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<\/a>Juuso Simpanen<\/strong> has a long and colorful history at Yll\u00e4s Pallas. He\u2019s about to make his seventh start, and along the way he\u2019s racked up victories, silver medals, and some unforgettable mishaps. In 2016, that history took a particularly unusual turn. <\/p>\n\n \u2013 The day before the race, I managed to lock myself out of the cabin. While waiting for help, I decided to snack on a few raw cranberries I\u2019d picked earlier. That wasn\u2019t a very good idea, and I spent the next night throwing up,\u201d Simpanen recalls of the now-legendary episode from 10 years ago. <\/p>\n\n My stomach had calmed down a bit before the start, but my coordination remained poor.<\/p>\n\n \u2013 Shortly after the race started, I realized my stomach wasn’t cooperating, and I had to drop out after 60 kilometers.<\/p>\n\n Since then, the path has led upward\u2014both literally and figuratively. In 2017, he took silver in the 134-kilometer race after a strong performance, even though Spain\u2019s Hamal<\/strong> clinched the victory with a dominant run. In 2019, Simpanen was the fastest over 37 kilometers, having managed to open up a small gap from the main leading pack on the climb to Yll\u00e4s and in Pirunkuru. <\/p>\n\n In 2021, he claimed his first victory on the longest course\u2014running solo from start to finish, even though he hit a major slump in the fog of the night at around the 125-kilometer mark. Two years later, Simpanen dominated the 66-kilometer stretch from Hetta to Pallas and set a course record of 5:21:46 that still stands today. <\/p>\n\n Last year, I won the 160-kilometer race again, but it took its toll.<\/p>\n\n \u201cThe intense heat wave took its toll on my running form. I was battling dehydration for the last 130 kilometers,\u201d Simpanen sums up. <\/p>\n\n Now all eyes are once again on the course record. We\u2019ve already got the all-time best time on the Karhunkierros harbor leg under our belt, and now it\u2019s time to bring that dominance back to Lapland. <\/p>\n\n \u201cI\u2019m going to take the first quarter a bit more cautiously than in previous races. My goal is to reach Peurakaltio a little after midnight and then push as hard as possible for the final 50 kilometers,\u201d Simpanen explains his strategy. <\/p>\n\n The course record set by Marian Priadka<\/strong> of Slovakia (16:28.07) is an extremely tough goal, and it requires everything to fall into place. The record requires an average pace of about 10 kilometers per hour. <\/p>\n\n Last year, the heat took its toll on many, but now the forecast promises more bearable running conditions.<\/p>\n\n \u201cI\u2019m simply trying to drink more. Dehydration has been a problem for me in many races held in warm weather,\u201d Simpanen admits. <\/p>\n\n The most challenging part of the route is a familiar nemesis for him.<\/p>\n\n \u2013 For me, Ketomella\u2013Pallas has always been the place where I\u2019ve struggled due to not drinking enough. The last 50 kilometers have a lot of fast sections, so if you still have the legs and the head for it, you can open up a pretty big gap on the others. <\/p>\n\n Training has gone well since the Karhunkierros, despite a minor cold.<\/p>\n\n \u2013 I had the flu the week after KK, which slowed down my recovery. I recovered just before the Peura Trail and was able to run a solid 100-kilometer race there on technical trails. Since then, I\u2019ve had a month of quality training under my belt, and I\u2019m in good shape right now. <\/p>\n\n In the women\u2019s 160-kilometer race, the favorite is clear, even if the competition isn\u2019t. Ulla Huopaniemi<\/strong> arrives in Lapland not only as the recent, dominant winner of the 166-kilometer Karhunkierros but also as a new grandmother. <\/p>\n\n – Things have indeed turned out so happily: my eldest daughter had her first child at the end of June, and I became a \u201cgrandma.\u201d The child will be strongly influenced by her parents\u2019 love of music, and I hope I can instill a passion for physical activity. Above all, though, I want to be a close and loving grandma. We\u2019ll see if I end up getting a jogging stroller to go running with my grandchild, Huopaniemi chuckles. <\/p>\n\n Huopaniemi has run the Yll\u00e4s Pallas 100-kilometer race once before, and he has fond memories of it. <\/p>\n\n – My goal right now is to reach the finish line, enjoy the journey, and hopefully also enjoy good company and amazing scenery. I\u2019ve heard that the most spectacular stretch is Hetta\u2013Pallas, which I haven\u2019t yet seen or experienced myself. So my goal is quite simply to finish the race and continue my quest for the Vaarat Marathon. \u201cIn addition to the run itself, an element that\u2019s at least as important to me at these events is the race atmosphere, the wonderful running buddies, preparing together, and the post-race celebrations,\u201d Huopaniemi says. <\/p>\n\n Huopaniemi\u2019s main challengers include at least Annika Varpe<\/strong>, who finished third in the Karhunkierros harbor race, and Maija Pitk\u00e4nen<\/strong>, who placed fourth in the same race. It will also be interesting to see how Huopaniemi\u2019s teammate Mai Helske<\/strong> performs, as she finished third in the grueling NUTS 300 race a couple of years ago. <\/p>\n\n The 37-kilometer race, which is also the fourth stage of the Trail Tour Finland<\/a>, will feature some interesting names at the starting line.<\/p>\n\n Tuomas Kari<\/strong> arrives in Yll\u00e4s as the pre-race favorite. The Salomon Finland runner, who finished third in this race in 2022 with a strong final push, stopped by the Scottish Highlands last week to prepare for the CCC during UTMB week\u2014and at the same time put the finishing touches on his training for Yll\u00e4s. <\/p>\n\n \u2013 My visit to Yl\u00e4maa was short and to the point. Exactly three days, during which I ran about 12 hours, covering 111 kilometers and 5,000 meters of elevation gain and loss. There were varied trails and, at times, off-trail sections in the fells and forests. The landscapes of Finnish Lapland and Kilpisj\u00e4rvi came to mind many times, Kari says. <\/p>\n\n However, the start of the season hasn’t gone exactly as planned. The European Championships fell short of expectations. <\/p>\n\n \u2013 The European Championships didn\u2019t go well, as my body was still somewhat run-down at the time of the competition, recovering from an illness I\u2019d contracted at Transvulcania. \u201cIt\u2019s a challenging situation when major competitions are approaching and you\u2019re supposed to be training, but you don\u2019t feel completely healthy. I rarely get sick, but this was a bad illness that came at a bad time,\u201d Kari analyzed. <\/p>\n\n However, my recovery has been going well since the European Championships.<\/p>\n\n \u2013 Since the European Championships, I\u2019ve been feeling back to normal and have been focusing on training. A week ago in England, I ran a short, fast race, but even that was mainly a good training session. <\/p>\n\n NUTS Yll\u00e4s Pallas is an important stop for Kari on his way to the CCC, but it\u2019s also a destination in its own right.<\/p>\n\n \u2013 It\u2019s really nice to be back in Yll\u00e4s for a race\u2014the course has even been updated a bit since last time. There are also a lot of familiar faces competing in the different distances, and I\u2019m looking forward to seeing them. The plan is to build a substantial training block around the race with the CCC in mind\u2014after all, this is one of the best places in Finland to train \u2013 but of course I value the event and the race enough that even if I\u2019m not standing at the starting line with completely fresh legs, I\u2019m not going there just to take some glossy photos. <\/p>\n\n – I haven’t taken a close look at the starting list, but I’m sure there will be some tough competitors on the starting line again, and a good race is always a good race, no matter who wins,\u201d says Kari, who, while in the British Isles, won a small local classic race of about 20 km with a blistering average pace of 3:36 per kilometer.<\/p>\n\n Juho Leinonen<\/strong> arrives in Yll\u00e4s as the winner of the NUTS Sy\u00f6te 25-kilometer race. The road to this point, however, has been rocky\u2014literally. <\/p>\n\n “I’ve basically missed the last two seasons due to injuries, except for the races in Sy\u00f6te,” Leinonen says.<\/p>\n\n During a fall at last year\u2019s Sy\u00f6te race, Leinosen suffered a minor fracture in his knee. After recovering from that, he suffered a stress fracture in the neck of his femur, which ultimately required four months of recovery. <\/p>\n\n \u2013 It also required me to take sick leave from my job as a physical education teacher, which was admittedly a difficult situation, Leinonen admits.<\/p>\n\n Back around Easter, Leinos was diagnosed with a pre-stress fracture in the hip area. It wasn’t until the end of May and beginning of June that he was able to start running harder. <\/p>\n\n \u201cI went into the season with pretty low expectations, even though I knew I\u2019d trained a lot using alternative methods. In any case, the run in Sy\u00f6te was a really positive surprise,\u201d said Leinonen, an avid aviator, commenting on his spirited performance. <\/p>\n\n After the race in Sy\u00f6te, Leinonen also set the fastest pace in the Kainuu Trail Half Marathon, and now his plans extend all the way to early October.<\/p>\n\n \u2013 The plan is to run four races organized by TTF. There hasn\u2019t been any specific training focused on Yll\u00e4s; rather, the goal is to gradually improve my performance throughout the season. <\/p>\n\n Leinonen’s approach is pragmatic.<\/p>\n\n \u2013 This is a new experience for me, since I\u2019ve never run that kind of distance at a fast pace on trails before, so I\u2019m treating this especially as a major training session and a step toward something new.<\/p>\n\n In addition to Karin and Leinosen, Eetu Nordman<\/strong> is definitely worth mentioning on the starting list; he finished nearly eight minutes behind Leinosen at NUTS Sy\u00f6te. At the 37-km mark in Yll\u00e4s, Nordman will surely look back fondly on the year 2023, when only Juho Ylinen<\/strong> and Luca Kovacic<\/strong> managed to finish ahead of him. <\/p>\n\n – There are definitely two really tough guys on the starting line right now. Everyone knows M\u00e4di (Kari), and at his best, he\u2019s among Finland\u2019s absolute elite in certain distances, even though I\u2019ve heard the European Championships left him a little disappointed. <\/p>\n\n – Leinonen clocked 26 km at an average speed of just under 4 at NUTS Sy\u00f6te and probably didn\u2019t even have to give it his all\u2014that\u2019s a challenge for anyone. Honestly, we have to admit that without VAR stepping in regarding mandatory equipment, these guys don\u2019t stand much of a chance. I think I\u2019ll run in the 2:40\u20132:50 range, but this time that just won\u2019t be enough,\u201d Nordman says, referring to the ongoing World Cup and its video reviews. <\/p>\n\n Leinonen is excited about the arrangement.<\/p>\n\n \u2013 Both of Salomon\u2019s guys\u2014Eetu and Tuomas\u2014are on the starting line. It\u2019s great to get to run with them, since they\u2019re icons of the Finnish trail running scene and are really experienced runners. <\/p>\n\n In the women\u2019s equivalent race, for example, there are no national team runners. One of the interesting names is Matroona Heikkinen<\/strong>, who is returning to the race course after a one-year hiatus following her completion of military service in the Kainuu Brigade\u2019s intelligence officer training course. <\/p>\n\n \u2013 It was an amazing experience, and I haven\u2019t regretted leaving for a single moment. In addition to my branch-specific training, I learned how to cope in challenging conditions. \u201cOne of the biggest lessons was learning how long I can actually keep going, even when my mind tells me I can\u2019t anymore\u2014and that has definitely helped me develop the mental toughness needed for longer endurance sports as well,\u201d Heikkinen reflects. <\/p>\n\n However, combining the military and sports proved to be a challenge.<\/p>\n\n \u2013 There are a lot of field exercises, which make it impossible to do a proper workout. Of course, the physical demands are part of the training, which has certainly helped develop my strength and basic endurance. My regular training was also hampered by constant illness. <\/p>\n\n Heikkinen, who has racked up numerous podium finishes in trail ultraruns, admits that his confidence in his own fitness was low this spring. After returning home, things changed. <\/p>\n\n \u201cI did, however, have a few training sessions that were a pleasant surprise, which boosted my confidence that I might even be able to run a race this summer.\u201d Then, on the very last day, I decided on the spur of the moment to sign up for the race in Yll\u00e4s,\u201d Heikkinen says. <\/p>\n\n \u201cI don\u2019t really have any specific goals for the race; I\u2019m just going to see what kind of shape I\u2019m in right now and how far that will take me,\u201d Heikkinen says modestly.<\/p>\n\n Among others, Heikkinen will face the TTF’s current top players, Kirsti Savola<\/strong> and Emmi Salmela<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n If any race stands out in this weekend\u2019s women\u2019s schedule, it\u2019s the 66-kilometer race. This race is likely to be the most competitive women\u2019s event of the weekend. <\/p>\n\n Kaisa Pirkonen<\/strong> is the defending champion in this race. Pirkonen, who has been dealing with ankle problems for about two years, also took first place in the 55-kilometer NUTS Karhunkierros race<\/a> this spring. <\/p>\n\n – Feeling good as we head into Friday. Compared to last year, we\u2019re moving a lot more nimbly this year. Training has gone well since the Karhunkierros, so our fitness should be on the rise, Pirkonen said. <\/p>\n\n The list of challengers is long. Suvi Patrikainen<\/strong> finished second in the Karhunkierros, about 16 minutes behind Pirko. Satu V\u00e4\u00e4n\u00e4nen<\/strong> came in third on the trails of Kuusamo, and Elina Hartikainen<\/strong> came in fourth.<\/p>\n\n Katri Virtanen<\/strong> brings with her experience from this year\u2019s grueling 83-kilometer Karhunkierros, where she finished third. Her list of achievements also includes a first-place finish in last year\u2019s 57-kilometer Kaldoaivi Trail and a silver medal in the 100-kilometer Yll\u00e4s Pallas race two years ago. <\/p>\n\n And let’s not forget Ella Keski-Panula<\/strong>, who last July took second place behind Pirkonen in the 66-kilometer race at Yll\u00e4s Pallas. At that time, Pirkonen had a 33-minute lead. <\/p>\n\n This is a journey with long intervals between service stops, and in warm weather, many people run out of fluids, especially toward the end of the trip. Tactical wisdom will be just as important as physical fitness. <\/p>\n\nHuopaniemi tries to replicate KK’s move<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n
<\/a>Tuomas Kari has no plans to change his glossy photos<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n
<\/a>Leinonen’s Impressive Return to the Trails<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a>Nordman shifts the pressure onto others<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n
<\/a>Heikkinen Goes Straight from the Army to the Gray Mountains<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a>66 kilometers \u2013 Women’s All-Star Game<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Varis is testing his limits<\/strong><\/h2>\n