NILS AREND // JOURNAL 04

Same church. Different religion.

It is late summer in a hotel lobby in France.

A short walk from the start line of the most ubiquitous, commercialised trailrunning event in the world, a conversation unfolds about arguably the sport's most underground and rebellious race on the calendar.

It's a conversation with The Speed Project's Nils Arend, built around contrast, tension, and jeopardy.

As we walk through town, Chamonix is exactly what you'd expect during UTMB week: billboards, barriers, big-brand pop-ups. The population multiplies. The streets are full. The sport, at its most visible.

Twenty-four hours later, the so-called Super Bowl of trailrunning will start at 5:30 pm. A time designed so thousands lining the streets and watching online get the best view possible. Civilised. Precise. Thought through.

A week earlier, another race began at the exact same church: Église Saint-Michel.

Start location aside, everything else was different.

The full conversation is in SALTY Journal 04.

Words: @tomreynoldswriter
Photos: @dankingphoto_
Layout: @peakminddesigns