Zegama-Aizkorri is a trail race where accumulated knowledge of the course matters as much as the record itself. Kilian Jornet has won this race eleven times, and he keeps refining his approach. Ahead of the 2026 edition, we compare his two most recent wins, in 2022 and 2024.
Mastering the Course: Zegama 2022
In 2022, Kilian finished in 3:36:40, almost nine minutes faster than Stian Angermund-Vik's 2017 course record of 3:45:08. His heart rate peaked at 181 bpm on the early climbs.
For more than half the race, Kilian ran side by side with Italy's Davide Magnini, the two trading the lead. At 25 km, shortly after Aizkorri, the race broke open on a technical descent – typical Kilian, moving fluidly on terrain that demands constant small decisions.
On the final major climb, Kilian pushed again to shut down any chance of Magnini coming back. Once he crested and started descending, the win and the course record were effectively secured.
His average heart rate in the second half was virtually identical to the first, with no significant drift. Since the first half of the course is mostly uphill and the second mostly downhill, that points to an evenly distributed effort across the whole race.
"When I was in my twenties, I just went out and pushed my body as hard as I could, relying on massive training volume."
2022 was a calculated race: patient, with decisive surges at exactly the right moments.
Mastering Adversity: Zegama 2024
Kilian returned in 2024 aiming for the course record again, and he started fast. His average heart rate over the first 10 km was 168 bpm, nearly 12 bpm higher than on the same stretch in 2022, with kilometres 2–5 run at 172–177 bpm. At 21 km he was more than two minutes ahead of his 2022 pace.
Then, in the final 10 km, stomach problems set in. His average heart rate dropped from 164 bpm in the first half to 157 bpm in the second. In 2022 his heart rate stayed flat across both halves; in 2024 it fell. Between kilometres 33 and 42, where he surged in 2022, his heart rate averaged 155 bpm, compared with 160 bpm two years earlier. He was managing, not racing.
Even so, he won his eleventh Zegama title in 3:38:07, less than two minutes off his own record and the second-fastest time ever run on the course. Responding to adversity like that is a form of mastery in itself.
Two Wins. Two Different Races.
- Finish time: 3:36:40 (2022) vs 3:38:07 (2024)
- Average heart rate: 164 bpm vs 161 bpm
- Effort Pace: 3:52/km vs 3:23/km
- First-half average heart rate: 161.6 bpm vs 164.0 bpm
- Second-half average heart rate: 162.8 bpm vs 156.6 bpm
The key observation: in 2024, his Effort Pace was harder while his average heart rate was lower. That suggests reduced climbing efficiency, most likely because he had to back off when his stomach turned.
Two wins: one defined by a perfectly executed surge, the other by resilience under adversity.
What 2026 Looks Like
Kilian's 2026 build differs from both previous editions and reflects his refined approach in recent years.
"Now, I focus on training smarter, not harder. I pay a lot more attention to recovery and efficiency."
His training now has to fit around being a father of three and his other projects, so every session has a specific purpose.
His pacing strategy matters most in the early, runnable kilometres, where the crowd can easily push athletes beyond their intended effort.
"Pacing acts as a rational guide to keep my effort steady."
That steadiness helps him hold back before the mud and the steep climbs. The 2022 data shows what control produces on a good day; the 2024 data shows the cost of pushing beyond it.
"The real race starts when the terrain gets steep heading up to Aizkorri."
So he saves his energy for the technical climbs and descents. His 2022 data shows a prolonged rise in heart rate on the climb from Sancti Spiritu to Aizkorri. Eleven wins, the course record and a tested approach shape his preparation for 2026.
The Edge Is in the Decisions
Zegama doesn't necessarily reward the strongest athlete on paper. It rewards the one who keeps making the right decisions across a marathon's worth of mountain terrain. In 2022 that meant a few decisive moves; in 2024 it meant many smaller decisions to avoid a collapse. Both depend on knowing what the race demands and responding clearly, whatever the physical pressure or the noise of the crowd.
"My advice is to enjoy the energy, but stick strictly to your own pacing plan."
Kilian arrives in 2026 with eleven wins, the course record, years of accumulated knowledge and a willingness to keep learning.
Read more: Kilian Jornet – COROS athlete profile
