What Running 150 Miles Across Iceland Taught Pavel Cenkl About the Planet

About this episode

Pavel Cenkl discusses his experiences running across Iceland and the insights gained about climate change and personal resilience.

Pavel Cenkl is a climate writer, ultrarunner, and Dean of Academics at Prescott College who has run hundreds of miles across Iceland, Scandinavia, and the Arctic through his project Climate Run. He grew up in the White Mountains, worked the AMC huts, started one of the first collegiate trail running teams in the U.S., and built a master's program combining movement, environmental philosophy, and ecology. In this conversation, Zoë and Brendan talk with Pavel about what happens when you push yourself to the edge of exhaustion in landscapes that are literally shifting beneath your feet — disappearing glaciers, the vulnerability of being utterly alone in midnight sun, why "resilience over resistance" is a better framework for running and life, and the moment he screamed so loud on day three of his Iceland crossing that he scared a goose into flight and accidentally had a paradigm shift. This episode is brought to you by Precision Fuel and Hydration, use code TRAILHEAD26 for 15% off at PrecisionHydration.com. Our featured race is the White Lake Ultras on May 2nd in Tamworth, New Hampshire, a two-mile lakefront loop where you pick your poison: 6, 12, or 24 hours. Costumes encouraged…

People in this episode

Hosts: Zoë, Brendan

Guest: Pavel Cenkl

Topics covered

• climate change
• ultrarunning
• environmental philosophy
• resilience
• personal growth
• Iceland
• adventure

Keywords

• ultrarunner
• climate writer
• Iceland crossing
• midnight sun
• disappearing glaciers
• resilience over resistance
• environmental ecology
• trail running
• adventure

Sponsors

Precision Fuel and Hydration

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Prescott College, AMC, UltraSignup

Places: Iceland, Scandinavia, Arctic, White Mountains

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