This week I caught up with the Greatest Mountain Runner Of All Time Kilian Jornet. We met in Colorado, about one week into his States of Elevation project to link every 14,000-foot peak (4,300m) across the lower 48 states. That’s 600 miles on foot and 2,400 miles by bike, equivalent to a Tour de France stage plus marathon every single day.
We recorded most of this conversation above 14,000 feet, where Kilian shared stories from the adventure and practical advice for everyday runners and adventurers on planning, nutrition, sleep, and overcoming challenges.
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This episode is not available as podcast, since there were a lot of visuals + better experience to view with subtitles.
Here are some of the topics covered:
- 0:00 – Kilian’s best advice for planning your own adventure
- 0:54 – Why fueling adventures is so different from racing
- 2:07 – How Kilian deals with limited amount of sleep on long adventures
- 2:32 – Thoughts on caffeine and staying awake
- 3:22 – Tracking down Kilian in the Colorado mountains
- 4:35 – Kilian’s TREK bike, close up
- 4:48 – What Kilian eats in his RV
- 5:45 – Starting navigation on his COROS watch
- 6:04 – How Kilian avoids blisters crossing rivers
- 6:38 – Lightning strikes force us into shelter at 14,000 ft
- 9:23 – Kilian recaps his ride and run
- 9:57 – How he deals with severe weather
- 11:28 – What goes through Kilian’s mind on these long days
- 12:06 – His favorite part of States of Elevation so far
- 12:21 – The biggest challenges of this project
- 12:59 – Nutrition on the go: how he really does it
- 14:21 – Heart rate zone 1 & 2, vs perceived effort
- 15:16 – How Kilian navigates his way in the mountains
- 15:56 – Keeping up with Kilian downhill
- 17:45 – Wrapping up above the clouds on the ridge
- 19:00 – Kilian’s final reflections & takeaways
A few quotes from Extramilest Show #108 with Kilian Jornet:
1. “Always leave a margin. If everything goes wrong, I still have the tools to make it.”
Plan thoroughly, but build in flexibility. Adventures rarely go as expected, so give yourself room to adapt.
2. “Better be slow than sorry.”
When storms or lightning roll in, Kilian doesn’t push through at all costs. Safety comes first, speed second.
3. “It’s important to match the calories overall… not to lose weight day after day.”
Fuel for consistency, not peak performance. In multi-day pushes, think about sustainability instead of maximum output.
4. “Don’t eat too often… let the stomach rest a bit.”
Kilian treats multi-week efforts more like everyday life: 3–4 meals a day, not constant snacking like in a race. It keeps the stomach settled and energy steady.
5. “I’m here because I choose it… it gives me happiness, a sense of exploring landscapes, but also internal exploration.”
Your “why” matters. Adventures are about discovering both the world around you and what you find within.
Cheers,
Floris Gierman
P.S. SHOE GIVEAWAY! What was your favorite lesson, takeaway or quote from this episode? Win a pair of Nnormal Shoes by subscribing, liking this video, and leaving a comment HERE on YouTube. Winner will be announced November 10 in the YT comments. Good luck!
