Kyle CurtinTrail runner

What is your first memory of nature?
As a child, we'd go on family camping trips to the Hocking Hills area in SE Ohio. One hike took us past a series of beautiful cascading pools called the Devil's Bathtub. The part that sticks with me to this day is the amazement that such a wild part of nature was so close to where I lived, but I had no idea until I saw it myself.

How old were you when you became passionate about this activity?
When I was 24, my uncle gave me the book 'Born to Run', which inspired me to sign up for a nearby 100-mile race. I finished the 2012 Ozarks 100 miler in the middle of the pack, but I was motivated by the community of runners I met in the race, so I ran it again the next year, and then a third time- each time vastly improving my performance. Finding both success racing and a community of long-distance runners fueled my passion for ultra-running that lives to this day. Trail running is my favorite way to adventure outside. The lack of equipment or mechanical devices makes it easy to feel connected to the mountains and the world around me. Running is the simplest way to explore, and often the fastest too!

How would you describe Norrøna in your own words?
Norrøna makes high-quality outdoor clothing. It's the kind of company where you can be confident if you get a rain jacket, it will be the best out there and possibly the last rain jacket you'll ever have.

How can you help take Norrøna another step forward in innovation and product development?
I'm excited to see where we can go with the senja/trail running lineup- storage in the shorts and packs is something I've tinkered with my whole career, but I'd also be excited to see an ultra-light wind shell added to the Norrøna lineup.

What tips and advice do you have for minimizing our footprint on the planet?
When hiking the Appalachian Trail with my dad, he adopted a habit of picking up one piece of trash every day. I don't think many people mean to litter the trail, but it happens. So by helping each other out and embracing a communal attitude of trail stewardship, we can all enjoy a more pristine world.

Tell us about a special adventure that has made an impression on you, and why?
After a decade in pursuit of a coveted starting spot, I finally lined up for the legendary Hardrock 100 in Silverton, Colorado this summer.

Hardrock 100 runs through the San Juan Mountains – which inspired me to move to this area ten years ago.

Although running is an individual sport, the connection to the community is just as important as the race itself. I've spent a decade here training with folks, working in the running industry, and being involved in the community. So my friends are the people who put on the aid stations, mark the course, and are past finishers.

I completed in 26 hours and 52 minutes, finishing 8th. But the death of a fellow runner on the first climb will shroud any glory and dampen my joy of accomplishment. It's a run I won't forget, and a reminder to value health, community, and the gift of being able to go on adventures in the mountains.

What do you think about right before you fall asleep at night?
Did I remember to set up the coffee pot?

What book has made the biggest impression on you – and why?
Undaunted Courage' is a book about the explorers Lewis and Clark who documented their multi-year trek across North America in the 1800s. The sheer number of wild animals and the pristine forest and grasslands is a sight I wish I could experience! It's both an inspiring tale, but it's also a benchmark to understand the impact humans have had on our environment.

If you were to create your own life motto, what would it be?
The best views come after the hardest climbs.