Dark mornings, icy roads, gusting winds and sub-zero temperatures ... running during the cold winter months can be a real challenge, sapping our motivation to get outdoors. But winter also can be an advantage, since it forces us to change our training patterns. So don’t get lazy just because it’s cold outside. Here’s how to stay motivated to train outdoors through the winter... Follow Kilian's example: Don't run! The world's top trail runner does not run over winter. “I spend half the year running and half the year skiing,” he says. “I don't run in winter. It's good to make a break and try other sports. If you live where there's snow, it's better to go cross-country skiing or ski mountaineering. Running in the snow can be good,” he adds “but you need to take care because the muscles work differently and you can pick up injuries.” Gear up There's no such thing as bad weather – just the wrong clothing, so goes the adage. Since your feet are the most important, it makes sense to look after them. Gore-tex lined running shoes are ideal for snow and wet conditions. When there's snow and ice, wear shoes with spikes. Work on your style No, we don't mean which gilet to wear – your running style. If you're running at night and on trails, speed work is out of the question. So it's a chance to slow-up and concentrate on your technique and work on your form so you're more efficient and less injury prone. Don't overdress It's temping to put on all the layers before heading out the door but even in the coldest conditions your body will still warm up and there's nothing worse than over-heating in the cold as that dampness will chill you the moment you stop. Head out the door a little cold and start off easily so you warm up gradually. Consider taking a running rucksack to carry an extra layer and survival extras like phone and energy food. Track Back With your Suunto watch you never need to worry about getting lost and failing to make it back home. If you lose your way in the dark, simply hit Find Back on your Suunto 9 and let your watch show you the way home. Run to time rather than distance Plan a time-based training program, meaning that workouts are prescribed in minutes rather than kilometers. This recognizes the variability of running conditions due to weather. When it's cold and slippery, it's hard to maintain the same fast pace you might in the spring or fall. Go inside Indoors isn't so bad and a bit of training at the gym can really improve your running fitness and overall strength. Think about signing up to a core-strength building class like Pilates or circuit training. Lead image: © zooom.at/bergermarkus.com

Adventures take us to new experiences and out of the everyday. Kilian Jornet says that exploring is human; Greg Hill that adventure is a mindset. Watch the Suunto Adventure video and hear what Kilian Jornet, Greg Hill, Jill Heinerth and Conrad Stoltz think of adventure. Top image: © Bruno Long

Sandra Koblmüller is the star of our recent Suunto Ambit3 Sport Sapphire shoot and you'll see her in the current campaign. But the 24-year-old is also an athlete in her own right and recently competed in the XTERRA world championships in Maui, the premier off-road triathlon, where she came 14th. Amazingly she only started swimming a few years ago. So how did she do it? How did you get to become a pro triathlete? In secondary school our class took part in a cross-country running competition. Without any serious training I came second and my passion for running was born. I started to regularly take part in running competitions. When I went to university a colleague asked me to do the running part in a triathlon relay. I was so impressed from the combination of the three disciplines that I wanted to try a whole triathlon on my own and started to train for swimming. And then? One year later I won the Austrian Championship for Crosstriathlon and the Austrian federation sent me to the European Championships. Because of this, I was allowed to become a professional athlete this year. In my first year as a “pro“ I came second at the XTERRA Portugal, which qualifies you for the World Championship in Maui (Hawaii). Tell us about your training routine?Normally I wake up at 6 o’clock in the morning. After a short breakfast I usually start my day in the swimming pool with a 3-5 km swim. I am not always motivated to jump into the cold water in the morning, but after some lanes I get my motivation and enjoy it. After the swim I take a second breakfast and do something for university then at noon or in the evening I usually do my second workout – either I go for a run or I ride my bike. At the weekend I normally do some longer bike workouts (about 4 hours). Then Monday is my rest day, where I do relaxing things like sauna, massages, stretching…How do you monitor your progress? I have my own trainer and I usually get a training plan for a week. With the help of the Suunto Ambit3 Sport Sapphire we are able to control my training. Are there any areas of your training that you are struggling with?As I started stroke swimming very late at the age of 20, my swimming technique is not the best. If you want to be a good swimmer/triathlete you have to start swimming in your childhood to get the water feeling. However I’m working hard to improve this. What are your dreams and goals?One of my biggest goals is to become one of the best XTERRA athletes in the world. A goal in the near future is a victory in one of the XTERRA World Tour races. What inspires and motivates you? One thing that inspires me is the improvement you make if you train hard for your goals. For example, when I started to swim, it took me about 1:45 for the 100 meters intervals (10 x 100m intervals of swimming). Now I am able to swim the 100m in 1:25 and I am sure that one day I will swim my 100m intervals under 1:20.What are your fears?I have a fear of failure, especially just before a competition. So the most important thing I have to learn is to believe in my strengths and myself.

The Grand Raid de la Réunion, also known as the Diagonale des Fous (the course of crazies) is considered one of the toughest ultras in the world – with good reason. It's 172 km with 9,000 m of ascent. This year the race was won by Salomon athlete François D’Haene. He recorded the race with his Suunto Ambit3 Peak and the results can be seen via his Suunto Movie, below. Naturally, we think François' movie is so impressive it has to be shared, as it follows his progress for 24 hours as he crosses the island. The result itself is also impressive, being the third major ultra win for François this year after he won the Ultra-Trail Mount Fuji and Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc. The Diagonale took place in October in wet conditions. He completed it in just 24:25:02 hours, making it the second year in a row he’s come out top. François D’Haene during the 2014 Diagonale des Fous. The Diagonale des Fous gets its name from the route it takes – roughly diagonally across the island – and is so difficult it’s considered ‘fit for fools’. This year, it had to be re-routed around a landslide making it nine kilometers longer. It’s the final stop of the Ultra-Trail World Tour and attracts top-end runners looking for adventure on a far-off, island. Suunto ambassador Kilian Jornet, who did not take part this year, is a previous winner. All images © Franck Oddoux

Kilian Jornet is well known for his superhuman running and mountaineering achievements. From 100 milers to the vertical kilometer, from World Cup ski-mountaineering races to record ascents of alpine peaks, he blazes a trail wherever he goes. But the Suunto ambassador has just been recognized for something else – his writing skills. Kilian's book, Run or Die was shortlisted for the prestigious William Hill Sports Book of the Year literary prize in the UK. “I never expected this – I'm not a writer,” says Kilian. “I just wrote the book to share what I feel when I'm running but it's so nice to be recognized.” In Run or Die Kilian describes his record-breaking runs at Lake Tahoe, Western States 100, Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, and his record ascent of Kilimanjaro. It's not the only prize the athlete has scooped. Déjame Vivir, the film of his speed ascents on Mt Blanc and the Matterhorn has just won ‘Best Adventure & Exploration Film’ at the 2014 Kendal Mountain Festival. The film, which was made by renowned mountain film-maker Sébastien Montaz, follows Kilian during his Summits of My Life project.“I just had my part in that film but credit goes to all the people like Seb who made a really good job on this film. It's nice, the response of the public when we show the film,” he adds. “They are inspired and motivated and that's the most important thing.”Run or Die is available in English, French, Spanish and Catalan. Go to Kilian's website for more details.

One of the most exotic and exciting adventure races in the world recently took place in the Stockholm archipelago. In the Ö till Ö Swim Run Championships the racers faced a grueling 75-kilometer course on island trails, slippery rocks and in cold waters. In calm conditions the race winners Lelle Moberg and Daniel Hansson of Team Milebreaker of Sweden crushed last year’s course record by 19 minutes with a winning time of 8 hours 16 minutes and 19 seconds. The Baltic Sea Action Group Swim Run Team, who were previously featured on the Suunto Sport pages managed to break their record in their second Ö till Ö race. “We were much better prepared and also the equipment we had was improved thanks to the experience from last year. It really made a big difference,” says BSAG team member Armin Hummel. “The Suunto Ambit2s that we had really helped us to keep track about what was ahead of us and how we were doing. Overall this helped in pushing harder when needed and planning the next stages of the race.”  The Baltic Sea Action Group’s Hummel and his teammate Juha Lindfors finished in 12th place overall and were very happy with their time of 9:49:10. “This was even slightly better than we expected. We also have to admit that the weather was on our side. The conditions were ideal.” With the race Hummel and Lindfors wanted to raise awareness over the state of the Baltic Sea and get more people and organizations to commit on actions to save it. You can learn more about Baltic Sea Action Group here. All images: Nadja Odenhage / ÖTILLÖ14