Ultra Trail Races
Swiss Alps 160km
Part 1: The Start, The Heat, The First Problems
This year, I didn’t come to prove something.
I came to execute.
From the first step, I could feel the difference from last year. I moved faster but without rushing. I wasn’t caught in the adrenaline of the start line. My breathing was steady, my cadence locked in. I had a plan, and I trusted it.
With 78 kg of muscle on 83 kg body weight and just 7% body fat, I knew my margin for error was small. I don’t have big fat reserves to pull from in the later stages. That means my fueling had to be on point from the very first kilometer — no guessing, no hoping.
The Strategy
Fuel: Real food at aid stations, just enough sugar to keep energy up without spiking and crashing, and without pushing my gut into chaos.
Hydration: Electrolytes in every bottle, balanced with water to avoid overloading sodium or flushing it out too fast.
Salt: One cap every 45 minutes like clockwork.
Mindset: Run my own pace, ignore the noise, and solve problems as they come — no heroics early.
The Reality Check
The first climbs were hot. Not “warm” — oven hot. Even with heat prep in training, the Swiss Alps heat radiates differently when you’re climbing with a loaded body, fighting gravity.
By the time I reached the highest point in the early stage, the sun was fully overhead. My cooling plan was in motion:
Hat soaked in cold water.
Ice under the cap when possible.
Pouring water over my neck and chest at every stream crossing.
But the heat wasn’t backing down. I could feel my skin cooking, my core temperature creeping higher.
First Blow: Heavy Sunstroke & Cramps
Then it hit. Not mild. Heavy.
The kind of sunstroke where the headache is so sharp you feel it with every single step. It was as if my skull was tightening around my brain. Every footstrike sent a pulse through my head.
At the same time, the cramps kicked in — deep, sharp, and threatening to shut my legs down. In an ultra, that’s the first domino. If you don’t respond, you’re done.
The Immediate Response
I made the call instantly:
Cut sugar for the next hour to reduce metabolic strain.
Double water intake without reducing electrolytes.
Slightly adjust pace to keep the cramps from fully locking me up.
The goal wasn’t to make it comfortable — comfort doesn’t exist here. The goal was to keep moving while buying my body time to stabilize.
Holding the Line
The cramps didn’t disappear. The headache didn’t fade. They came with me, step for step. My quads and calves were twitching like they had their own agenda. But this is where the race becomes simple:
You either stop, or you hold the line.
I chose to hold it.
And that was just the opening chapter. Check the next blog post to continue the story!
Conclusion
Part 1 was a reminder that ultra-endurance is not about comfort; it’s about resilience. The sunstroke and cramps arrived early, but instead of derailing my race, they became the first test of resolve. By adjusting strategy in real time and refusing to stop, I carried the pain forward rather than letting it decide for me. This was only the opening chapter — the foundation for what lay ahead. The question was no longer if problems would come, but how I would respond each time they did.
Ultra Trail Races
Swiss Alps 160km
Part 1: The Start, The Heat, The First Problems
This year, I didn’t come to prove something.
I came to execute.
From the first step, I could feel the difference from last year. I moved faster but without rushing. I wasn’t caught in the adrenaline of the start line. My breathing was steady, my cadence locked in. I had a plan, and I trusted it.
With 78 kg of muscle on 83 kg body weight and just 7% body fat, I knew my margin for error was small. I don’t have big fat reserves to pull from in the later stages. That means my fueling had to be on point from the very first kilometer — no guessing, no hoping.
The Strategy
Fuel: Real food at aid stations, just enough sugar to keep energy up without spiking and crashing, and without pushing my gut into chaos.
Hydration: Electrolytes in every bottle, balanced with water to avoid overloading sodium or flushing it out too fast.
Salt: One cap every 45 minutes like clockwork.
Mindset: Run my own pace, ignore the noise, and solve problems as they come — no heroics early.
The Reality Check
The first climbs were hot. Not “warm” — oven hot. Even with heat prep in training, the Swiss Alps heat radiates differently when you’re climbing with a loaded body, fighting gravity.
By the time I reached the highest point in the early stage, the sun was fully overhead. My cooling plan was in motion:
Hat soaked in cold water.
Ice under the cap when possible.
Pouring water over my neck and chest at every stream crossing.
But the heat wasn’t backing down. I could feel my skin cooking, my core temperature creeping higher.
First Blow: Heavy Sunstroke & Cramps
Then it hit. Not mild. Heavy.
The kind of sunstroke where the headache is so sharp you feel it with every single step. It was as if my skull was tightening around my brain. Every footstrike sent a pulse through my head.
At the same time, the cramps kicked in — deep, sharp, and threatening to shut my legs down. In an ultra, that’s the first domino. If you don’t respond, you’re done.
The Immediate Response
I made the call instantly:
Cut sugar for the next hour to reduce metabolic strain.
Double water intake without reducing electrolytes.
Slightly adjust pace to keep the cramps from fully locking me up.
The goal wasn’t to make it comfortable — comfort doesn’t exist here. The goal was to keep moving while buying my body time to stabilize.
Holding the Line
The cramps didn’t disappear. The headache didn’t fade. They came with me, step for step. My quads and calves were twitching like they had their own agenda. But this is where the race becomes simple:
You either stop, or you hold the line.
I chose to hold it.
And that was just the opening chapter. Check the next blog post to continue the story!
Conclusion
Part 1 was a reminder that ultra-endurance is not about comfort; it’s about resilience. The sunstroke and cramps arrived early, but instead of derailing my race, they became the first test of resolve. By adjusting strategy in real time and refusing to stop, I carried the pain forward rather than letting it decide for me. This was only the opening chapter — the foundation for what lay ahead. The question was no longer if problems would come, but how I would respond each time they did.
Ultra Trail Races
Swiss Alps 160km
Part 1: The Start, The Heat, The First Problems
This year, I didn’t come to prove something.
I came to execute.
From the first step, I could feel the difference from last year. I moved faster but without rushing. I wasn’t caught in the adrenaline of the start line. My breathing was steady, my cadence locked in. I had a plan, and I trusted it.
With 78 kg of muscle on 83 kg body weight and just 7% body fat, I knew my margin for error was small. I don’t have big fat reserves to pull from in the later stages. That means my fueling had to be on point from the very first kilometer — no guessing, no hoping.
The Strategy
Fuel: Real food at aid stations, just enough sugar to keep energy up without spiking and crashing, and without pushing my gut into chaos.
Hydration: Electrolytes in every bottle, balanced with water to avoid overloading sodium or flushing it out too fast.
Salt: One cap every 45 minutes like clockwork.
Mindset: Run my own pace, ignore the noise, and solve problems as they come — no heroics early.
The Reality Check
The first climbs were hot. Not “warm” — oven hot. Even with heat prep in training, the Swiss Alps heat radiates differently when you’re climbing with a loaded body, fighting gravity.
By the time I reached the highest point in the early stage, the sun was fully overhead. My cooling plan was in motion:
Hat soaked in cold water.
Ice under the cap when possible.
Pouring water over my neck and chest at every stream crossing.
But the heat wasn’t backing down. I could feel my skin cooking, my core temperature creeping higher.
First Blow: Heavy Sunstroke & Cramps
Then it hit. Not mild. Heavy.
The kind of sunstroke where the headache is so sharp you feel it with every single step. It was as if my skull was tightening around my brain. Every footstrike sent a pulse through my head.
At the same time, the cramps kicked in — deep, sharp, and threatening to shut my legs down. In an ultra, that’s the first domino. If you don’t respond, you’re done.
The Immediate Response
I made the call instantly:
Cut sugar for the next hour to reduce metabolic strain.
Double water intake without reducing electrolytes.
Slightly adjust pace to keep the cramps from fully locking me up.
The goal wasn’t to make it comfortable — comfort doesn’t exist here. The goal was to keep moving while buying my body time to stabilize.
Holding the Line
The cramps didn’t disappear. The headache didn’t fade. They came with me, step for step. My quads and calves were twitching like they had their own agenda. But this is where the race becomes simple:
You either stop, or you hold the line.
I chose to hold it.
And that was just the opening chapter. Check the next blog post to continue the story!
Conclusion
Part 1 was a reminder that ultra-endurance is not about comfort; it’s about resilience. The sunstroke and cramps arrived early, but instead of derailing my race, they became the first test of resolve. By adjusting strategy in real time and refusing to stop, I carried the pain forward rather than letting it decide for me. This was only the opening chapter — the foundation for what lay ahead. The question was no longer if problems would come, but how I would respond each time they did.
Read More
Health
Sleep
Own the Night. Win the Day.
Sleep is the most underused performance enhancer on Earth. You can’t perform, think, or recover without it — and yet most athletes treat it as optional. In the A6 Athlete's Core, sleep is your daily reset. It’s when your body repairs, your hormones rebalance, and your nervous system recalibrates. The quality of your sleep determines the quality of your performance — physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Health
Sleep
Own the Night. Win the Day.
Sleep is the most underused performance enhancer on Earth. You can’t perform, think, or recover without it — and yet most athletes treat it as optional. In the A6 Athlete's Core, sleep is your daily reset. It’s when your body repairs, your hormones rebalance, and your nervous system recalibrates. The quality of your sleep determines the quality of your performance — physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Health
Sleep
Own the Night. Win the Day.
Sleep is the most underused performance enhancer on Earth. You can’t perform, think, or recover without it — and yet most athletes treat it as optional. In the A6 Athlete's Core, sleep is your daily reset. It’s when your body repairs, your hormones rebalance, and your nervous system recalibrates. The quality of your sleep determines the quality of your performance — physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Health
The Nervous System: Your Body’s Master Control
Why balancing your nervous system is the foundation of recovery, resilience, and peak performance in life.
Your nervous system isn’t just about brain signals — it’s the operating system for performance, recovery, and resilience. It controls how you respond to stress, how fast you recover, and how well you show up each day. When it’s regulated, you’re calm under pressure, focused in chaos, and energized for action. When it’s not, you’re wired, tired, and stuck in survival mode. At AG Performance, we don’t guess — we measure, train, and restore nervous system balance using breathing, red light, cold exposure, and science-backed stress analysis. This is the work. This is the foundation.
Health
The Nervous System: Your Body’s Master Control
Why balancing your nervous system is the foundation of recovery, resilience, and peak performance in life.
Your nervous system isn’t just about brain signals — it’s the operating system for performance, recovery, and resilience. It controls how you respond to stress, how fast you recover, and how well you show up each day. When it’s regulated, you’re calm under pressure, focused in chaos, and energized for action. When it’s not, you’re wired, tired, and stuck in survival mode. At AG Performance, we don’t guess — we measure, train, and restore nervous system balance using breathing, red light, cold exposure, and science-backed stress analysis. This is the work. This is the foundation.
Health
The Nervous System: Your Body’s Master Control
Why balancing your nervous system is the foundation of recovery, resilience, and peak performance in life.
Your nervous system isn’t just about brain signals — it’s the operating system for performance, recovery, and resilience. It controls how you respond to stress, how fast you recover, and how well you show up each day. When it’s regulated, you’re calm under pressure, focused in chaos, and energized for action. When it’s not, you’re wired, tired, and stuck in survival mode. At AG Performance, we don’t guess — we measure, train, and restore nervous system balance using breathing, red light, cold exposure, and science-backed stress analysis. This is the work. This is the foundation.
Ultra Trail Races
Swiss Alps - Teamwork - The Race Is Never Just About You
Why the strongest don’t go alone — they go together.
At the Swiss Alps 160, I hit a wall — fever, chills, cramps, sunstroke. I told my team I was done. They didn’t argue. They reset me. Fed me. Grounded me. Then said the only words I needed: “Get up. Keep moving.” That’s teamwork at its purest form — knowing when to push, when to protect, and when to let you find your way back.
Ultra Trail Races
Swiss Alps - Teamwork - The Race Is Never Just About You
Why the strongest don’t go alone — they go together.
At the Swiss Alps 160, I hit a wall — fever, chills, cramps, sunstroke. I told my team I was done. They didn’t argue. They reset me. Fed me. Grounded me. Then said the only words I needed: “Get up. Keep moving.” That’s teamwork at its purest form — knowing when to push, when to protect, and when to let you find your way back.
Ultra Trail Races
Swiss Alps - Teamwork - The Race Is Never Just About You
Why the strongest don’t go alone — they go together.
At the Swiss Alps 160, I hit a wall — fever, chills, cramps, sunstroke. I told my team I was done. They didn’t argue. They reset me. Fed me. Grounded me. Then said the only words I needed: “Get up. Keep moving.” That’s teamwork at its purest form — knowing when to push, when to protect, and when to let you find your way back.