#suuntosquad

Sometimes, our lives can feel like a constant barrage of problems that we are trying to navigate, and it takes everything to just make it through the day without being consumed by our stress. In times like these, I seek the trails. The splendors of trail running have as much to do with the relative remoteness of the wooded, leaf-covered trails I weave through, as it has to do with its ability in allowing us to transcend ourselves. Running through parks, meadows, forests, and mountains allows our senses to roam free and clears our mind of the minor and major stresses of everyday life. In my solitude, as my feet spring across the wooden planks of a boardwalk, I am left with time to think, process, and engage in introspection, in order to experience self-awareness and make sense of reality. Lately, the brilliance of Acadia’s landscape has been bringing me these moments of peace, and as the distance racks up on my watch, so does the distance between me and my so called “problems.” It’s not so much that I’m running away from these problems, but more so that I’m learning how they aren’t all that constitutes our existence. In its soft and kind way, the beauty of the natural world calls us back to the present and asks us to see the incredible gifts and goodness life has to offer. As we go about our lives, remember, there is so much more to living than the stressors that often choose to be at the forefront of our minds. Whether it’s with a run or a gaze out the window within your workday, take a moment to step back and change your focus to all there is to appreciate in life. #TimeToPlay #SalomonSquad #SalomonRunning #SuuntoRun #SuuntoSquad #MoveFree #RunPure #CrowAthletics #TrailRunning #Ultrarunning https://www.instagram.com/p/CHMcrLwn6C6/?igshid=1w6h2u5qm9kh9

Calling all speedsters to the Whites! Have you heard? The Salomon Golden Trail Championships have switched things up this year, and with many of the qualifier races canceled, there are now 76 golden tickets to grab in countries all around the world! Here in the U.S., there are five iconic routes where you can win golden tickets! Having been given the task to pick New England’s route, the Presidential Traverse immediately came to mind. How cool would it be to have the country’s top athletes compete on some of New Hampshire’s most rugged terrain? Boasting nearly 9,000 feet of climbing across approximately 17 miles, The Presidential Traverse is sure to impress. We’ve created a segment called “New England Golden Ticket,” and the fastest male and female times run on the segment between July 1st, and October 1st will be golden ticket winners, earning themselves race entries, flights, accommodations, and meals for the Salomon Golden Trail Championships in the Azores later this fall! So, with less than a month to go, who will get the tickets? Tag some speedsters who you think can give this FKT a shot! #TimeToPlay #SalomonSquad #SalomonRunning #SuuntoRun #SuuntoSquad #MoveFree #RunPure #CrowAthletics #TrailRunning #Ultrarunning https://www.instagram.com/p/CE5gE2UnZw0/?igshid=iba5b2fui3it

This summer has brought me to many new networks of trails, one of which is Camden Hills State Park in Camden, Maine. I’ve really been enjoying exploring this spot with its many peaks and scenic vistas. Whenever I’m out on an adventure there, I find myself being reminded of other similar places I’ve run: Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island, with its rock hopping mountains and incredible ocean views, the White Mountains of New Hampshire, where you feel the wildness of nature all around you and the expansiveness of the landscape, Vermont, with its rolling fields and rugged terrain, and even the Pacific Northwest, with it’s grandiose, towering trees, misty forests, and magical atmosphere that envelops you as soon as you step inside. It’s beautiful how we can recognize and be brought back to so many other places we’ve visited in our lives, even if they are thousands of miles away from where we find ourselves now or were experiences from years ago. I appreciate how we can find these memories and connections in the world around us, and even in the people we meet. Our lives are an interconnected web of these moments, bound to each other in numerous and oftentimes surprising ways, and as we move forward, we’ll continue to be weaving this web into an even more beautiful spectacle.   With new trails to explore, I’ve been testing out the recently released WILDCROSS, and I absolutely dig ‘em! They are like a souped up version of the SPEEDCROSS, Salomon’s legendary shoe! An ideal choice for playing in the New England mountains, the WILDCROSS is aggressively grippy, with a water repellent, super secure upper, a roomy toe box, and a stable platform that keeps you close to the ground. When the pace picks up, these bad boys don’t mess around, especially if you happen to be in the middle of a torrential downpour like I experienced the other day! #TimeToPlay #SalomonSquad #SalomonRunning #SuuntoRun #SuuntoSquad #MoveFree #RunPure #CrowAthletics #TrailRunning #Ultrarunning https://www.instagram.com/p/CENs6OwniGd/?igshid=1y1mvfft12803

Who said racing has to be so serious? Sometimes, a little goofiness can go a long way! . Today marks 50 days until the Boston Marathon! Who else is running this year? I hope you’re starting to feel as excited as I am! . 📷 @adam_pulzetti . #TimeToPlay #SalomonSquad #SalomonRunning #SuuntoRun #SuuntoSquad #MoveFree #RunPure #CrowAthletics #TrailRunning #Ultrarunning https://www.instagram.com/p/B9NyUhOneCX/?igshid=1xws7im836obb

Registration for New Hampshire’s Ghost Train Trail Races opened this weekend, and it’s been fun to see all the excitement from folks within the New England running community! For everyone who’s had the opportunity to attend this event before, whether as a participant, crew, pacer, or volunteer, we all know that there’s something incredibly special about it. The thing is, what makes it so special is not the course, nor the scenery, nor the time of year… what makes it so special is all of you. It’s the remarkable people and community that make Ghost Train what it is. Having first run this race in 2016, I showed up with little plan, no crew, and feeling somewhat on my own in the face of what was a pretty daunting challenge. What transpired over the next 100 miles, though, made me realize the extraordinary power of community. Due to the out and back nature of the course, I passed runners on the trail every few minutes, and whether it was sharing a few words of encouragement, a thumbs up, or even just a smile to show our support for one another, we all made an effort to connect. After all, each and every one of us was sharing this journey together, regardless of pace or performance, and why not do what we could to help each other along the way? As the miles racked up and the day stretched on, these bonds only strengthened, and even with the vast distance being covered, a new and infinite energy could be tapped into: the energy that exists in connection. I left that race with a new family, one that I have kept coming back to each year. Sometimes I reflect on my experiences at Ghost Train and wonder how I’ve been able to achieve what I have. I think a significant part of it can be tied back to this unique and beautiful connection. Everyone plays a role in each other's success, whether we realize it or not. So thank you! I hope to be back this fall, sharing the experience with many of you. Who else will be hopping on the train this October? . #TimeToPlay #SalomonSquad #SalomonRunning #SuuntoRun #SuuntoSquad #MoveFree #RunPure #CrowAthletics #TrailRunning #Ultrarunning https://www.instagram.com/p/B87xx2BHKdK/?igshid=rcxfco8bgeh0

“Success isn’t always about greatness. It’s about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success. Greatness will come.” . Consistency is everything in life and in running. It’s the act of waking up each day dedicated to the process of bettering yourself, your craft, and the world around you. It’s about being committed to always showing up and giving your best effort, even when distractions try to pull you away. Consistency is what comes out of knowing that each step you take, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, is progress towards reaching your goal. More than anything, consistency is a mindset. . I recently surpassed 3,000 consecutive days of running, a streak started over eight years ago, when I was just a kid searching for meaning, purpose, and answers amidst the chaos of life. Tens of thousands of miles later, the search continues, with some questions answered and many more to be asked. Life is a process of discovery, and even with all the confusion that exists, there can be found infinite amounts of joy, love, connection, and so much more. If there’s anything I’ve learned in my journey so far, it’s that consistency counts for a lot. Eventually, consistency leads to success and to the dreams we seek. It’s an ever evolving process and one that can start at any time. . 📷 @IanMaclellan . #TimeToPlay #SalomonSquad #SalomonRunning #SuuntoRun #SuuntoSquad #MoveFree #RunPure #CrowAthletics #TrailRunning #Ultrarunning https://www.instagram.com/p/B8us7Ohnfpg/?igshid=p8dvp5i2rdv4

Excited to begin my third as an athlete with @SalomonRunning! I’m so thankful for all of the support they’ve provided me as well as the opportunities they’ve opened up for me within the world of running. From traveling the globe for races and adventures to meeting and sharing time with some incredibly rad teammates and members of the Salomon family, there are so many experiences I’ve had thanks to them that I could have only dreamed about when I first started this sport. It’s been awesome working with a brand whose mission is built around enriching people’s lives by enabling them to play outside, as I believe spending time in the outdoors is one of the best ways to learn about ourselves and our relationship to the planet. My racing calendar for this year is still in the works, but I’ve got some lofty goals I’m eager to pursue, and it’s sure to be a wild ride! 📷 @ianmaclellan . #TimeToPlay #SalomonSquad #SalomonRunning #SuuntoRun #SuuntoSquad #MoveFree #RunPure #CrowAthletics #TrailRunning #Ultrarunning https://www.instagram.com/p/B7hqn-ZHX1G/?igshid=w6mzs32wii5p

Commit yourself to the beauty of the moment ☀️ . #TimeToPlay #SalomonSquad #SalomonRunning #SuuntoRun #SuuntoSquad #MoveFree #RunPure #CrowAthletics #TrailRunning #Ultrarunning https://www.instagram.com/p/B7Yo2r_HZET/?igshid=1azj5svt1n009