Aonach Community Call - Train for the Mountains: Secrets of Mountain Running with Susanna Saapunki // Monday 8 June 2026 17:30-18:30 EET

Mountain running is more than running uphill. It is a craft of terrain, pacing, strength, altitude, recovery, race selection, and knowing how to move efficiently through the mountains.

Join the Aonach community for a live call with Susanna Saapunki on how to train, prepare, and race for the mountains. Whether you are building toward your first mountain race or looking to sharpen your next training block, this session will give you practical insight into what matters most when preparing for demanding terrain.

In this one-hour community call, Susanna will share insights on:

What mountain running really is
How mountain running differs from road running, trail running, and skyrunning — and what skills matter most.

Optimal training environments
How location, terrain, climate, and daily living conditions shape mountain-running development.

High-altitude training and adaptation
What altitude can offer, how adaptation works, and what to consider before building it into your preparation.

Training blocks
How to structure focused periods of training for mountain-specific fitness, strength, endurance, and race readiness.

Supportive training
The role of strength training, cross-training such as ski mountaineering and supporting practices for mobility and recovery.

Building a racing calendar
How to choose races, sequence goals, and avoid overloading your season.

Racing strategy
How to approach pacing, climbing, descending, nutrition, terrain changes, and decision-making on race day.

This call is for runners who are curious about or already training for mountain races, including:

• Trail and road runners moving toward more technical mountain terrain
• Athletes preparing for uphill, mountain, or skyrunning-style events
• Coaches looking to better understand mountain-specific preparation
• Anyone interested in training more intelligently for demanding outdoor environments

You do not need to be an elite runner to join. The session is designed to offer useful principles for a wide range of experience levels.

About the speaker

Susanna Saapunki is one of Finland’s leading mountain runners and a former cross-country skier. With experience across mountain running, ski mountaineering, and endurance sport, she brings a practical perspective on training for climbing, altitude, technical terrain, and race-day performance.

The Aonach Community Call is an open, welcoming space to learn, reflect, and exchange knowledge. Come ready to listen, take notes, and be inspired by the mindset, methods, and moments that shape the journey toward success.

Reserve your spot and join us on June 8th to learn Train for the Mountains: Secrets of Mountain Running with Susanna Saapunki.

The Google Meet link will be shared with you through a Google Calendar invite. Please remember to check your spam folder. If you haven’t received the invite within a few days, reach out to us via chat.

Please note: This session will be held in Finnish. 

All are welcome here!🖤🌈