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Markus Meinke

@trailkuss

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Ultra Trail Athlete | 100M
🏁 2× Western States Finisher 🇺🇸
⛰️ UTMB 🇫🇷 🥈🥉
🏆 UTMB Alsace 100M | Kobolt 140 CR
🤝 @falkesport • @tapex.tape

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Bib #242 secured. 🤠🏔️

Tomorrow, at 50 years old, I'll stand on the Western States start line for the second time.

To be honest, back in January I didn't even know if I'd ever be able to run this race again. My knee was in a bad place, and for months there were more doubts than answers.

That's why I'm feeling one thing more than anything else right now: gratitude.

A huge thank you to my coach @lars_trailfieber , who has become much more than a coach over the years and never stopped believing in me, especially during the tough times.

To my wife, family, friends and everyone back home following this journey – thank you. Your support means the world to me.

A special thank you to @trailfunner.hpgoelz , who travelled all the way here to crew and pace me. That is far from being taken for granted.

Thank you to the @falkesport Family, who have supported me like a family from day one, and to my colleagues and supervisors at the Federal Police at Cologne/Bonn Airport , who have always had my back.

After months of uncertainty, I was finally able to put together a really strong training block. Today, I feel healthy, motivated and incredibly happy to be standing here again.

Western States @wser means a lot to me. Probably more than any other race.

Tomorrow I'll give everything I have. For myself, for everyone who believed in me, and for the privilege of chasing this dream once again at 50 years old.
Thank you all for being part of this journey. ❤️

📍Live tracking and the YouTube livestream link will be posted in my stories and in the comments below.

@falkesport
@twopeaksendurance
@sportbenzin_onlineshop
@bundespolizeikarriere

#WesternStates100
#chasingdreams
#UltraRunning
trailrunning

242 🤠🏔️ Let's do this. by @trailkuss

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3 months ago

2nd Place 🥈

overall

@trailalsacegrandestbyutmb
UTDC 175km / 6200+

Full Race Report will follow

Big thx to my friends and Crew @ymi971 and @joooobu

Without any doubt this Result is a Project of Teamwork 🫶

Also big thx @jay.ley and family. What a Support 🫶

And my Coach @lars_trailfieber by @twopeaksendurance 🫶

Ich grins mich jetzt weiter ins Koma bis die Tage 🙌

#utmbworldseries #trailalsacebyutmb #raceday #ultratrail #ultrarunning #trailaddicted #trailrunning #runrunrun #active #athlete #sport #mountrainrunning #laufen #laufliebe #runnersworld #runnerscommunity #speedup #upwego #dynafit #twopeaksendurance #howihammer taken in Obernai, Alsace. by @trailkuss

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3 years ago

Great week with a bitter End 💔

Broke my wrist on my last run in my training week here at the incredible trails around cortina. Im looking forward could be much worse. Back in Germany tomorrow i had to have an operation on my wrist. I will come back here for sure. Big thanks again to @karo.on.trails
@shari.runs @marian.runs for helping me out 😍 Hope i can pay that back one time

#roadtoutmb🇲🇫 #dolomiti #dolomitemountains #mountainrunning #mountains #bergliebe #trailrunning #trailrun #trailrunner #falkeSport #nevergiveup #runnerscommunity #running #runrunrun #sport #active #outdoor #alpes #laufliebe #laufen #ultrarunnersilfe #ultratrail taken in Dolomites Italy by @trailkuss

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2 years ago

Maybe it’s time to stop worrying about what’s next… and appreciate what already happened. 🖤

What a year. So many miles, mountains, emotions and memories.

Right now the body says: take a little break. And that’s absolutely fine.

A small setback? Who cares. There are bigger problems in life.

I’m relaxed. I’m grateful. I’m happy.

The next adventures will come soon enough.

And 2027 already has some big ones waiting. 🔥⛰️
For now: enjoy the moment. ❤️

#newadventures❤️
#Grateful #trailrunning #homecoming #RunYourJourney by @trailkuss

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6 days ago

KAÇKAR. What an adventure. 🇹🇷⛰️

This race was brutal. Wild, steep, technical and relentless. And once again I learned one thing very clearly: altitude and I are definitely not best friends. 😅

Coming here only two weeks after UTMB, with a few sick days in between, was obviously far from perfect preparation. I suffered a lot out there. Much more than I expected.

But sometimes a race becomes about much more than a finishing time or a result.

The mountains of Kaçkar were simply breathtaking. Wild, peaceful and beautiful at the same time. There were moments up there when I was completely exhausted — and still had to stop mentally for a second and think: Wow. Look where you are.

And there is one moment I will probably remember forever. ❤️

High in the mountains I passed through a tiny village and saw a father with his little child. I said “Merhaba” and continued, but somehow I kept looking back.
I watched them for a while. They were simply playing together, laughing and enjoying that moment. No rush, no distraction — just a father and his child, completely happy together.

There was something in their smiles and in the way they looked at each other that touched me deeply.
In the middle of this incredibly hard race, exhausted and surrounded by these huge mountains, that little scene suddenly made everything feel very simple.
Sometimes happiness doesn’t need much.

That moment stayed with me for the rest of the race — and I know it will stay with me much longer than any finishing time.

I suffered. I smiled. I kept moving.
And finally I crossed that finish line.
17th overall. 1st M50. 🥇

But this adventure gave me much more than a result.
So many memories. So much warmth from the people I met. And a huge respect for these mountains.

I came to Kaçkar for a race.
I’m leaving with something much bigger. ❤️

Teşekkürler Türkiye. 🇹🇷
Teşekkürler Kaçkar.

I will never forget this adventure. 🫶⛰️

@utmbworldseries
@kackarbyutmb
@carolemuller87

#utmbworldseries #kackarbyutmb #trailrunning #ultratrail #kackar taken in Kaçkar Dağları by @trailkuss

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15 days ago

Still under the spell of Kaçkar. 🇹🇷⛰️
Brutal. Relentless. Yet so peaceful and incredibly beautiful.

What an adventure. ❤️
So grateful @carolemuller87 for giving me the chance to experience this. 🙏

Çok teşekkürler, Kaçkar. Kalbimde kalacaksın. 🇹🇷❤️

Full race story coming soon…

#kackarbyutmb #trailrunning #utmbworldseries #ultrarunning #kaçkarmountains by @trailkuss

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16 days ago

Chamonix, you got me again.

A few days later, back home, the smile is definitely back.

Yes, the DNF hurt. There were a few tears. But looking back at this week, there are so many more reasons to smile.

Amazing days in Chamonix, surrounded by friends, sharing trails, laughs, emotions and this crazy passion for our sport. That’s what this week is about for me. ❤️

UTMB, CCC or TDS next year? Honestly, I don’t care right now. 😅 I just know one thing: I’ll be back. I love Chamonix, I love this week and I love being part of this community.

And there’s even one positive side to the DNF: after a little over 60 km and 4,000 m+, my legs aren’t completely destroyed. The form is still there, the body feels good – and that means I can head into the next adventure with a clear mind. 🙌

Because in less than two weeks it’s already time for

@kackarbyutmb

100K 🇹🇷 — 82 km, 5,600 m+ through the wild Kaçkar Mountains.

A completely different adventure, a new country, new mountains – and I’m seriously excited for this one! 🔥
The legs are ready, the head is good again and the smile is back.

Keep moving. Keep dreaming.
See you in Türkiye. ⛰️🇹🇷🔥

#kackarbyutmb #utmbworldseries #trailrunning #ultratrail #mountainrunning by @trailkuss

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a month ago

UTMB week. ❤️‍🔥🏔️

With the OCC underway, the nerves are definitely starting to kick in. 😅 Friday is getting very real now.

I’m feeling good and honestly just can’t wait to get out there. The goal on the picture says Sub 27 🔥 — but more than anything, I finally want to complete this loop around Mont Blanc, enjoy the journey and have some fun out there. 🙏

Super happy to have Jonas Kaufmann @jonas_kaufmn by my side as crew. 🫶 Really looking forward to sharing this adventure with him!

And a huge thank you for all the messages, good luck wishes and support from back home. It means a lot! 🫶
Bib 519. 100 Miles. One loop around Mont Blanc.

This time we finish it. ❤️‍🔥🏔️

#UTMB #UTMBMontBlanc #Chamonix #TrailRunning #UltraRunning by @trailkuss

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a month ago

Pre-Race Interview mit Markus Meinke @trailkuss vor seinem Start beim @utmbmontblanc …. taken in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc by @trailkuss

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a month ago

2h45 on the treadmill. 2,115m of vertical. Pure hiking. 🥵🏔️

Sometimes the best training isn't the most exciting—it’s the one that gets the job done. With today's heat, staying indoors was the right call.

Tomorrow it's back outside for another big day: 3,000m of vertical on the Petersberg, mixing running and hiking. Keeping the training varied is just as important as putting in the work.

One step closer to Chamonix. 🇫🇷🔥

#UTMB #TrailRunning #VerticalTraining #PowerHiking #Chamonix by @trailkuss

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2 months ago

Who needs company when you have 23 personalities? 😂
4 × 30’ hike at Refuge Porzatti. ⛰️

#roadtoutmb #trailrunning #utmb #ultrarunning #sport by @trailkuss

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2 months ago

by @trailkuss

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2 months ago