'I am a trail runner and a ski mountaineer. But first and foremost, I am a person who loves the mountains. But at the same time I love to run fast!’
Kilian Jornet - trail runner

The most versatile and accomplished world-class trail runner, born in a mountain hut in the Catalan Pyrenees  

Story
Few other athletes, like Jornet, conquer two sporting disciplines: ski mountaineering in winter and trail running in summer. What makes Jornet even more special is that he is equally adept at all distances, from the 1km vertical short-distance event to the mountain marathon and even the 280km ultra-distance event.

At the beginning of 2014, Jornet was named Adventurer of the Year by National Geographic magazine. From the magazine's hand-picked list of explorers, climbers and adventure athletes, Jornet was voted for by readers and given this prestigious award.

In 2012, Athletes Weekly magazine rated Jornet as the most impressive ‘World's Best Runner’, even more impressive than Usain Bolt and Mohamed Farah. The number of winning performances by Jornet is quite impressive (the awards are listed on Jornet's website). However, he himself describes himself as just a man who loves the mountains. He says: ‘I don't run to win, I run just to be with the mountains.

When one is in the mountains, one is in a state of nothingness. When you are in the mountains, you are in a state of nothingness, where everything is a new discovery. I like to run fast in competitions and push my limits. I like competition. But in case I can't win anymore, I will still be in the mountains.’

Jornet is a trail runner, ski mountaineer and accomplished alpinist who aspires to achieve speed ascents of the highest peaks in continental Europe and the Americas, and to summit Mount Everest in 2015. 

For more information: www.summitsofmylife.com

FACTS

Name: Kilian Jornet

Sport: Trail runner, ski mountaineer

Birthplace: Chamonix, France

Website: http://www.kilianjornet.cat/