Kilian Jornet – Exploring The Limits Of Human Potential, Above The Clouds
ttraboArticle by Tait Hearps of Sweat Elite
Some people defy what we can conceive to be within the realm of possibility. Some manage to do it again and again.
A hero to many, one of the most accomplished and inspiring athletes in the world, a man with a beautiful message. Kilian Jornet has been an enigma since he took the world of mountain sports in the late 2000’s (I can’t just say mountain running because he also was winning world championships in ski mountaineering and taking on FKT expeditions).
After amassing a lifetime’s worth of accolades whilst still in his early twenties – having won all the races he ever dreamed of winning – Kilian moved onto some more out-there adventures. Embarking on a self-styled adventure project he called Summits of My Life, Kilian set out to establish FKTs ascending and descending some of the world’s most iconic mountains, including Kilimanjaro, Mont Blanc, Aconcagua, and culminating in a record-breaking summit of Everest. Kilian set the Everest FKT in 26 hours from base camp, with no oxygen or ropes, and battling gastroenteritis along the way. A mere six days later he repeated the performance, earning himself the Adventurer of the Year award from National Geographic (for the second time).
Having the opportunity to sit down with an idol was such a privilege, and Kilian did not disappoint. From his home in Norway, Kilian generously gave a few hours of his time to discuss his adventures, the training that powers these incredible feats, and what is driving him. Kilian is a long-time subscriber of Sweat Elite and he was happy to delve into the specifics of what his training looks like. He is charming and beautifully expressive, with a humility that belies his jaw-dropping list of achievements (which you can ogle over right here).
In our conversation we cover:
- His upbringing and how he became so prolific at moving through the mountains
- The motivation behind the Summits of my Life project
- His double ascent of Everest, including preparation for the expedition
- His relationship with risk, fear and pain
- Training – what a week of training looks like for him and how he has been changing training over time
- Nutrition – how he fuels these adventures
- Self-experimentation and the importance of exploring your own limits, including a few experiments that some might just call crazy
- What he has learned from his mentors
- Journaling training and following progress
- Altitude training
- A lot more!
We also got into the motivation that lies behind all of this, his love for adventure, immersion in nature, leaving the safety of your comfort zone and exploring the outer limits of what is physically possible, as well as his mission to bring awareness to the climate crisis.
Kilian has shared many of his adventures beautifully through his memoir Run or Die, which I can highly recommend, as well as a number of stunning, gripping movies including Path to Everest. His newest book, Above the Clouds, will be released this August:
“What drives a person to the edge of one of the most difficult and revered mountains in the world? How much is one willing to sacrifice and suffer to pursue an authentic and bold life? Jornet ponders these questions as he recounts one remarkable year in the life of the mountain, exploring Everest’s changing nature over four seasons and his own existence. Above the Clouds silhouettes a complex and dedicated runner at the peak of his physical prowess who must choose between the safe and certain or the adventurous and perilous.”
Kilian is a self-declared ‘geek’ when it comes to anything related to the mountains… maps, history, and the science behind moving through the mountains – physiology, psychology, biomechanics. He has a site called Mountains and Athleticism, which looks at all aspects of performing in the mountains, and also contains a spreadsheet where he has fastidiously logged all of his thousands and thousands of hours spent in the mountains over the last decades. The content here really gives an insight into what makes this man tick.
I hope this conversation (listen via the Sweat Elite Podcast, wherever you listen to podcasts) will be as enjoyable for you as it was for me, despite a couple technical issues. I have been following Kilian’s journey for a long time now and was very happy to still be able to cover some stuff that I’ve never heard him talk about before. A beautiful insight into the life and mind of one of the greats. The sky is the limit for this man, and I am so excited to see which limits he can redefine in the coming years.
If you enjoyed reading this you may also enjoy:
Kilian Jornet – Ultramarathon Training – Variety Is The Key
Discover more articles about Ultramarathon training here.
