See You on the Other Side

Heat Is Time Not Distance

Jun 13, 2025

100k of Fire and Feeling

Tonight, at 10 PM sharp, I’m stepping into the night at the Zugspitz Ultratrail – on the 100 km course. One hundred kilometers around the Wetterstein Mountains. The myth, the legend. One last dance with the mountain gods before a well-deserved break from running.

It took a lot to even get here. And still, I’m ready.

The Knee Drama (Almost) Ends Here

Let’s talk about my knee for a second. Or let’s not, actually. We’ve had enough convos. It’s still not "good", but it’s good enough. Last week, I gave it a full week of rest. A full week. Zero running. That helped. A bit. It didn’t fix anything, but hey – I didn’t expect a miracle, just a truce.

Tonight I ask it to hold up. Just one more time. Just one more long, hot, gritty chapter. Then I’ll send it off to a well-deserved retreat in the orthopedic Maldives. Beach chair. Coconut water. No running.

Plot Twist: Heat – My Old Nemesis

Then came the plot twist that was both unexpected and highly predictable. It appears that my real opponent this time is not knee inflammation. It's the climate. Summer has arrived in full "deal with it" mode. Temps are set to hit 30°C tomorrow. For me, that's not just warm. That’s personal.

If you've followed my story, you know: Heat and I have a long, tortured — almost romantic, yet partly toxic—relationship.

At 20°C, my body starts to raise eyebrows. At 25°C, it rolls its eyes. At 30? Well, then it files for divorce.

Heat is Time, Not Distance

So, what's my plan? I follow an old but wise motto:

"Heat is time, not distance."

The sun doesn’t care if you’re at kilometer 12 or 82. It just keeps burning. The same mercilessness, hour after hour. You don’t outrun it. You endure it. You negotiate with it. You become it.

Beyond the Heat

Heat is truth.
Heat is our beginning and our end.
When we run, we become Heat ourselves.
We embark on a sacred pilgrimage through the Heat. In the crucible of hot air, we will sweat, surrender, and maybe – just maybe – find serenity. We will lose time and control. But we will gain something else.
The Heat leads the way.
Destination unknown.
Yet moving on ever so restless.
As blood turns to water, and then disappears.

Nightfall, Then Fire

The beauty of the 100k at ZUT? It starts at night. That gives me a few cool hours before the firestorm begins. I’ll use them. I’ll move steady, not stupid.

And when dawn breaks and the mountain glows gold, I’ll take a deep breath and try to remember: this is what I came for. This, and a Western States Qualifier, of course.

More Than a Race

But honestly? The ZUT isn’t just another trail race or mountain ultra. It’s a vibe. It’s people. It’s stories. It’s shared discomfort and unexpected laughter and cowbells in weird places.

And that’s what gives me strength. I’m not out there alone. I’ll be running with people – with friends, strangers, and, ghosts. I’ll remember that this is a gift. Maybe the greatest of all.

Number 2, Reporting for Duty

If you want to follow along, my bib number is 2. Yep. Number two. Don’t ask me why. I don’t know. Could be someone high up believes in me more than my knee does.

In any case – see you on the other side. ✌️

Everything Not Running

Yesterday, at the start of the ZUT 100-mile race, we had a small Willpower Circle meetup. The Willpower Circle is a group of runners who feel closely connected to Willpower Running.

When I founded Willpower in 2015, I wanted to achieve three things:

Simple running clothes that wouldn't make you look excessively dressed up
A running brand that stands for clear values
Connecting people

I was successful at all three, but what has become of it over the years even surprises me.

Willpower sparks something in people. It's a feeling that running is more than just physical exercise. It's the realization that even if you don't really fit in anywhere, you have the right to enjoy running however you want, far away from what the masses are doing. There's also the certainty that many people feel the same way.

At our little get-together yesterday, all of this felt very real and tangible. I am very grateful for that.

On Repeat

It was pretty obvious that Turnstile would make it onto On Repeat with their new album “Never Enough.” You don't need me to tell you that the album is absolutely groundbreaking; you've probably already heard that.

The two songs (in combination) that best demonstrate Turnstile's incredible artistic strength and creativity are “Seein' Stars” and “Birds.” Cleverly, they've been combined into one music video.

Let's save the discussion about whether or how hardcore Turnstile is and agree on one thing: Turnstile is for everyone.