Chris Zehetleitner's Blog, page 2

The Fog Between Seasons

In this article, I present no data, no numbers, and definitely no trophies. What I have instead is uncertainty — and a slight feeling of frustration that’s been getting louder as the surrounding mountains prepare to close down for the season.

The Last Lift

With the cable cars here about to shut down, the last lifeline I had as an injured uphill runner is slipping away. I wanted to make the most of these final days. I wanted to be outside as much as possible, to climb, to enjoy the time left. But s...

The Asymmetrical Runner

In this article, I present numbers and data. These are my personal values. I don’t want to impress or disappoint anyone with them. You can read exactly what I mean in this wonderful disclaimer article:

A Year Going Up

This year I’ve already climbed more than 100.000 vertical meters. That’s four times more than I usually do in a year, and 2025 is not even over yet.

At first glance, this figure seems impressive. After closer inspection, however, these statistics are rather pathetic. The total number...

Running on the Edge

Edge Day

Happy Edge Day to all Straight Edge1 Runners out there. Today belongs to us.

Never heard of Edge Day? Don’t worry.

National Edge Day is celebrated every October 17 by people in the Straight Edge community worldwide. It began in 1999 in Boston as the final show of Ten Yard Fight. Other bands on the bill were Reach the Sky, In My Eyes and Floorpunch. All hold legendary status among Straight Edge people.

October 17 soon became an unofficial worldwide holiday to celebrate living clean without ...

Killing The Pain and Run Away

Written in light of recent events, but without naming them. Attention is their oxygen. Some things don’t deserve the extra spotlight they crave.

You Can’t Outrun Pain

Pain was always part of it. I’ve never met a runner who runs solely to feel comfortable. Not really.

We run because it hurts — because that hurt opens something in us that the rest of life keeps shut. It reminds us we’re alive. And human.

Everyone who runs long enough will get to know it. It’s honest. Uncompromising. It tells us when...

Warum ich die Tor des Géants nicht laufen möchte (#142)

Die Tor des Géants lässt mir keine Ruhe. Und dennoch beantworte ich die Frage, ob ich sie selbst einmal laufen möchte mit einem klaren NEIN. Warum das so ist erkläre ich in dieser Sprachnachricht.

LINKS ZUR FOLGE

Passender Das Z Letter

On Repeat: ASIDHARA – The Battle Hymn of Il A’Tir

“On Repeat” Spotify Playlist (mit allen Musik-Tipps der letzten Wochen)

Sprachnachricht cool? Dann gib mir einen Ko-Fi aus!

Die Das Z - Sprachnachricht ist kein Lauf-Podcast von Chris Z, dem Gründer der Laufsportmarke Wi...

Why I Won’t Run Tor des Géants

TOR won’t leave me alone. It rattles around in my head and has nestled itself in my heart. But if someone asked me today whether I would like to run it myself, I would answer with a resounding NO.

(Official photo by TorX / Stefano Coletta)

A note in advance: This article might not age well. I am constantly changing and growing — as a runner and as a human being. I have no idea where running or life will take me. What feels true today may look very different tomorrow. Given the fact that TOR is con...

Wie plant man eine Rennsaison (#141)

Wie plant man eigentlich eine Rennsaison? Und was macht man wenn einen kein Rennen wirklich “ruft”? Muss man überhaupt an Wettkämpfen teilnehmen oder kann man auch mal ein Jahr Pause machen? Legitime Fragen die nicht beantwortet aber zumindest angerissen werden.

LINKS ZUR FOLGE

Passender Das Z Letter

On Repeat: AT THE GATES – Blinded By Fear

“On Repeat” Spotify Playlist (mit allen Musik-Tipps der letzten Wochen)

Sprachnachricht cool? Dann gib mir einen Ko-Fi aus!

Die Das Z - Sprachnachricht ist kein L...

Season Planning Without Soul

There are races you pick.
And there are races that pick you.

The second kind? They mess you up. In the best possible way.

Last week I stood at Tor des Géants. Not as a runner, but in the trenches of support for our friend Juliane. Her absolute A-race. Her dragon. Her dream. Months of sacrifice, sweat, and sleepless nights. All for this one week in the Aosta Valley.

And it hit me again: you don’t find these kinds of races. They find you.
Or better: they call you.

(Photo by Chris Drüke)That Thought ...

Support bei der Tor Des Géants (#140)

Unsere Freundin Juliane Bruneß ist die Tor Des Géants gelaufen und wir hatten die große Ehre sie dabei zu unterstützen. In dieser Sprachnachricht gibt es ein paar Einblicke was es aus Supporter-Sicht bedeutet ein so großes Laufprojekt zu begleiten.

LINKS ZUR FOLGE

Passender Das Z Letter

Tor Des Géants

On Repeat: CODEFENDANTS - Bad Business

“On Repeat” Spotify Playlist (mit allen Musik-Tipps der letzten Wochen)

Sprachnachricht cool? Dann gib mir einen Ko-Fi aus!

Die Das Z - Sprachnachricht ist kein Lau...

Walking Beside Giants

The Giant’s Tour

Right now, as I type these words, Lisa and I are sitting in Courmayeur. Our friend Juliane is still out there, two hours from the finish line of the Tor des Géants (TOR). One of the most unreal foot races on this planet, though the word “race” barely does it justice.

The TOR is 330 kilometers long, with over 24.000 meters of vertical gain. The race circumnavigates the Aosta Valley in northern Italy, crossing 25 mountain passes, many higher than 3.000 meters. For most, the TOR is n...