Ultra marathon man Christian Schiester
Wild Running interviewed ultra marathon Runner Christian Shiester, who once weighed in at twenty stone and smoked forty a day but transformed himself in to an international class ultra runner. It was an email interview but don’t hold that against us!
1. You once smoked a lot and were obese but I’m guessing you had some basic fitness going for you? At least a spot of downhill skiing? Did you do any other sports?
Not competitively, but I think it is important to have some variety in your training regime so I do a bit of mountain biking, road cycling and swimming.
2. Have you ever dabbled in barefoot running and do you have a view on it?
I have tried barefoot running once or twice before but for the terrain that I run on I need the support of a good shoe.
3. Does your training include a lot of gym work/conditioning and if so what?
No I prefer to train outside, I enjoy fresh air and the nature too much to train indoors.
4. If you had to choose one bit of kit which was indispensable, what would it be?
My running shoes for sure – the ASICS GEL FUJI ELITE. Having the correct trainers is important for any runner but particularly important considering the tough terrains that I have to run through.
5. Which landscapes inspire you the most and do you ever notice how they affect your mood/motivation?
I most enjoy running through the desert. I love the burning hot days, the cold nights, the silence and the infinite landscapes.
6. If you could do any other sport, what would it be?
I love sailing and would love to sail around the world one day.
7. What are the words you most often repeat to yourself when exhaustion hits?
No matter how much it hurts when I’m running, nothing hurts more than the feeling of failing or quitting. You will always have to come back to that point of pain at some point so it’s better to just push through. I always strive to better my best and push my body to the next level.
8. What do you tend to eat during competition and do you stick to a particular diet beforehand?
Mostly nuts, olive oil, fruits and cereal
9. How much of your training is done alone and do you ever listen to music?
I never listen to music. I prefer to listen to the sound of myself running and to the voice of nature. These are the most impressive sounds for me.
10. What words of advice would you give to someone considering taking up an ultra challenge for the first time?
When you’re ready to learn something new about yourself then just simply go for it.
11. Is this a day job or do you do this full time?
Running has become my fulltime profession and I’m lucky to have a day job which I am so passionate about.
Christian Schiester is an ambassador for sports performance brand ASICS. If you would like to ‘Better your best’, with the new MYASICS app, you can visit app.myasics.com.’
Austrian extreme runner, Christian Schiester, is the latest athlete to feature in the new ASICS ‘Journey of Improvement’ brand campaign, designed to motivate and inspire athletes to achieve their goals.
The 90-second video filmed in Austria follows Schiester as he runs through the urban streets of Salzburg, sprints over the Zeller See and scrambles up the Großglockner, the highest mountain in Austria. The digital offering tells Schiester’s inspirational story from couch potato to one of the greatest extreme trail runners in history.
At the age of 22, Schiester was a heavy drinker, smoking over 40 cigarettes a day and severely obese. His doctor advised him that if he continued with his current lifestyle, Schiester would not live to see his 50th birthday. This sobering diagnosis radically changed Schiesters’ outlook on life, as he quit smoking, gave up alcohol and started running.
At first, the road wasn’t easy for Schiester, as he experienced a variety of personal setbacks involving his troubled past. However, after two years of hard work and training, he had competed in the New York Marathon and won his first Austrian half-marathon.
Schiester narrates; “It’s easy to kill your body. It’s easy to kill your brain. But I think it is possible for everyone to change”
A further 25 national titles followed before Schiester wanted to push himself further, entering the Marathon de Sables, a six-day race across the Sahara desert, where he finished in 12th place. As his passion for extreme running developed, Schiester continued to push his body to the next level, entering the five-day Himalayan Run, and breaking the race record by an impressive 15 minutes. In 2006, he took on the Jungle Marathon through the Brazilian Amazon Rain Forest and then went on to win Antarctica Ice Marathon the following year.
The campaign, produced by 180 Amsterdam, debuts on 5th April and is designed to inspire everyday athletes to ‘better your best’. Throughout the narrative, Schiester emphasizes that winning was never important in his life, running simply gave him the opportunity to feel comfortable with his body and enjoy the natural surroundings.
Commenting on the Asics campaign theme, Schiester said; “When I was a child, I used my body as an excuse to stop me from achieving my goals, but now it is my greatest tool. I can use all the power out of my body and run through the greatest places on Earth. I hope my story encourages everyday sportspeople to better your best.”
Career Highlights:
Marathon des Sables (2003) 243km Rank 12
Himalayan Stage Race (2004) 162km Rank 1
Jungle Marathon (2006) 202km Rank 3
Antarctic Race (2007) 100km Rank 1
Atacama Crossing (2009) 250km Rank 6
Schiester is currently training for The Ancient Khmer Path (Cambodia) later this year and the Black Ice Race (Siberia) in 2014.