Timothy Olson Has “it”
Throughout our long lives we meet many hundreds and thousands of people. Some we know closely, some only by name, others leave in our brains only a slight remembrance of their faces. Of those thousands that we meet, every now and then comes one that leaves a lasting impression – a mark on our brain or soul and a clear feeling that we will remember this person for the rest of our days.
These memorable few are made up of all sorts of characters. Some are loud and boisterous while others humble and soft-spoken but there is always an “it” factor that leaves its impression on you. A twinkle in the eye that speaks to you in some unspoken yet deep manner and an intense inner confidence are typical characteristics of the small number with “it”.
Famed American trail runner, Timothy Olson, is without question someone with the “it” factor and he is proud to be part of the all-male adidas team running in the adidas INFINITE TRAILS World Championships this June in Gastein/SalzburgerLand, Austria.
Timothy is a great ambassador for the sport of trail running and is also a very vocal supporter of environmental stability and the importance of good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle.
Though he travels the world for events, he calls Boulder, Colorado home and spends his free time there with his wife and two boys. He has been running trails for close to 12 years but this will be his first team event since running cross country and track in High School.
Excited to try out the new format, Olson enthused about how the new twist would affect his run: “That it’s a team and relay event brings a whole new dynamic to trail running. It’s not just individual and I get to share this experience and these mountains with my teammates and everyone else who is out there competing. I think this creates a new way to experience nature with your friends and I’m really excited to share this experience with my adidas teammates and get to know them through pushing each other and cheering on each other and enjoying the mountains and environment”. He added with a grin, “and of course the after party.”
Olson is joining a “super team” together with Olympian, Spanish trail running legend, Luis Alberto Hernando and the young Russian star, Dimitrii Mitiaev. As Olson will be running the third leg of the race, he will have to be particularly fast in order to beat the exceptional competition to the finish line. He’s ready for the challenge, though, and happy about his teammates:
“It’s an honor to have joined the adidas team. I’m really stoked to get to meet Dimitrii and I’ve actually already met Luis and raced against him a few times in the last years. Being teammates now and being able to share this experience will help our friendships grow and will just set the framework for getting to enjoy lots of awesome times out in nature.”
As a pro trail runner he’s participated in races all over the world, but he doesn’t seem to slow down or have any desire to do so:
“The beauty of trail running in different parts of the world is you really get to explore a new area that you’ve never seen before. I’m really excited to be in Austria and get to see trails that I’ve never run before and get to share that with my teammates.” After a moment thinking to himself he added, “I think the essence of trail running is to really be in the moment and to connect with nature and connect with yourself. To have those good feelings of breathing in fresh air, letting the sun hit your shoulders is special. Each time it’s a new experience and a way to really get to connect with the land and for me this is such a big beautiful world with so much to see and share with others that it never gets old.”
Taking care of the environment and recognizing nature as a priority are important to the veteran runner. The adidas INFINITE TRAILS World Championships is really doing its absolute best to think of even the smallest details on this topic and Timothy appreciates it:
“For me, sustainability and treating nature with respect is a top priority. Having an event like this really sets the bar for how to put on a trail race that puts nature first. I’m excited to see this grow and see how it benefits the people involved and just see our impact on the earth and to make sure we are making conscious steps to take care of it.”
He is also well known for being a strong advocate of Yoga and if you are as well, please take part in the Yin Yoga at the Gastein Alpentherme on Saturday morning from 10:30 to 11:30am or Yoga on the Yoga platform at Grabenbäckersteig in Bad Gastein at 11:00am and 2:00pm. These side-events are just a few of what’s on tap from June 21st through 24th. (Check out our “Program” page for more info!)
Since Olson is also a huge supporter of organic food, he will be happy about the meals that are prepared with only local, natural food from the nearby farms.
He puts great importance on what you eat and gave some advice for any up-and-coming trail runners:
“The food that you put in your body is the fuel which you are going to use to run and that your body will use to perform and recover. Nutrition is a very important aspect of training. It’s just as important as logging kilometers and vertical gain. Eating organic vegetables and supporting local farmers and people that really put their whole soul into what they do is huge. I think how you prepare your food and what you put into your body, shows when you race and how you feel afterwards,” he advised.
PowerBar Europe is a proud sponsor of the adidas INFINITE TRAILS World Championships and will help runners with the proper nutrition before, during and after the race and will be huge in sustaining the athletes during an arduous weekend. And fresh, local produce will fuel participants and spectators for the entire weekend in Gastein.
Timothy Olson has seen the world, experienced many cultures and met an incredible amount of people and his philosophy of life is all encompassing:
“Something I think about when I am having a bad day, in a traffic jam or late for something, how you treat people matters. There are lots of situation in life which maybe don’t go as planned or maybe your life situation is challenging at the moment; that’s when I like to take a step back from everything and realize what’s going on within. If I can put good stuff in the world – good vibes – then that’s what I want to do and share with everyone else,” he suggested with twinkle in his eye.
Timothy Olson is a guy that you would be happy to meet. A person with “it” and someone that YOU can have the chance to run alongside in only three short weeks. Seriously, if you aren’t registered and you want to meet Timothy and others, get on it! Go HERE to register. You won’t regret it.
Timothy Olson has “it.” Now it’s time to find out if the Adidas INFINITE TRAILS World Championships does, too.
Timothy Olson is in.
Are you?
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~Kevin Gillikin