The GORE-TEX Transalpine Run across the Alps demands just as much mental toughness as endurance. For those who have what it takes, an unforgettable adventure awaits. Suunto-supported trail runner Philipp Reiter has competed in and photographed the GORE-TEX Transalpine Run four times, including the 2016 edition that finished in September. He and teammate Iker Karrera won the 2012 edition. The seven-stage, 247.2 km race was the 12th edition and followed a new route. It included 14,862 m of vertical ascent, rocky trail and a glacier crossing. All participants must compete in a two-person team. Due to injury Philipp couldn’t compete this year, but he was there to photograph its beauty and intensity. He tells us all about it below. Stage one: Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany to Lermoos, Austria Distance: 36.7 kmVertical ascent: 2088 mVertical ascent: 1791 mHighest point: 1634 m Experiencing the cultures of the Alps is part of the fun. © Philipp Reiter I’ve seen the same thing every year; some of the top teams start too fast and push too hard and bomb out because one team member becomes exhausted. It’s important to remember there are six more days after the mountain run on the first day. It’s best to hold back. Stage two: Lermoos, Austria to Imst, Austria Distance: 33.8 kmVertical ascent: 2009 mVertical descent: 2237 mHighest point: 1742 m © Philipp Reiter A lot of teams from north Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark compete. Maybe they’re good runners, but they underestimate the terrain – the rocky trail and the ascent. They don’t move fast enough to meet the cut off times of each stage. It’s more like a speed hiking race than a running race. You have to train your muscles to climb day after day. Stage three: Imst, Austria to Mandarfen-Pitztal, Austria Distance: 47.9 kmVertical ascent: 3037 mVertical descent: 2144 mHighest point: 2292 m © Philipp Reiter[To properly prepare] you have to get your body used to doing endurance workouts many days in a row. Usually people work so they only have the weekend. But you need to try to do long sessions six or seven days in a row. Your body has to know what that feels like. Stage four: Mandarfen-Pitztal, Austria to Sölden, Austria Distance: 25.7 kmVertical ascent: 1887 mVertical descent: 2214 mHighest point: 2982 m This year's race included a glacier crossing. © Philipp Reiter [My mental strategy] is to cut the course into smaller pieces and objectives. For example, I focus on going from food station to food station or from stretch to stretch, climb to climb. Getting to that next location becomes the only goal. Stage five: Sölden, Austria to St. Leonhard in Passeier, Italy Distance: 33.3 kmVertical ascent: 1453 mVertical descent: 2111 mHighest point: 2492 m © Philipp Reiter Everyone goes through ups and downs. If you and your race partner get along well then he or she motivates you and the other way around. Usually one is up and the other is down and you can help to pull each other along. If you work together you can equalise the weaknesses of each other. Stage six: St. Leonhard in Passeier, Italy to Sarnthein, Italy Distance: 33.6 kmVertical ascent: 2440 mVertical descent: 2153 mHighest point: 2683 m © Philipp Reiter This year a lot of people struggled during stage six. The mood was at a really low level, with a lot of tired faces. One team took a taxi and went home. Stage seven: Sarnthein, Italy to Brixen, Italy Distance: 36.4 kmVertical ascent: 1934 mVertical descent: 2348 mHighest point: 2440 m © Philipp Reiter I enjoy this race because for the seven days you live in your own little world, with hardly any influence or contact with the outside world. You can switch off and focus on this one simple undertaking.

Suunto athlete Patrik Nilsson was a long distance runner, but it didn’t satisfy his desire to train. Then triathlon found him, and now he’s one of the fastest in Ironman history. © KMD IRONMAN DenmarkAt this year’s KMD Copenhagen Ironman, 25-year-old professional triathlete Patrik Nilsson had his mind set on one thing – having fun – but he achieved much more. He came first, smashed his own best time by 20 minutes and got the seventh fastest time in the history of Ironman: 07h49m18s. “It was the perfect day,” he says. “In Denmark it’s so open, and flat, and close to the sea so there’s always wind, but that day there was no wind. When we did the swim it was all flat, no waves at all. The conditions and course were perfect for a really fast day.” Only one year ago, Patrik wasn’t in such good form. Personal difficulties with his then coach were adversely affecting his training and outlook. It all came to a crunch at Ironman Cozumel 2015. He was in first position, with only 10km of the run remaining. But he was hating it so he quit and walked home. “To do well in races, you need to have fun,” he says. “That’s why I couldn’t run those last 10km; when it starts to get tough, you need to feel that it’s fun, and that’s what I felt again in Copenhagen.” © KMD IRONMAN DenmarkFrom Stockholm, Sweden, Patrik has lived to train since he was a kid. At school, he competed at a high level in long distance running, but it didn’t quench his thirst for training. He did his first triathlon in his last year at high school and finally found a worthy outlet for his energies. “With triathlon, there’s always something you can train,” he says. “If you can’t develop your running, maybe you can work on the swim or the bike. There are so many aspects. That’s what inspired me.” Patrik is currently training for Ironman Barcelona 2016. If he performs well, he’ll qualify for the Kona world championships in 2017. He’s working with a new coach, who also happens to be his girlfriend. “It’s good to have a close connection with my coach, which is easy when the coach is your girlfriend,” he says. “It makes it really easy for her to understand how I’m feeling. “There have been a lot of small things we’ve been trying to work on. One of the biggest was around my mentality – to make sure I’m having fun and really enjoying it. It’s worked out perfectly.” While he enjoys pushing his limits with racing, Patrik doesn’t overdo it. Training is what he loves and that’s the focus for most of the year. “For me, it’s better to have one, two or three months of really good training and then do one race and go really hard,” he says. “The most important thing is to have fun. “In Copenhagen I really felt it was fun, I really enjoyed standing on the beach next to the guys and saying, ‘I’m really going to beat you, I’m going to kick your ass and this is going to be fun’. That gives triathlon something more than just the expectation you should win.” Stay tuned for part two of series about Patrik! MAIN IMAGE: © KMD IRONMAN Denmark

Mountaineer Luka Lindič has been climbing one of the toughest peaks on the planet – Gasherbrum IV in Pakistan. Climbing Gasherbrum IV © Luka Lindic He and Aleš Česen made it to the North Summit, around 20metres below the 7932-meter-high main summit, after battling fierce weather that made reaching the summit impossible. Of course the guys are pleased with how far they reached on this treacherous route, in difficult conditions. They originally planned to take a new route, via the North West face but that was completely impossible in bad weather. Before tackling the G4 they scaled Broad Peak, making them the only team to successfully summit that mountain this season. This climb was used to acclimatise, and got the guys in the right frame of mind mentally for the big route, Luka says: “Some people might think using a climb like Broad Peak to acclimatise might take away a lot of fitness, but I think if you plan to climb a route like we did on G4 then it shouldn’t be a problem. If it makes you tired, then you are not prepared enough! It took away a bit for sure, but we benefited lots more than we lost. A climb like that is also important from a mental point of view, as a final check.” Luka Lindič and Aleš Česen © Luka Lindic The weather in the area meant the Alpine style of climbing the pair used gave them an advantage over other teams climbing differently. Luka says: “The other teams were climbing in a classically Himalayan style and spent lots of time and energy preparing. Now, it seems this is how it will be in Pakistan. The weather is not stable and you get a window of maybe two days. If you climb Alpine style like we did you are flexible and it’s easier to get up and go when there is a good weather window. With Himalayan climbing that’s a lot more difficult to try. That was our advantage this time.” Feeling strong after Broad Peak they started on G4, dubious they’d make it far in bad conditions. However, they managed to climb through the weather and pushed on until they made the North Summit. The guys tried to wait for bad weather to pass © Ales Cesen Luka says: “It was pretty bitter sweet. On one side you know you will not climb G4 but you know inside you did the maximum you could. It was a cool experience after struggling all day to reach the North summit we had sun for a few minutes, we could even see the summit for a few minutes. We had pushed hard already and decided the summit wasn’t possible, but were happy with what we did.” The guys had to rappel back down to avoid being swept away by avalanches. Now back from the trip he can contemplate the attempt, and he knows he’ll go back. He’s got some technical climbing planned in the meantime, he says: “I will go climbing in China for one month in September then my plan Is to spend some longer time in the Alps. I’ve been on expeditions this year so I feel like I have missed some technical training in the Alps and I want to get back to the level of climbing I want to be at, as doing expeditions you lose a bit of that.” Main image ©Luka Lindic

Gediminas Grinius won silver at this year’s 170 km (105 mile) Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc – UTMB, one of the world’s premier ultra marathons. His secret? It’s staying relaxed and finding his inner warrior. Gediminas finding his inner samurai before an ultra marathon in Japan. © Gediminas Grinius Lithuanian ultrarunner Gediminas Grinius is riding a high after an outstanding performance at UTMB in France. Winning silver tastes especially sweet because in last year’s race he pulled out due to injury. “Before this year’s race I felt very good, the best shape ever,” he says. “My preparation was excellent.”  Here are Gediminas’s tips for the different phases of an ultra marathon. Race day morning It’s easy to feel pressure and stress before a race begins. It’s important to do what you need to do to stay calm. The best way to do that is to stick to your routine, rather than adjusting it for others. I like to spend time with my family, just enjoying life, before a race begins. © Gediminas Grinius The start The beginning of a race is often very fast and chaotic. Later in the race, many runners that started too fast are dead. It’s important to be patient, to keep calm and follow your own pace. Don’t try to keep up with other runners. The race is long so it’s good to keep reserves for later. Now it’s time to relax and enjoy the race. It’s also important to begin and maintain your nutrition routine, whether you measure it by aid stations or by time.“Pain is temporary, glory lasts forever.” Settling in As the race settles down, my plan is to stick to other runners, following their pace because together we’re stronger. It helps me to feel stronger and I can push more from that place. I’m not a good runner in the beginning. The first 30 or 40 km I’m warming up. After that I know how the race will be because I can feel how my body is reacting. If my body lets me go at a good pace, then I go with that. If it’s not my day, then I go with that, and back off.© Gediminas Grinius The suffering Eventually you reach a point when you are suffering. It’s impossible to avoid. You know it’s going to happen. You must be patient. I always remind myself, “pain is temporary and glory is forever”. If you’re suffering, remember it will pass. When I’m struggling, I use a mental technique. For example, when I was in Japan competing in the Ultra-Trail Mt Fuji, I imagined I was a samurai warrior fighting bad guys. It’s a kind of mental game to cope with difficulties. I visualise myself as different characters.© Gediminas Grinius “As a father, I remember I’m setting a good example to my children – to finish whatever you start.” Ending strong During the final stage, I’m thinking about things that generate positive emotions. For example, I think about my family and how grateful I am they supported me during the long night of the race. It gives me some push and I can move faster. It’s about cultivating good vibes. I know I will feel so much when I see them. As a father, I remember I’m setting a good example to my children – to finish whatever you start. My kids see how stubborn I am and that I do what I love. It’s a good lesson for them. Follow Gediminas's adventures on his Facebook page. Other stories with Gediminas Grinius: Tips for transitioning from road to trailThe Gediminas way of recovery Main image: © Gediminas Grinius

When you’re doing a sport you love, getting an injury can be devastating. Something mountain athlete Emelie Forsberg knows too well. After ACL surgery in February she has just won KIMA (August 29, 2016). Going from being unable to walk to winning the tough 52km skyrace, she’s undoubtedly delighted. A balanced state of mind helped her get there, and that meant embracing the dark days, while celebrating every tiny rehab victory. We’ve spoken to her about the process, here’s what she had to say. Emelie Forsberg has recovered after ACL surgery. ©Jordi Saragossa First things first, how are you feeling after winning KIMA? I feel good, my legs feel fine today! I ran very conservatively as it’s still early to do a lot of running, but I wanted to try. I ran carefully and I knew it was my kind of course, there are some parts where you have to go fast but it has a lot of very technical parts and I like that. I knew I could do OK but I really did not know how I would be after four hours as I hadn’t been able to run and I was nervous. But I had enough energy at the end and I’m very happy! Looking back on your surgery, what was important in those early days? I was very lucky to have surgery immediately. The first days after the injury were horrible. I think maybe it was better it wasn’t me who caused the injury, there was a crash, as I would have been very angry at myself. I was sad as I have devoted my life to being a mountain athlete so it was like my whole world disappeared. It was important to let myself feel like that, and it shows it really means something to me. It was hard, but I knew it would end and I began studying to understand the process and the anatomy behind everything. What did you do physically to get to where you are now? I was really careful with rehab and I didn’t do too much in the beginning. I had some simple exercises to do every day. I learned to walk again properly after the first four weeks as I couldn’t walk, it was crazy. I took it step by step and had goals, I never pushed further than I knew was possible and that was important. On week 9 I wanted to run a few steps, and I felt good that day, so I did it. It’s important to have small goals and adjust them as you progress. Taking small steps got her back on the mountains How did you stay strong mentally? It was important to talk to friends, particularly those who also had injuries. You can share something that’s very hard, as they’ve also had something they love taken away. I had very dark days too, but I didn’t dislike them! I liked to have dark days as I was sad and I wanted to be sad as so much had been taken away but I also knew I could step out of that, I could have some distance from it. It’s important to remember there’s more to life than sport. I tried to focus on other things as it sucks to have something you love taken away! Yoga helped you a lot during your recovery, is that right? I did a little yoga from week 2 and I think when I was feeling feeling a bit low it would have been good to do more, but when you’re not in a good mood, it’s hard even to do yoga! Maybe yoga was most important to help me know my body, as you really feel everything. Emelie will get back to skimo this winter So, what’s next for you? I’m travelling to India to do the final 200 hours of yoga teacher training. I think it’ll be pretty intense. After that I think I’ll do some more running, then I’ll start to prepare for skiing. Are you nervous about getting back to ski mountaineering? I feel quite ok actually. I have two seasons, so now that I am back running it feels natural to get back into skis. I feel comfortable going downhill again so I’m feeling good about it! Follow Emelie on her website, Facebook and instagram. Main image ©Jordi Saragossa

Passionate diver, photographer and Suunto’s own diving business line manager, Jukka Saarikorpi is hosting the @suuntodive Instagram account for a week, starting today. Make sure to follow to catch his inspiring images! USS Vanderberg, Florida Key West. © Jukka SaarikorpiWhere are you from, Jukka? I come from Finland. I was born in Tampere and now and live here in Helsinki. I work for Suunto as a diving business line manager. Where do you dive regularly? We tend to travel quite a bit for my vacations so most of my dives are in warm water. We also test diving products for Suunto in the Ojamo abandoned limestone mine, about 100 km from Helsinki in Lohja. There, and also in Baltic Sea, I occasionally do cold water diving. I enjoy warm water diving more and photographing marine animals. In Finland, you see a lot of wrecks, but wildlife is very rare to see while diving. © Jukka SaarikorpiWhat inspires you about the underwater world? I have always enjoyed being near the sea. I used to do a lot of competitive sailing, which I still do. Diving became something that I can enjoy in nice locations. It gives me something exciting to do in my free time. Nowadays, it has turned into work as well, but I still love it! How would you describe your photography style? I mostly use a wide-angle lens and like shooting big animals, wrecks and divers. I try to capture the moment underwater when the light conditions are changing. It makes diving more interesting when you have more challenges to get the “perfect” picture. Is there a story you wish to tell with your images? I love to inspire people to start diving and to appreciate the ocean more. The ocean is something I really value and I hope I can encourage other people to appreciate it too. Where to follow your adventures? You can see my underwater photography on my Facebook page, on Instagram and on my photography website. Main image: Moalboal, Philippines. © Jukka Saarikorpi