Since its beginnings in 2013, TSP has become a global movement, challenging runners to push their limits following only two guidelines: no rules, no spectators. Last year, the Atacama format was introduced, and this year’s edition promises to be even tougher, greater and more extreme.

             Before boarding their flight to Santiago, we caught up with the team to hear about their experiences, the challenges of preparation, their expectations, and what this project means to each of them in their running journey.

(OR)     It’s only one week to go, what are you feeling?
(S)         I can't believe we're actually doing this. We've planned everything together with the team, had an amazing preparation, now it's time to focus, calm the mind and enjoy the travel (literally and once an ultra runner taught me to use that term for long distance running, which I love).

             How do you imagine running in Atacama?
             Tough and at the same time it's going to be light at some point, like it's going to free my spirit. And of course just stunning. We pass a 5000m mountain. I'm not sure I've ever seen anything like it.

             What joining this project means to you?
             After a year of diving into actual running, which means training properly, surrounding myself with amazing athletes and running my first half marathons, this project marks my development both mentally and physically; it's proof that when you put your heart into something, it becomes something beautiful.

             What was the hardest part of preparation for you?
             Eat. Eating enough. Running 100km a week with additional strength means that I have to eat up to 4500 calories a day. On a 'normal' day, that's almost impossible. I'm impressed by all the people who put in the work, who are great partners, friends and fathers.

(OR)     It’s only one week to go, what are you feeling?
(V)        With a week to go, I'm thinking a lot about what has happened since I raced the TSP ATA last year. The difference in preparation, mental state and team give me a very positive outlook on this year's experience. At the same time, I'm a little worried about the health of the other team members and whether all 6 of us runners will be able to withstand the challenges and finish the race strong and healthy – together.

             How do you imagine running in Atacama?
             I'm super curious about the changes in the route and the terrain, it's fascinating how versatile the scenery is in Chile.

             What does joining this project means to you?
             I'm full of gratitude to be able to go back to the desert with an optimistic runners' team and overall good preparation to really run this relay in full connection of mind and body, focused on taking it all in and using this extreme experience to learn about myself, while trying to encourage others, especially women, to trust themselves to conquer such incredible adventures.  

             What was the hardest part of preparation for you?
             The combination of rather inflexible office hours, living in the hilly countryside, not having a running crew where I live, and the general discomfort of running in cold, wet weather and with little daylight in the autumn made the high mileage quite difficult to manage. The amount of effort and discipline it took to plan my daily life in combination with running almost every day was overwhelming at times.

(OR)     It’s only one week to go, what are you feeling?
(O)        I’m feeling a mix of excitement and curiosity – this is my first race of this format and in such extreme conditions. I don’t entirely know what to expect from my body, though I feel ready.

             How do you imagine running in Atacama?
             I'm not a big fan of the heat, so running in the desert is a real challenge for me. I imagine the experience will feel like a contrast shower – physically demanding conditions of heat and altitude paired with the breathtaking serenity of the desert. I think the real challenge will be finding balance between these extremes.

             What does joining this project means to you?
             For me, this project is about gaining new experiences – not only exploring my own limits and building a dialogue with my body but also feeling the spirit of teamwork and understanding the dynamics and personalities within our team.

             What was the hardest part of preparation for you?
             The hardest part has been managing the high volume of training with all the extra tasks – studying the specifics of high-altitude running, planning nutrition strategies and fine-tuning our race approach. In the last few weeks it's been especially tough to fit everything into my schedule.

             Another challenge for me has been sauna training, which is recommended for heat and altitude adaptation. It's something I've tried for the first time during this preparation and it wasn't easy.

             Interestingly, running has been a great way to keep me mentally stable, especially training with the team. The team spirit really helped me get through the tough moments.

(OR)     It’s only one week to go, what are you feeling?
(L)         I carry a lot of feelings inside me.

             Excitement, anticipation, respect and a little bit of fear, but no worries. The team also motivates and inspires me a lot! Curiosity above all! I'm really curious about Chile, about the desert, about the team and about myself - it feels like a rollercoaster that's about to take off at top speed.

             How do you imagine running in Atacama?
             Running in the Atacama will be absolutely stunning – for sure. I'm looking forward to the wide open spaces, the barren and especially the lonely roads that seem (and are) endless.Bust most of all, I am looking forward to the sunrises and sunsets and walking at night. When you can hear nothing but the electricity pylons around you. It's going to be a challenge, an epic and wild one.

             What does joining this project means to you?
             Joining this project means maximum fun with maximum responsibility. Have fun, let go, go crazy. Always taking responsibility for myself and my body. Just like I do for the team and the people I love around me. It's such an opportunity to do something I've never done before, on so many levels. It feels a bit like jumping in at the deep end, even though we are walking through the desert, the driest place on earth.

             What was the hardest part of preparation for you?
             The hardest part of the training for me was the last few days before I left. I felt tired and exhausted from all the running and longed more and more to get going. I realised that I wanted to run a lot, sometimes alone, to keep my nervous system balanced. I had also been battling a nasty cold for almost 3 weeks – I was very unsure if I could continue to push myself at this level. If TSP Los Angeles — Las Vegas was a house cat, then Atacama is a tiger. I always had these words from Nils ringing in my ears, haha.

(R)        I feel tired and excited at the same time
 

             Dry and meditative.

             I think I can only answer that after the race.

 

             Coordinate the time for running with my family and work.

(R)        Over the last month I have had a long stretch of worrying about training and preparation, which has melted away into a state of calm. We've all put in the work and now it's go time.
 

             To be honest, it's very hard to imagine what running in the Atacama will be like. I have very little experience of this type of environment – but what I do have is experience of deeply frozen, harsh and remote parts of the world. I think what these two (literally and figuratively) polar opposites have in common is their vastness and stillness, which I'm really looking forward to experiencing while running. It's just you and Mother Nature, she sees both nothing and everything at once.

             It is such an honour to run as part of the incredible team that Optimistic Runners has put together. This project is about pushing yourself to your limits, discovering new parts of yourself in times of unknown intensity, and holding each other up as a team. 

 

             The hardest part of training was simply managing to fit everything into an already extremely busy daily schedule. This meant getting out of the door at the crack of dawn (often before) to run, then going to work, uni, rehearsal, xyz, and then back to the gym in the evening for another run, strength training and sauna. I often wouldn't get home until late in the evening and would have to go straight to bed to do it all again the next day. Not to mention taking care of myself, both physically and mentally... the balance was tough, but worth it.