Laugavegur 55K 2025

Landmannalaugur, Iceland

Saturday, July 12, 2025

I ran this race in 2022, and have a detailed post here.  Since I've run this before and also because the race was over a month ago now, this year's posting will be more abbreviated and focused just on the race itself, not the race preparation, transportation, etc.  

Having said that, the impetus for me to run this race again this year was really that Matthew had expressed interest in running it back when he was a spectator at the finish line in Þórsmörk three years ago, and I had told him that if he were ever serious about running it, I'd be happy to accompany him.  And this year that came to fruition.

I really didn't know what to expect for a target time this year.  I ran a pretty good time of 5:31 back in 2022, but I've slowed a bit.  Also, three days ago I honestly wasn't sure if I could even start nevermind finish the race, as I was having a lot of pain in the coccyx area that had just come on the day before and was so debilitating that I scratched from the weekly Fun Run 5K, as I was limping in pain on my 1/4 mile warmup.

Race start:  After a short warm-up with Matthew, I checked in my bag to be sent to the finish line.  Milled around for a bit before showing the requisite race items (space blanket, whistle, cell phone, light jacket) to race officials to gain entry to Wave 1 line-up.

Start of the famed Laugavegur 55K trail

Arrived at Landmannalaugar

Taken during our warm-up.  It's beautiful terrain here already,
and we haven't even started the race yet.

Lined up maybe a third of the way into Wave 1, and we were quickly off.  SO nice to start a race in July at 49°F!  The first 10K is mostly uphill, climbing about 1,500' up to the Hrafntinnusker aid station.  Andrew (LePage) passed me a few miles into the race, and I figured I wouldn't see him again.  

The start line being setup

After Hrafntinnusker, there were occasional sections of snow to cross over, but unlike in 2022, this time the snow sections were few and far between and the snow was soft.  In 2022, we were on snowfields for miles at a time, and it was also easier to run on back then.  In about Mile 7 or so, I was very confused when Andrew passed me for a second time, until he explained that he had stopped at the previous aid station.

Hrafntinnusker aid station!

Snow crossing about an hour into the race

I was careful not to get too close to the collapsed hole in the snow!

Mile 11 is a long steep downhill section on scree.  I passed so many people in this section, including passing Andrew.  At about Mile 12, the terrain levels off for about the next nine miles, and this was the start of my struggles.

What a view!  At Mile 10, just before the big descent

Andrew re-passed me for the final time about 13 miles in, and from there my pace just continued to slow.  By the time I got to Emstrur aid station at 38K (23M), I just was not feeling good at all.  The aid stations workers must've sensed it, as they asked me if I wanted to see a doctor that was onsite.  I said no, I just wanted to use the bathroom, get a lot of food, and then rest for a bit before continuing.  There might have been something lost in translation, as after I returned from the bathroom (surprising to have flush toilets and running water way out here!), she asked me if my stomach was feeling better.  Stomach?  I just had to pee.  Gorged myself on chocolates and watermelon, sat down in the sun on the deck for probably a good 10 minutes before getting up and going again.

Mile 14:  One of our first water crossings

Mile 17:  A deeper and colder river crossing coming
into the halfway mark at Bláfjallakvísl

The final ten miles were pretty rough as all I wanted to do was finish, and it seemed an inordinate amount of time before reaching the final river crossing of the River Þröngá.  Unlike 2022, when I really enjoyed the river crossing, this time I'm not enjoying life at the moment.  A few final slow miles to slog out and I reach the finish, almost two hours slower than three years ago.

Mile 21:  The trail is pretty flat and easy here, but unfortunately
I'm just cooked and checked out.

Mile 23:  I loved this snow-capped mountain view,
just before Emstrur aid station, where I would spend 15 
minutes stopped for rest and recuperation

Final result:  7:29:54, 451 out of 754.  Not even in the top half.  Ouch.  Full result here.

No temper tantrum.  I'm not even upset.  I ran very well in 2022, and for today, well, I spent the day in a beautiful location in a beautiful country, and I finished the race despite being still injured and questioning my ability to run this at all.

Mile 25:  It might not have been my day here, but I did finish the ultramarathon,
and it's hard to be upset when you're out here in this beautiful landscape!