Joy is...Sharing.
Stian Dahl Sommerseth is a promising young mountain runner from Norway, who has placed competitively at the 20 and 50km distances in races across Europe, including a recent 4th place at the Nice Cote D’Azur 50km race as part of the UTMB World series. We first connected on Instagram through a common sense of humour and some poignant post-race posts that Stian wrote regarding the privilege and joy of suffering in beautiful places. Stian is an athlete for Satisfy Running and an advocate for the International Dark Sky Association, a group striving to protect a night sky filled with stars from light pollution, as part of a shared global heritage. He is certainly one to watch as a bright star himself in the sport, but it is his enthusiasm and joy that really light up the running community.
I had so much fun chatting to Stian and this conversation really does roll along the lines of two friends 'shooting the shit' about things that they love. We discuss the nature of competition and how it can be a positive motivator; the feeling of completeness that moving in Nature brings; our thoughts on community, friendship and being part of a team; the issues regarding access to the night sky; expressing identity and the creative opportunities of social media; subverting stereotypes, and the intersectionality of running. This along with puddle jumping, naked running (!), (more) white spandex, music, celebrating our weird and the 'stickiness' of sharing our unique selves.
We laughed so much bringing you this episode and, on reflection, it really does epitomise how joy can connect us, wherever we are, however we move and whatever our beautiful brand of weird.
Stian's Playlist Recommendations:
Save Your Spot - No Pressure
Oh Caroline - The 1975
Blue In Green - Miles David, John Coltrane, Bill Evans
Follow: @stiandhl
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