Let the real testing begin

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Warm weather approaches and the days are getting longer, which means trail running season is about to begin. And with it, arrive our first appearances as a team on a bigger stage.

Tòfol is all set to race at Camí de Cavalls 100k on May 21st; while Emelie, Dakota, and Kilian will challenge themselves at Zegama on May 29th.

We’ve enjoyed every step of their preparation towards their first goal of the season. The best part is how much they’ve enjoyed the process—it’s what really matters and what has made them love this game for such a long time, right Tòfol? 😉

Our NNormal team—the people behind the scenes—are also feeling some pre-competition nerves, since it will be a big test for our products, and first showing on the international stage. We can’t wait to experience Zegama from the inside. Can you?

Zegama

The countdown begins for Zegama 2022, one of the most famous alpine marathons in the world. Taking place in the town of Zegama, Spain, on May 29th, it’s a tough and partly technical course that covers a 42km-loop of Zegama’s surrounding mountains, with a total elevation gain of 5,472m.

But this edition will always be remembered as special, because it will be where NNormal will debut as a brand. Our athletes Kilian, Emelie and Dakota Jones are certainly no strangers to the race, having competed in it in the past—and Kilian and Emelie have even won it—but this year is different, as it will be the first time they will run it wearing NNormal equipment.

To get back to the top of the rankings, they have been training for this race for months, and combining different types of training, to arrive at Zegama in peak physical condition.

Kilian is determined to win again in Zegama and his preparation has been based on combining long runs and uphills on a progressive pace, as well as some flat tempos.

“I believe this kind of training, combining steep uphills and flat running, is a good way to train specifically for different sections of races,” says Kilian.

For Emelie, Zegama 2022 will mark her return to competitive racing after a long period away—but she’s facing the challenge with a lot of motivation, and has prepared with intense training regimes to improve her pace in the race.

“Zegama is a great opportunity for me to start over,” says Emelie. “Since there hasn’t been a lot of snow at home over the winter, I made sure to do lots of combination training schedules—for example, four hours of skiing followed by one hour of running. It's a perfect way to train endurance in the spring, when the legs can’t handle five hours of running. It’s a good way to focus on my movement and speed. Right now, I’m really enjoying doing two 15 min uphills then two 5 km flats.”

Dakota Jones is also looking to have a big role in Zegama, so his training has been focused on combining long runs to improve his pace during the race, as well as mountain runs to strengthen his legs.

Stay tuned to our socials to find out how you can cheer on our athletes at Zegama 2022!

“Zegama is a great opportunity for me to start over. Since there hasn’t been a lot of snow at home over the winter, I made sure to do lots of combination training schedules.”

— Emelie Forsberg

Camí de Cavalls

Throughout his career Tòfol Castanyer has run many trail running races, but there are some races that are more special than others. One of these races is the Camí de Cavalls in Menorca.

There are very few athletes who identify with a territory as much as Tòfol does with the Balearic Islands. There, he has always been very passionate about the community and the environment, such as creating training camps in Mallorca for young runners, as well as striving to raise greater environmental awareness about the mountains and their delicate natural ecosystems. “For me, it is just a way to honor those who taught me to love the mountains since I was a kid—I always considered myself very privileged in this regard. So, it’s quite logical really to believe that teaching people to respect the mountains should start at school.”

This edition of the Camí de Cavalls 2022, which will be held on May 22nd in Menorca, will be even more special for Tòfol, because he will race wearing NNormal equipment for the first time:

“There is no better way to debut with NNormal than in Camí De Cavalls—a very significant race for me, because it’s close to Mallorca, my home, and that of NNormal,” he says.

After winning the race last year in the 85km modality, Tòfol is aiming to repeat the result this year in his debut wearing NNormal.

“There is no better way to debut with NNormal than in Camí De Cavalls—a very significant race for me, because it’s close to Mallorca, my home, and that of NNormal.”

— Tòfol Castanyer

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