Suunto Blog

Where does a journey begin and end? Off the grid in Patagonia the stakes are high. Consequence and weather are constant travel companions on the way to sending La Vuelta de los Condores (5.11 A2). Watch as Arc’teryx Athletes Will Stanhope, Paul McSorley, and Marc-Andre Leclerc, along with Matt van Beine, set off to climb in the remote reaches of northern Patagonia.

You’ve seen the diving videos of the Scuba Diver Girls and now you’re wondering how to get started with your own adventures. Margo Sanchez, president of the team, shares their secrets. “It’s what everyone asks,” says Margo Sanchez when discussing the girls' many adventures. Along with her sister-in-law Stephanie Adamson, Sanchez formed what is perhaps the most-watched team of female divers in the world, with large followings on Facebook and beyond. Whether it's advice for the newly certified diver about meeting more local dive buddies or suggestions for the veteran divers about their next exotic scuba trip, Sanchez suggests utilizing local resources. Dive shops are always a good hook-up. “Look for your local Suunto dealer dive centers,” says Sanchez. “They're usually a great starting point for training, equipment as well as adventure and travel.” She adds that dive clubs are another fantastic resource for organized dive trips, group events and making new friends. Meetup.com is also a popular online resource used by many divers to find and join local dive clubs. “Most importantly, local dive clubs, groups and shops are all good for one thing – meeting buddies who share a passion for the same sport and are excited to experience the next adventure,” says Sanchez. Images © Brad Holland and Jennah Caster

There are some athletes who have printed spreadsheets and detailed training schedules mapped out months in advance. Then there are athletes like Emelie Forsberg, who's more a 'back-of-an-envelope' kind of a girl. She trains on feeling and goes for races for the experience as much as the competition. Emelie's 2014 ambitions are suprisingly modest: “I just want to keep it together – that's an important goal,” she says. “To realise your limits and what you can do and not push yourself too hard – that is always going to be my biggest goal. It's a big goal, maybe not that interesting but that's who I am.” That's not to say she doesn't have some big plans for the year. But we'll let her artwork do the talking...

Maybe you fancy your chances against the world's best, or perhaps you'd just like to follow in his footsteps. Now's your chance. Here, we reveal Kilian Jornet's action-packed summer calendar. Catch him if you can... The trail running season got off to an exciting start for the Suunto ambassador – second place at Transvulcania and a new record at Zegama. But from late May he focuses on his personal project Summits of My Life LINK and will journey to Alaska to attempt Mt McKinley (Denali). A few weeks there and Kilian be back in Europe in time for the Sky Running World Championships in late June in Chamonix, France. Kilian intends to participate in the vertical kilometer (VK) and in the marathon: “I guess I'll be a bit tired after McKinley, but I hope to be in good shape to run both races, as I am very familiar with the routes,” he says. One of the most eagerly-awaited events will then take place in July. After three years trying for a place, Jornet has finally got into the 160km Hardrock 100, America's toughest ultra and one so popular that entry – even for elite athletes – is via a strict draw. “Finally! It is a race I have always dreamed of taking part in,” says Kilian. “The route and the scenery in these mountains, to my mind the most beautiful in continental America, are breathtaking.” After Hardrock come two races in July that Kilian knows well: the Dolomites Skyrace, where he'll do the VK and Sky Race (22km, 1,750 m) and the Giir di Mont (32km, 2,650 m). In August he'll do the classic Sierre Zinal (31km, 2,200 m) and Kima Trophy (50km, 3,800m) and then return to the States for the Rutt Ultra (50km, 3,048 m). His last race will be the Limone Extreme (23.5 km, 2,000 m), near Lake Garda in Italy in October. But he'd also love to do the 170km Diagonale des Fous on Reunion Island again. “It's a race to be experienced, not only for the environment but also for its magnificent route amongst volcanoes,” he says. If there's any energy left in the tank, Kilian plans to finish the year with a return to his personal project and attempt a record on Aconcagua, 6,960m, the highest mountain in the Americas. Go Kilian!

Love triathlon but want to see more fun? Get some fat tires, put some suspension in those forks and cross to the dirty side, says XTERRA champion Conrad Stoltz. Triathlon may be growing in popularity but road races are not the only ones out there. No one knows better than Suunto ambassador Conrad Stoltz, who crossed to XTERRA after competing at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. “After Sydney I was a bit burnt out and thought I'd just do one or two off-road races just to clear my head for fun. But I fell in love after my first race,” he says. “Road triathlon is all about following the white line and taking as much pain as possible,” he explains. “The reason I love off-road triathlon is the adrenaline rush and sense of adventure you get – as well as the lactic acid! Nothing beats the feeling of flashing through the woods at top speed, railing turns perfectly and that rush you get when you clear that hectic drop-off or rock garden. Plus you need to memorise the course, pick fast lines, make tire and suspension selections and mentally and physically overcome a wide variety of obstacles depending on where in the world the race is. And of course, you get to go 100% flat out! The people are also quite laid back, relaxed and no one takes themselves too seriously which makes for a nice 'family atmosphere' at races. It's really a great life style sport,” he adds. To follow Conrad's XTERRA adventures, check out his website: www.conradstoltz.com

Doing you swimming drills in the pool is important, but nothing beats the outdoors, says Stoltz. It's one of the biggest issues for triathletes and something of interest to anyone who loves open water – how to improve your technique. As everyone knows – and often dreads! – being disciplined about swimming drills is essential to improve your performance. But not everything can be learned in a pool, says Conrad Stoltz. “Good open water swimming comes from lots of practice,” says the multiple XTERRA champion. “You have to learn different kinds of open water. Lakes are easy, but ocean swims have waves, currents and sand bars, and river swims are tricky because of currents.” He says there's no substitute for getting out there into the wild and just getting the feel of different water types. Of course, when it comes to actual swimming race preparation, he says the trick is to swim as often as possible in a group. You should also ask yourself important tactical questions. “Where to position yourself at the start? How to pace yourself to start fast without blowing up? How to draft, where to postition yourself around the buoys?” he says. “Building fitness in a pool with a swim squad is good,” he adds, “but I try to spend as much time as possible swimming open water. There is no substitute for open water – plus it's usually more fun than staring at the black line!” Conrad's top 3 tips: Swim outside in different conditions – lakes, rivers and the sea. Swim in a group and practise drafting. Plan your race tactics.