EXCLUSIVE: Ultra GOAT Kilian Jornet says Western States comeback will be one of his “biggest challenges”

Kilian Jornet is widely considered the greatest of all time when it comes to mountain and ultra-trail running, and it’s easy to see why.

From North America to Europe, there’s barely a peak or run he hasn’t conquered – and now he’s set to return to one of the world’s most prestigious ultrarunning events at Western States this weekend.

It’s an event he first ran 15 years ago, the 37-year-old coming third here in 2010 before storming to victory on the gruelling 100-mile course through the canyons and high passes of California gold country 12 months later.

But with a deep field of rivals and the intense Sierra Nevada heat to face, he knows this time around will present an unfamiliar challenge.

“More intense”

In an exclusive interview with RUN247, Jornet said: “The sport has grown in depth and visibility since 2010, competition is more intense, and technology helps athletes train smarter.

“The field is incredibly strong, and that’s inspiring. I hope to run smart, adapt to the conditions, and finish knowing I gave it my best while enjoying the day.”

He goes into the event as many people’s favourite despite such modesty, but will face competition from the likes of 2022 champion Adam Peterman, last year’s runner-up Rod Farvard, and David Roche, who won two fast 100-milers last year.

Jornet came second at the 100-mile Chianti Ultra Trail by UTMB in March, and endured a challenging warm up for Western States earlier this month at the Broken Arrow Sky Race, where he was hampered by illness after travelling. But training since arriving Stateside has largely gone to plan – and been well documented by Coros.

He admits local conditions at his home in Norway were not the perfect prep for the heat of a Californian summer – and necessitated some creative thinking.

Indoor sessions

He told RUN247: “The biggest challenges are those that I’m not used to: heat and flat, this is what my training approach has been focused on. I’ve looked at heat adaptation, dialling in hydration and nutrition.

“It’s hard to train for hotter environments, so I have been doing indoor sessions where I warm the room to 35-45°C and exercise there.

“Sometimes I layer clothing too and wear waterproof clothes to get more sweating. To adapt to faster running, I have been training to maintain rhythm over runnable terrain.

“The sun radiation in missing in Norway, so when it has been sunny outside I try to spend the maximum time with the skin exposed to the sun.”

First big win

Jornet says he goes into the race with a mix of emotions and plenty of special memories from his previous attempts at what is widely known as one of the toughest and most prestigious races in the endurance world.

A global superstar these days, he reckons his Western States triumph 14 years ago helped put him firmly on the map.

He said: “It was my first big win, a moment that shaped my early career. Now I feel that I’ve grown both as an athlete and as a person, so I’m very excited to get back to such an iconic race in the history of ultra running.

“Western States has always had a special place in my heart. I’ve had in mind coming back for a while, but for one reason or another, I couldn’t find the time. Returning stirs a mix of nostalgia and excitement.”

Looking back to his first appearance at the event as a 22-year-old in 2010, Jornet says he remembers “the heat, and the energy and a bit of the feeling of racing in an unknown terrain.’

He added: “I remember it has very special atmosphere of community during the event.” And, asked if the 2025 Jornet, who has achieved so much since, would have any advice for the 2010 version, he said: “Enjoy the ride, always keep the motivation high, and always keep moving in the mountains, maybe also choose different clothing so you don’t look all compressed!”