Jola Ketterer (57), an exceptional runner from Pforzheim, set off on 16 July 2026 on her latest running project, running the 2,000-kilometre Via Alpina along the main Alpine ridge from Trieste to Monaco. In doing so, she will not only tackle a total of 120,000 metres of elevation gain, but also the litter along the route, which she will collect.

Jola Ketterer has been a keen runner since early childhood: whilst she initially favoured the tartan tracks in stadiums, she soon moved on to middle-distance road races until she discovered the Ultra-Trail through the mountains in 2017. Alongside challenging competitions such as the Trans-Alpine Run, however, it is above all her very personal projects that she soon began undertaking every year, always raising money for a good cause in the process. Her undoubtedly best-known feat was her impressive crossing of the USA from Los Angeles to New York in just 100 days in 2024.

By tackling the red route of the ‘Via Alpina’ Alpine long-distance hiking network, she is fulfilling yet another running dream. She will cross a total of nine countries during her tour, which will last a maximum of 50 days. The extreme challenge, involving 120,000 metres of elevation gain, is rewarded by sections passing along the most spectacular peaks and mountain scenery in the Alps.

However, with the public attention her runs generate, Jola Ketterer also takes on a responsibility towards society by highlighting injustices and calling for donations to address them. In recent years, this has raised several tens of thousands of euros for charitable social projects.

For the Via Alpina, she has set herself the task of collecting litter carelessly discarded along the route. Mass tourism in the mountains – whether by rucksack, mountain bike or on skis – leaves its mark and causes problems in these sensitive natural landscapes. Through this initiative, Jola Ketterer not only addresses the issue of environmental pollution but also confronts us with our throwaway mentality and challenges it. The fact that rubbish can often be a recyclable material, from which beautiful things can even be created, should change our perspective on waste: In the ‘Objet Trouvé’ workshop at the Pforzheim Jewellery Museum, participants explore this new way of thinking and, under expert guidance, use creativity and a spirit of experimentation to transform seemingly worthless ‘rubbish’ into upcycled jewellery. The proceeds from the individual pieces of jewellery and jewellery objects will go to the Stadtjugendring Pforzheim.

Organising such a sporting event requires considerable financial resources. Jola Ketterer can rely on a number of loyal sponsors. However, this is no easy task in economically challenging times, which is why a corresponding appeal has also been launched via the SWP crowdfunding platform: every contribution of at least €10 will be matched with an additional €10. This means that anyone can play a part in this dedicated running and fundraising project.

Jola Ketterer was born and raised in Poland in 1969. She has lived in Pforzheim for over 30 years, is married and is the mother of three children. As a self-employed running coach, she uses her expertise and passion to help others discover the joy of running and achieve their running goals.

Frank Eichmann, a tax consultant born in 1965, has chronicled his long-distance hike in a book of over 300 pages—and now shares the story of how he came to embark on his 2,600-kilometer journey along the Via Alpina.

Four years ago, he was once again struck by the long-distance hiking bug. Instead of a long-distance trail in the U.S. or New Zealand, he opted for the Via Alpina’s Red Route: 161 stages across the main Alpine ridge, from Trieste through Slovenia, Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, and France to Monaco—eight countries, roughly 2,600 kilometers, and about 140,000 meters of elevation gain.

Eichmann was on the trail for four months, almost entirely on foot and mostly alone, with a tent in his pack. Along the way, he faced dangerous weather, challenges finding places to stay, and physical hardships—but he also experienced unforgettable natural spectacles, warm encounters with locals and fellow hikers, and a sense of freedom and independence he had never known before. He brought back more than 7,000 photos from his journey.

His conclusion: a journey full of emotional highs and lows that demanded everything from him—and gave him everything in return.

His book, Wanderung ins Glück. Via Alpina – 2,600 Kilometers Across the Main Alpine Ridge from Trieste to Monaco, is published by Books on Demand (313 pages—available on Amazon and in bookstores).