Kilian Jornet on how mindset shift allowed him to enjoy Zegama magic once again

Ultrarunning and endurance GOAT Kilian Jornet has used the first post on his new Substack account to explain what happened at last month’s Zegama-Aizkorri, his first race of 2026.

The Spaniard has an unmatched record in the iconic mountain marathon which crosses the Aizkorri-Aratz Natural Park and the mythical Basque ridgeline.

He won on his debut there in 2007 and collected an incredible 10 further titles in front of his adoring fans.

But this year after a bright start he dropped out of contention and eventually crossed the line outside the top 40 as his NNormal teammate Elhousine Elazzaoui defended his men’s title in thrilling style and Sweden’s Tove Alexandersson smashed the women’s course record.

‘The Alpe d’Huez of trail running’

And Kilian has now penned a fascinating article – read it in full here – which explains what happened over the race weekend and why he wasn’t able to contend for a 12th victory.

This year was the 25th anniversary of the event and looking back to his own debut in 2007, he wrote: “I remember it as if it were yesterday: listening to friends and teammates like Xavi Cadena, Anna Serra or Agusti Roc describe what it was like to run through the wall of sound at Sancti Spiritu.

“’It’s the Alpe d’Huez of trail running,’ they said. ‘Nothing compares to it; you have to experience it.’ That was 2007, my first year racing internationally in the Skyrunning World Series. At the time, Zegama was the series finale in September. I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of spectators. Despite the rain and the bitter cold on the summits, thousands had hiked for hours just to stand there, cheer for every runner, and celebrate the sport.

“For me, it was a life-changing moment. As a teenager, winning at Zegama and taking the Skyrunning World Series title, following in the footsteps of athletes I looked up to, like Mario Poletti, Ricardo Mejia, Rob Jebb or Agusti Roc, was the moment I realized I could have a future in this sport. But mostly, I just loved racing at Zegama.”

Soaking in the atmosphere

Fast forward 19 years to 2026 and Jornet talks us through his experience this year, revealing: “Once we crested the climb and hit the flat, rolling terrain, I knew I was in trouble; my left leg wasn’t responding.

“The climbing felt okay, but the flats and downhills were a different story. By the time I reached Sancti Spiritu, I realized that because the second half of the race is mostly non-technical flats and descents, I wouldn’t be able to race at full tilt.

“I shifted my mindset. I decided to simply have a great day, soak in the atmosphere, and thank all the spectators whose cheering has given me wings for decades.

“I chatted with friends cheering on the sidelines and watched in awe as Tove passed me, flying toward an incredible record. I heard that Elhousine had taken another win…I crossed the finish line in 42nd position, happy and grateful to have experienced the magic of Zegama once again.”

Jornet had been planning to run Western States next at the end of this month but the future is now a little uncertain as the results from his MRI have come through and he’s just published another update on Substack with more details.