What makes ski mountaineer and trail runner Kilian Jornet tick? It’s not winning races or setting speed records, although he does excel at both. For him, it’s all about the mountains. “I am just a person who loves the mountains. I spend every day in the mountains,” says Kilian, “I love them because the landscape is amazing and full of challenges but I think the mountains gives a lot back. When you are in the mountains, you feel that you are nothing. When you have nothing you have everything to discover.” That passion stems from his childhood – Kilian grew up in a mountain hut in the Spanish Pyrenees where his father worked as a hut keeper and mountain guide. From a young age, Kilian was living and breathing mountain life. “The first time I walked for five hours alone in the mountains I was two years old!” says Kilian. He went on to climb his first 3,000er aged three. “I have conditioned my body to long distances from an early age!” he says. It clearly paid off. These days Kilian is known for dominating not one, but two mountain sports; ski mountaineering in winter and trail running in summer. As a trail runner he’s proved himself to be one of the world’s best – dominating ultras and setting a slew of records from the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc to the Hardrock 100 and dozens of races In 2012 Athletics Weekly argued that he was the ‘world’s best runner’ and he has one of the highest Vo2 levels recorded of an athlete (85-90). When the snow comes Kilian switches over to ski mountaineering where he has been world champion four years out of five since 2010. “Ski mountaineering is hard because you want to go fast. You have to push, you have to power through every step,” says Kilian. But again, it’s the lure of the mountains that ultimately win Kilian over, not the battle of competition: “Sometimes it’s in the forest, sometimes in couloirs. You can go wherever you want. You don’t have to follow a trail. You make your own track. It’s this feeling of freedom you get from ski mountaineering.” Yet Kilian is more than a record-breaking trail runner, a world champion ski mountaineer. With his Summits of My Life Project, in which he has set speed ascents on the Matterhorn, Mt Blanc and Denali among others, he has redefined what it means to be a mountain athlete, moving into territory once the preserve of elite alpinists. What beckons next for the athlete is never certain, but one thing is for sure – it will take place somewhere in the mountains. “The day I stop winning I’ll continue to go the mountains,” says Kilian, “I don’t run for victory. I don’t practice sport for competition. The reason I ski or run every day is to be in the mountains.”

He's a manatee named Chester and he's not in great shape. Meet the star of Jill Heinerth's new children's book. Just published, Chester the Manatee and the Very, Very, Terribly Bad Itch is part of Jill's quest to educate children about the state of our water. Below she tells us about the new book, and why she feels manatees have much to teach us. So what's the idea behind the book? Chester the Manatee and the Very, Very, Terribly Bad Itch is a book that follows the life of a gentle manatee facing struggles from a very annoying itch. He reaches out to a young girl who helps him discover the cause of his problem. The little girl helps Chester by teaching people about keeping water clean. Chester the Manatee supports children who feel different, embrace their special characteristics. The book celebrates unique kids as remarkable people who help teach others about important issues. You're quite a fan of manatees right? The book is a part of my efforts to educate people about their water issues. Recently some misguided but well-meaning people started to lobby to end activities that allow people to swim with manatees. Anyone who has had the privilege to swim with manatees is transformed by the experience and there is no evidence to support that any of the wild manatees are harmed. They have special refuge areas to escape and yet they leave the refuges to interact with humanity. I truly believe the manatees are trying to teach us something. None have been harmed by human interaction in the water and yet many die of cold stress each year. Their habitat has been destroyed by our use of herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers on the golf course style lawns we keep in Florida. The bottom vegetation is now gone and replaced by filamentous algae that does not have the nutritional value they require. They have to leave the warmth of the springs to swim out to the Gulf of Mexico to feed. Some don’t make the return trip in time to beat cold weather and henceforth die of cold stress. I realize that it is critical to help everyone understand that humans’ swimming with manatees are the best chance we have to protect the water they are swimming in. People have to learn from the operators in the area about how to change their behaviors to protect water resources. I hope this book will help.What’s the story about? Beyond the environmental message of protecting water, I want to empower kids. Sometimes we all feel like we are different or that nobody understands us. I am trying to encourage kids to be confident and understand that they can help change the world.What else are you up to right now? I have a busy summer ahead with work in Greece, the Azores, Newfoundland and England. I’ll be doing some filming of caves, wildlife, wrecks, icebergs and a newly opened flooded mine. I’m also looking forward to going back to Cuba soon. I am working with National Geographic on a project that involves an international team of scientists and explorers. We’re looking at early human remains and unique paleontology as well as getting a better understanding of global climate change. You can order the book on iTunes here.

Suunto Core Ultimate Black and new Suunto Core Crush colors spice up your adventures The renowned Suunto Core Classic series gains a new member with Suunto Core Ultimate Black. Its black steel top ring breathes durability while the streamlined design brings out the key functionalities. Fluorescent bezel graphics illuminate in the dark, making the watch even more versatile in tough conditions. Comments Ewa Pulkkinen, Product Manager for Suunto Core: “The inspiration for the new Core Ultimate Black draws from the original Core All Black, which has been one of our most sought after watches since its introduction in 2007. The new rugged steel bezel construction of the Ultimate Black features diamond-like carbon coating, reinforcing Core’s legacy as the outdoor watch.” The Suunto Core Crush line-up will be joined by two new variants – Blue and Graphite. Both have a coated steel bezel for increased robustness and an elegant look. The contemporary colored straps are a statement of your style and blend well both with colorful outdoor apparel and as well as more subtle every day wear. Users can choose between the negative display of the Graphite Crush and the positive display of the Blue Crush. The award-winning Suunto Core packs all the essential features you need for the great outdoors. Keep an eye on the weather with its barometer, see how much you have left to the summit with the altimeter, or use the compass to quickly orientate yourself in the backcountry. The Suunto Core also features a depth meter for snorkeling.

One breath, a hundred meters into the depths and back again. That’s the kind of incredible mental and physical mastery you can expect to see between April 27 and May 07 at Suunto Vertical Blue 2015, a free diving competition held in the world's deepest blue hole. Dean's Blue Hole is 202 m deep. ©zooom.at/ Agustin Munoz Suunto Vertical Blue is one of the world’s top freediving events where competitors aim to push the boundaries of human aquatic potential, diving vertically for minutes on one breath. The first of 23 divers from 12 countries take the plunge on April 27, day one of the nine-day competition. They’ll be competing in three disciplines (see below), with some aiming to break world and national records or personal bests. Japanese freediver Tomoka Fukada is competing again at this year's event. ©Daan Verhoeven  To deepen your understanding on freediving, jump into this article. Located on Long Island in the Bahamas, the mysterious Dean’s Blue Hole is a postcard perfect tropical cove from above. But past the sandy shores it drops off abruptly, falling 202 m before hitting the sea floor below. The depth, warmth and clarity of its waters make Dean’s Blue Hole to free diving what Maui is to surfing. It’s a magnet for the best, including multiple record holder William Trubridge who founded the Vertical Blue competition back in 2006. Event organizer Will Trubridge holds world records for freediving. ©zooom.at/ Samo Vidic Will Trubridge has won the overall title five years straight and aims to continue his streak. With his main rival Alexey Molchanov not competing this year, there will be less standing in his way. But with back-to-back competitions in the next few months and world championships in September, Will isn’t promising to break any records this time around. “I'm just looking to build depth and confidence in this phase of the year,” he says. “If I’m at a level where I feel comfortable going for a world record in one of the disciplines then I will definitely do that.” Dean's Blue Hole's warm, clear waters attracts the best freedivers. ©zooom.at/ Samo Vidic For the first time in four years, the event is being held in April to take advantage of favorable spring weather conditions. “It’s been a while since we’ve competed in Dean’s Blue Hole during spring, when weather and water clarity tend to be better, so I’m looking forward to that,” Will says. Stay tuned for more updates on Suunto Vertical Blue 2015. Three disciplines: Constant weight (CWT): descending and ascending using fins and arms only. Free immersion (FIM): descending and ascending by pulling on the rope. Constant no-fins (CNF): considered the purist freediving discipline – descending and ascending without fins or other artificial means.

Jonathan Wyatt needs no introduction in mountain running circles. He's the eight time winner of the world mountain running grand prix series. Below, he offers seven tips to help road runners transition to trail. Running on changing, uneven terrain develops muscles that road running doesn’t really reach. The body responds to the terrain by using stabilizing muscles, balance and core. But transitioning from road to trail requires care. These seven tips will help you make the change. 1. Start progressively Following Killian Jornet up the Matterhorn might look like fun, but you’ll enjoy it more when you move up the technical scale over time, adding more technical and longer runs as your confidence and trail fitness increase. If a normal run for you is one hour on city streets then start by running 30 minutes road and 30 minutes trail to make a gradual transition. Start on easier trails before hitting the mountains, Wyatt says. ©Jonathan Wyatt 2. Shorter stride A soft and slippery trail will give a greater workout sometimes resulting in fatigue or strain in the hamstring area. Don’t fight against a slippery uphill or downhill, instead reduce your stride length and increase your leg speed (turnover) so you’re putting less power down through your feet on each step. This reduces slipping. Running on sand is a good way to train this. 3. Scan ahead Read the trail ahead and don’t just react to what’s immediately below you. With road running you can look at your feet, but not so out on the trails. You want to scan ahead rather than looking down at where your feet are going to land. By instead reading the terrain ahead, your feet will follow where your eyes are leading. 4. Learn to play the trail Look for good lines to find the most efficient part of the trail and use banking on corners for smooth, fast entry and exit speeds – especially downhill. Learn to play on the trail where you can use terrain features to slingshot out of corners, accelerate from downhill into ascents and, most importantly, to have fun! Trail running reduces overuse injuries common with roadrunners. ©Droz Photo 5. Care for your ankles Roadrunners often twist an ankle when they take on more technical running terrain. To improve ankle proprioception – eye-foot coordination – trying using a wobble board or practice standing on one foot, making sure the knee is centered over your second toe as you look down. Tendons and foot muscles can take a pounding if you’re not used to uneven terrain and these exercises strengthen them. Close your eyes and do slow knee bends to spice it up too. 6. Find local trails for your level Finding the best trails is not always easy so if you’re new to off-road running, talk to trail runners, go online or find popular routes in your area on Suunto App's heat maps to find suitable running trails. Remember safety is first, so you’ll need more equipment, preparation and common sense when running in the great outdoors. Jono Wyatt is an eight time winner of the world mountain running grand prix series. ©zooom.at/Markus Berger 7. Remember, hills are your friends The changing terrain will help you avoid overuse injuries that can occur when running on repetitive flat surfaces. Add more hills as you grow stronger off road. Remember too, the softer ground and grass on many trails also help to reduce the impact of downhill running on joints and muscles.

In the second episode of #SuuntoAdventure Video Series you will meet Canadian ski mountaineer Greg Hill. As one of the world’s leading ski mountaineers, Greg has pioneered first descents, summited over 190 mountains and climbed and skied millions of meters. Along the way he has broken records, like skied two million vertical feet in a calendar year and 100.000 meters in a month. Read Greg's profile here.    Next episode of #SuuntoAdventure Video Series will be out in two weeks. Stay tuned!Watch also: Face to Face with Emelie Forsberg – #SuuntoAdventure Video Series, Episode 1 Face to Face with Kilian Jornet – #SuuntoAdventure Video Series, Episode 3 Face to Face with William Trubridge – #SuuntoAdventure Video Series, Episode 4 Face to Face with Conrad Stoltz – #SuuntoAdventure Video Series, Episode 5