We are happy to launch How do I run, a three-week campaign designated to make you a stronger runner! We have partnered with XTERRA World Champion and professional coach Josiah Middaugh to get you the best tips and tricks and with CTS to offer you a chance to get personal feedback on your running technique. Learn more about running technique Josiah Middaugh is the right man to talk to about becoming a stronger runner. Josiah is the 2015 XTERRA World Champion and also a professional coach. He certainly knows what it takes to make you run faster – or more efficient. “Running economy is the holy grail for distance runners, not a high VO2 max,” Josiah says. Josiah Middaugh is your running expert during the campaign. In the first of his three articles on running technique Josiah introduces five proven ways to improve running economy. Read the article here and stay tuned for more tips and tricks in the following weeks! Update on May 31: The second #howdoirun article is out! Read also Josiah's Intro to distance running technique Update on June 8: Time to practice! Try Josiah's 8 Essential running form drills   Get feedback on your running To put Josiah’s advice in action we are offering you a unique opportunity to get personal feedback from a professional running coach. To participate get your friend to film a video clip of you running. For best results – and footage that can be analyzed – a side view is preferable. Choose a flat, straight stretch of trail or road and run at a relaxed pace. Upload the video on Instagram and tag it with #howdoirun between May 24 and June 11. Professional running coaches Jason Koop and Adam St. Pierre from CTS will analyze the most interesting videos daily. Three of the most inspiring videos will win Suunto Spartan Sport Wrist HR watches. You can find the detailed contest terms and conditions here.

Ueli Steck, our long-time friend and ambassador, died in a climbing accident in the Himalayas on April 30. Ueli was not just an exceptional athlete and explorer. His humble attitude and persistence to realize his dreams was an inspiration to many – us included. Ueli Steck, 4.10.1976–30.4.2017 We were privileged to be by Ueli’s side since 2005. We saw him grow from a speed climber in the Alps to one of the best mountaineers of his time and an exceptional endurance athlete. Ever since Ueli’s 2008 record-breaking solo speed ascent of the north face of the Eiger Ueli Steck was regarded as one of climbing’s most spectacular talents. In 2013 he was in the limelight after making an incredibly bold solo ascent of the south face of Annapurna (8,091 m) in 28 hours – a new record. The ascent won him the Piolet d’Or, one of climbing’s most prestigious awards. “I was at the limits of my physical and mental ability. To go to such limits changes your consciousness,” Ueli said after the expedition. Climbers regard it as one of the most significant climbs in the Himalayas in a generation. Ueli did not do things the traditional way. He wanted to climb light to be able to move fast. To him fast meant less time spent at altitude which increased safety. But Ueli was also a purist. “It’s out of the question for me to use bottled oxygen,” he said. “I either make the summit without it or I turn back, go home and train more.” And train he did. He was preparing for his climbs like an Olympic endurance athlete. Climbing was just one part of getting faster, being better. In fact, Ueli really fell in love with trail running and believed endurance training could be the best way for him to become even better as a mountaineer: the gains he could get by training climbing were marginal compared to the gains he could get by being in the best possible shape. When preparing for his Everest Lhotse Traverse Ueli travelled to Khumbu Valley for high-altitude training this February. He wanted to spend time and train in high altitude to be ready for his big Himalayan challenge this spring. And he was ready. We have never seen Ueli as confident and relaxed as he was before his travel to Everest in April. He felt that he was in the shape of his life and was really looking forward to the climbs in the highest mountains of the world. “Working with Ueli all these years has been an inspiration; his way to see the sport, his pure way to approach the mountains and his determination in his projects pushed also us to do things better. Our long talks were filled with energy and inspiration. We have not only lost an athlete, but a friend who will always be remembered,” says Joan Sola, sport and community manager at Suunto. It was in the mountains that Ueli felt most at home. To him the north face of Eiger was as casual as a trail in the local park is for us. That is where he felt most at home. But no matter what the route or the mountain, Steck’s inspiration remained the same. “It’s the challenge of moving on in life,” he says. “I always want to try something I have not done before.” And that attitude of moving forward, of making progress, is what inspired us the most in Ueli. He showed us all that dreams can come true with determination and hard work. Ueli, may your spirit forever guard others who live their dreams on the mountains. We will miss you – and your broad smile.

How did the new mom pull off what is one of the greatest achievements ever in endurance sports? Dedication, planning, consistency – and plenty of mental fortitude. We interviewed Debi and her coach (and husband) John to find out what made her tick - and keep ticking. We know it was hard – but what was the hardest? Debi: Illness, injury… and rain. I caught a virus from Ryder [Debi and John’s one-year-old son] and that really knocked me back. Days 50–56 I was battling through a foot injury, but by day 60 I was 100% pain-free again. Other than that – rain! We had one super rainy week at the beginning, including a day with up to 85mm. There was often water up to the axles of my bike! Then of course there were the days with 40°C heat. Debi during one of the sunnier bike legs. Speaking of the bike, how did it survive? John: Actually, we took it for a tune-up before the big official race day here in Port Macquarie – he took one look and said ‘what the hell have you been doing to this thing?’. Debi was really only using two gears so those were totally worn while everything else was quite clean. The bike did better than the shoes – she went through about eight pairs of shoes! So you ran first at home in Sydney, then finished in Port Macquarie. Yep - days 1 – 94 were at Centennial Park near our home. Then we hopped in the camper for a 5-hour drive to Port Macquarie, where she did the last six. The transition was tough – especially with a short night of sleep. But the final day – one which I did a full Ironman, not just a half. John is Debi's husband, coach and a fellow triathlete. That’s… not how to taper. John: Talk about coming in with tired legs! Debi still did great – fourth in her age group and 18th overall. Not bad for a cumulative 99 days of half-distance triathlons preceding. Debi: Yeah, the course was tough – the road is big chips, not smooth at all – but having all the people out there helped. There were about 3,000 people out on the course, and tons of spectators. That made a huge difference! What kind of pace did you keep? John: Well below race pace – we knew we were in for the long haul. Debi became addicted to heart rate and time. It was nothing to do with the distance – if she kept the heart rate and time, she’d finish. It was about 125–130 average running, and on the bike 110 average. That’s versus 160 during the run and 150 with the bike when fresh, tapered and race-ready. Debi post ride with Ryder. Other major highlights? Debi: Breaking the world record on day 31 was a blast. We had about 70 people out with us that day. (You can read more about that day here!) How much of it is physical vs mental? John: After a certain point, your body adapts and the physical impact is the same. Debi went on autopilot – Her average speeds are so consistent. After that it’s all mental. Most people run on emotion, not intelligence. When you use intelligence for endurance events, you become a lot more successful – it’s a three-way conversation between body, intellect and emotion. As long as everything is going well, the body responds accordingly. When your emotional level suffers, your body suffers. You have to reason your way out of a difficult situation. We’ve likened it to the body being a computer. The software is the emotion. The processor is the intellect. What’s next? Debi: Lots of other ideas! John would love another go at the 100-day challenge – he’s got a couple tendons in the shoulder that need surgery first. But we feel that we work best as a team, so it’s going to be something together. There’s definitely another adventure in the works! Watch Debi, John and Ryder cross the finish line on the final day Main image ©witsup.com

The post-race sauna and making new friends with some reindeer might have helped but really we came to realise our connection is rooted in our shared passion for sport and the outdoors. "Meeting outdoor enthusiasts from all over the world and learning their stories and sharing our passion for different sports was truly inspiring." -Philipp Reiter, trail runner and photographer, Germany (Image by Oskar Henriksson) "The Suunto Summit was a great experience that felt like i was a part of a family with a shared passion for the outdoors." -Arnau Martorell Sala, Spain "The summit brought a whole new, and overwhelming sense of joy to meet so many open and strong athletic women who are excited to get out there. It was comforting to not feel alone or intimidated." Mia Morandi, USA. "Listening to all the experiences of my fellow Suunto Summiteers has left me inspired and completely in awe…and mingling with the team behind Suunto was absolutely invaluable. It has been such a privilege to be here." -Ramon Fadli, Malaysia. "Bravo! I’ve loved Suunto 20 years, I love you even more…" -Barbara Edelston Peterson, USA "It really has been a unique experience and a wonderful opportunity to meet the people at the heart of Suunto and to leave Helsinki feeling part of the family. Thank you all, you guys rock!" -Tim Major, UK We are grateful to have shared the experience with such an incredible group, and agree with one of our participants, Pelle Nyberg, from Sweden, that the "Suunto Summit captures the essence of the community." All images by Philipp Reiter

The three winners are Babak Davoudi from California, Ruben Castro Castillo from Spain and Kimberly Jeffries from Hawaii. Here are their pictures and stories.   Kimberly & hammerhead shark By far the biggest myth people say about sharks is they are mindless, man eating monsters. Nothing could be farther from the truth. These are beautiful, majestic, sentient creatures that actually appreciate and return for affection over and over and over again. Jim Abernethy - Tales by Light - Happy Earth Day everyone 🌏 。 。 。 。 #shark #travel #freedive #rebreather #savesharks #subal #conservation #neverstopexploring #ocean #freediving #yourshotphotographer #oahu #explore #teamcanon #extinction #photo #hawaii #scuba #photooftheday #marine #marineconservation #photography #underwater #padi #galapagos #hammerheadshark #hammerhead #wild #suuntodive #earthday A post shared by Kimberly (@kimberlyswimberly) on Apr 22, 2017 at 11:14am PDT   “Hammerhead sharks are among some of the most amazing ocean animals. Their head shape has evolved to act as a hydrofoil underwater and their bodies are capable of extreme maneuverability. They're absolutely beautiful to see moving underwater. Sadly, despite evolution, Scalloped hammerheads are considered endangered, with their population having decreased around 95% in the past thirty years due to over fishing and shark finning.” “This particular photo is of a scalloped hammerhead off Darwin's Arch, Galapagos. Schools of sharks will gather to be cleaned by fish and to find mates. It's beautiful to see untouched nature like that.” “Although this photo was shot in the Galapagos, I'm lucky enough to call Oahu home. We have crystal clear diving all year round and every island in Hawaii has a little different flavor so it's always an adventure in the water.” –Kimberly Jeffries, California, USA   Ruben & angel shark Ruben’s angel shark video (The same video was also shared on Instagram) “I went diving again today and was lucky enough to meet an angel shark. They are fantastic creatures and it’s always good to see them. I think we have to protect them, and the best way to educate and teach people is through videos and images.” “I am from Madrid, Spain, but live in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Usually I dive in the Canary Islands.” –Ruben Castro Castillo, Gran Canaria, Spain   Babak & sea turtle My favorite dive buddy of all time! Throwback to an amazing experience, diving in #turtlecanyon #Oahu and encountering with many of these giant #seaturtle #honu The average shell length of an adult honu is 3-4 feet and they weigh ~250 pounds, but they can grow to a weight of 500 pounds and their average life span could reach 80 years. #suuntodive #hawaii #scubadiving #paditv A post shared by Babak Davoudi (@babakd) on Apr 20, 2017 at 11:24am PDT   “The picture is from my trip to Hawaii, Oahu, Turtle Canyon dive site, right after I got my open water certification and I was so excited diving in Hawaii. We saw a lot of these huge sea turtles surrounded by small fishes cleaning them. It was my first time seeing turtles that big. They are so calm and the way they swim and glide in the water looks like they are flying. Looking at their faces make me happy and smile. To me they look like ancient and prehistoric creatures.” “I live in Irvine, California and normally dive around here in Catalina Island, Shaw's Cove, Channel Islands and sometimes going on trips to another places. I dove in Dubai, Hawaii (Molokini and Oahu). I'm getting more serious about diving, it's been my dream since I was a child to dive and it became true when I moved here to California.” –Babak Davoudi, California, USA   Congratulations to the winners and thank you for participating and sharing your stories, everyone! The three winners got easy-to-use, nitrox-capable, large-displayed Suunto Zoop Novo dive computers to accompany them on their future adventures.   Main image by Stephen R Woods / Suunto

In its 10th edition this year, the Vertical Blue competition is comprised of three depth disciplines: Constant Weight, Constant No-Fins and Free Immersion (CWT, CNF, FIM respectively). #VB2017 is an AIDA sanctioned event which offers competitors six official dives to challenge themselves to obtain the coveted title of “Champion” at the most elite freediving competition in the world. William’s rival in free immersion, Miguel Lozano of Spain, will also be on hand to conquer new territory, as well as diving legends Davide Carrera & Homar Leuci of Italy. Heating things up for the ladies are world record holder Sayuri Kinoshita of Japan and first-time attendee (but renowned Italian mistress of the deep) Alessia Zecchini. Over the course of the next 10 days freediving fans around the globe can watch the record-breaking battles among the world’s most talented athletes, who are literally pushing the limits on what was once thought impossible for the human body to do. Stay tuned here and via the Suunto Diving + Vertical Blue Facebook pages, the VB event website, Suunto & VB Instagram, the VB Youtube Channel, Trubridge’s Twitter feed as well as the Vertical Blue twitter handle & hashtags #VB2017 and #verticalblue for a live feed from the platform, amazing videos & images and results. Join us as we watch dive history in the making! All images © Daan Verhoeven/Vertical Blue