlagen!


 
For those who are interested, I provide all GPS tracks and some details of the course.
 
Swim, 800 m:
From T1 you can either swim across the lake or walk along the beach to the start. The start is at the far end of the accessible beaches. From the start you swim to the white buoy and pass it on its right side. Be careful when passing as the steel rope for fixing is not very deep in the water. After you have passed the white buoy you swim along the first and the second beach nose. Then take a slight turn to the right, swim closer to the beach already heading to east. Then you head to the yellow buoys at the east end of the lake, optimally you head to the second yellow buoy from the left. From this buoy it is only 50 m to the beach where you prepared your T1.
 
T1:
Probably you want to lock your bike - in case you don't have any supporters with you. Jump on your bike right at the beach and ride across the gras area up to the parking lot ... or if you feel more comfortable run across the gras area and jump on your bike only at the parking lot. Ride to East following the bike path, go under the train track and then take a 180 degree turn to the follow the tracks to South for a short time. Follow the GPS track.
 
You can download the GPS track for the swim here:
GPX
 
You can download the GPS track for the bike here:
GPX
 

 
Bike, 35 km::
The first 10 K are sort of a warm up, because they are flat. You will pass two other small lakes, then ride a little nature trail, before the first climb starts. There are some steep passages so make sure you chose the correct gear. Once you are on top of the first hill, you get a decent down-hill section, riding at the border of the forest, passing "Rimmelsbacher Hof", which is a nice cafe/restaurant for hikers and bikers to have a rest - but you of course don't have the time today. You might want to return another day.
Two short up-hills later (after 23 K) you will be on the "Death Man Trail", a famous trail in the region. Hope you are not yet dead by then, carry on with power, still 12 K to go.
You soon will be on the "Earl Rhena Path", which is then quite flat and with easy gravel, beside one short climb close to the "Monastery Frauenalb". Once you come to the town "Bad herrenalb" take a turn to the right on the first road you get to. In "Hardtscheuer" just in front of the golf club building you take a turn to the left into the "Kirchenweg". After a short technical as narrow downhill you go the last uphill section, before arriving at the train station. Here you park (and lock) your bike and switch to the run.
 
T2:
T2 I figured out, the bike parking (it is located north of the train station) here is a good spot, if you do this triathlon by your own: if you take the bus from the finish down to "Bad Herrenalb" again, it will bring you directly back to T2. And then you can take the train back towards the direction of Karlsruhe.
 
You can download the GPS track for the run here:
GPX
 
Here is also some small report of my first performance of that "Overland Triathlon Epple to Dobel":
As this first time I did the whole overland triathlon on my own without any support, I had put my bike at the beach for T1 and locked it with a light-weight lock. From there I walked the main part on the beach to the starting point. After I completed the swim, I completely changed to a dry tri-suit, a bike jersey ontop and socks, because air temperature was quite low this morning. Changing took me quite a long time, as you can see in the time splits below. I had a little knapsack prepared for T1, where my running shoes, some money and one powerbar had just enough space. A second powerbar I carried in the bag of my jersey. - And off I went for the second stage.
 
You can find the course also here:
 
Swim:

 
T1

 
Bike:

 
Run: