We Are Here to Play | My Zegama 2026

Zegama has been part of my life since 2007. It is a race that shaped my career, but also one that has always meant more than the result: the village, the mud, the climb to Aizkorri, the people on the mountain, the sound at Sancti Spiritu. This year, I came back for the 25th anniversary. I was happy to be there, to share the start line with many familiar faces, and to experience the race again from the inside. But the day became different from what I hoped. My left knee had been painful for weeks, and during the race I understood that I could not run at full intensity. Instead of stopping, I decided to continue, to enjoy the atmosphere, and to be grateful for the energy people were giving me along the course. A few days later, back home in Norway, I sat down to talk about what happened: the race, the knee, the MRI, and how this changes the preparation for Western States. This episode is about Zegama, but also about listening to the body, adapting, and trying to keep the same curiosity when the plan changes. We are here to play. Let’s see what comes next. Filmed by: Julen Elorza, David Lopez, Hans Kristian Smedsrød Edited by: Nick Danielson With help from: Thomas Bannelier 00:00 Race intro 00:27 Returning to Zegama 01:11 When the body stopped responding 02:08 Getting the MRI 03:37 A short road to Western States 04:12 Racing with pain 05:37 Adapting the plan 07:56 Four weeks left