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    Kaçkar by UTMB 50K: How Two Flatlanders Climbed 9,432 Feet

    Zach Springer and Tenzile on a ridge during the Kaçkar by UTMB 50K

    On September 12, 2026, my fiancée Tenzile and I ran the Kaçkar by UTMB 50K in Rize, Türkiye. The course was 27.66 miles with 9,432 feet of climbing. We crossed the finish line together after dark, in 11 hours and 50 minutes.

    It was Tenzile's first ultramarathon. I was also her coach.

    The problem: we train on flat ground

    I live in St. Petersburg, Florida, where a bridge is the closest thing to a hill. Tenzile trains in Antalya, also on flat ground. Neither of us could rehearse a 9,000-foot day outside.

    So we had to build mountain legs without mountains.

    How we trained for mountains without mountains

    • Treadmill incline sessions. The treadmill was our mountain. We did long, steady climbs at an easy effort, again and again.
    • Power hiking as a skill. On steep climbs, most runners hike anyway. We practiced hiking fast and efficiently, so the climbs cost less energy.
    • Slow on purpose. We kept the effort easy on the climbs to save our legs for the second half.

    The hardest part: the rocks

    The toughest section wasn't a climb. It was a long, rocky, technical stretch where running wasn't possible and falling was easy. We slowed down, chose every step, and let people pass. Going slow there felt expensive, but a fall would have cost far more.

    Zach Springer crossing a rocky river during the Kaçkar 50K

    What got us to the finish

    Mindset. We knew two flatlanders could do this if we trained smart. And we both had a "why" strong enough to carry us through the slow miles.

    Zach and Tenzile with finisher medals after the Kaçkar 50K

    One more finish line

    Two days later, on September 14, I asked Tenzile to marry me. She said yes.

    Best training block I've ever coached.

    3 lessons if you're busy and don't live near mountains

    1. You don't need mountains to train for mountains. A treadmill at an incline and consistent sessions will get you there.
    2. Practice hiking. It's a skill, and it's the fastest way up a steep climb for most runners.
    3. Know your "why" before race day. You'll need it in the hard miles.

    Training for your first ultra, or a mountain race from somewhere flat? That's exactly what I coach.

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