Kilian Jornet, the undoubted ‘greatest of all time’ of men’s ultrarunning – and so much more – has provided his top tips to become a better trail runner.
The Spaniard, who is now based in Norway, has an unprecedented list of achievements to his name in mountain running, sky running and mountaineering – including summitting Mount Everest twice within the space of a week in 2017, without the use of fixed ropes or supplemental oxygen.
On the trail running front he has won the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) four times and became the first person to go under 20 hours in 2022. And the same year he won a fifth Hardrock 100, also in a course record time.
Kilian’s four pillars of wisdom
And he shared his expertise and experience recently on Instagram, saying: “One of the questions I often get is: what can I do to become a better trail runner?
“Today, as I finished my workout, I decided to share with you four simple tips.”
And here they are in full:
“1- Always start with the why: why do I want to train? The goals and priorities for someone who just wants to enjoy training are different from those of a professional athlete.
“2- Focus on the base of training: volume and different intensities.
“3- Focus on being healthy: manage your daily energy, eat well, and rest more!
“4- The most important of all: go out into nature, stress-free, and have fun.
“If today I had to start from “zero,” these would be the four pillars I would consider.”
Could Kilian Jornet tackle the Barkley?
Interestingly one of the few iconic races he has yet to attempt is the infamous Barkley Marathons in Tennessee, which made global headlines recently when Jasmin Paris became the first woman to finish the event.
But Jornet’s name came up when we were chatting to Eoin Keith, a two-time Barkley entrant and multiple Spine Race champion.
We asked him if there someone who hasn’t yet done a Barkley that he feels has all the attributes for it?
And the response was: “Kilian! He’s the standout candidate. Obvious, I know. It’s his mountain skills that put him front and centre. The speed is a bonus. I’m really surprised he hasn’t entered yet, to be honest.”
It will be fascinating to see if Kilian is tempted to make the trip to Frozen Head State Park in the future, but before then we wait to see what accomplishments he adds to his palmares in 2024.
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