During the journey, the phone rang. One of the twelve registered participants had to withdraw due to health problems. His four stages had to be divided among the remaining team members. This news briefly disrupted the team’s calm mindset, but they quickly adapted to the unexpected situation.
A remarkable route
In the evening, they safely arrived in the eastern Slovak metropolis, checked into their accommodation and had a light meal. The next morning, it all began. “Individuals and teams started at different times. The organizers planned everything so that the participants would reach the finish line at roughly the same time. We started at 8:40 a.m. We knew we had a tough challenge ahead,” says Miroslav Griflík, one of the team’s driving forces and Head of Technical Production Preparation at HKS Forge.
And indeed it was. The 525-kilometer route led from the center of Košice through Margecany, Spiš Castle, Levoča, Vrbov, Tatranská Lomnica, past Štrbské Pleso, through Podbanské, Liptov, Orava, then on to Zázrivá, Terchová, and the Malá Fatra mountains. The final section ran through Žilina, Rajec, and Čičmany to the Váh river, then via Trenčín, Nové Mesto nad Váhom, and under the Little Carpathians all the way to the finish line in Bratislava. “These were truly beautiful and fascinating stretches,” describes Miroslav Griflík. “We ran through forests and on asphalt, in hot and humid weather, but also in the rain – and we were glad that thunderstorms spared us this time.”
Day and night
The run was not only a physical challenge but also a test of team spirit. Participants took turns on the route day and night, grabbing short naps in the car or on a mat outside, while encouraging one another. The night stages were especially memorable – in the natural habitat of bears in the High Tatras and in the Kvačianska Valley. “There were fairly large gaps between runners; it wasn’t like a classic mass race. Everyone was also battling with themselves,” admits Miroslav Griflík. “But those are exactly the moments we will remember most.”
After 50 hours, 12 minutes, and 22 seconds, the team reached the finish line – all exhausted, but happy and rightly proud of their achievement. In their category, they finished in 8th place. Overall, they ranked 42nd out of 89 registered teams. However, the greatest achievement was simply completing the race. “Each of us pushed ourselves to the limit. After the race, we had to catch up on a lot of sleep, but the feeling at the finish was worth it,” concludes Miroslav Griflík. Once again, the HKS Forge team proved that when it comes to a challenge – whether work-related or athletic – they stick together and give their all.
Darina Kvetanová
