Stories / April 2023
A NNormal adventure in the Himalayas

Family above all
Week 1

Family life at over 3,440 m altitude
with Emelie Forsberg

27. April 2023 / Namche Bazaar, Nepal

We are in Namche Bazaar (Khumbu, Nepal). The Himalayas will be our home for the next three weeks, and we will be staying here with Emelie Forsberg, one of NNormal's most veteran ambassadors and champion of some of the toughest and most prestigious trail races in the world.

Emelie has traveled to Nepal with her family to discover the wonders of the Himalayas, this time through the eyes of her daughters, to visit different areas near the village where we are staying and to get to know the local customs.

This incredible environment will also be her training ground, where we will be with her to prepare for the season that is about to begin, full of great and stimulating challenges.

Family life in the Himalayas

Traveling from Norway to Nepal with two daughters aged between one and four years requires prior organization and great logistics, which are even greater when it comes to a remote and high-altitude destination. A week before embarking on the trip, the girls’ luggage was almost ready. Among their belongings, some toys could not be missing, although everything around them here is also a great incentive for their playtime. 'From the beginning, we assumed that they would find many things to play with here, and it really is like that,’ says Emelie.

“It’s great to see our daughters in an environment like this. Without a doubt, being able to experience this trip through their eyes is a great experience.”

Emelie Forsberg

After the first few days of acclimatization to the altitude and already settled in Naamche Bazaar, Emelie is enjoying every moment with her family. She has also already taken advantage of the wonderful environment here to do some training, with the peace of mind that at the end of every run, she can reunite with her family for the usual board games and family walks that everyone loves.

The first routes through the himalayan trails are the best way to get to know the area, getting the body used to the altitude and adding kilometers to her training. Emelie has very important races waiting for her when she returns home, so training is a big priority during her days in the Himalayas.

“Being in the Himalayas means being surrounded by great beauty. This place gives me a lot of peace, and I am fascinated by the relationship that the local people have with nature.”

Sierre Zinal and OCC® goal

The truth is that before embarking on her trip to Nepal, Emelie was already preparing for the season, as she has an exciting season agenda ahead of her that will begin with the Trail Running World Championship in Innsbruck on June 6, and will continue with the Eiger Ultra Trail by UTMB® on July 15, one of the most outstanding mountain races in the Bernese Alps region of Switzerland.

Emelie’s main goal in this race is to qualify for the OCC®, the final of the UTMB® world series in the 50K category, which will take place on August 31. In between both races, on August 12, Emelie will meet other NNormal ambassadors at the 50th edition of the iconic Sierre Zinal.

“This is the first season after giving birth where I finally feel like I’m truly back. I have set goals for myself and I’m very excited to achieve them.”

Kjerag: essential footwear for Emelie in the Himalayas

Planning multiple training sessions in the remarkably technical terrain that sorrounds the village of Namche Bazaar requires choosing the right equipment, and Emelie knows that! She says that her sessions would not be the same without her Kjerag shoes. Their grip and energy return have been very important to Emelie during these days. The Kjerag has adapted to the terrain within a few hours and its lightness has been a great incentive to overcome the altitude during the first days.

In the coming days, their training sessions will evolve with the goal of increasing her endurance. In the next episode of A NNormal Adventure in the Himalayas, we will discover what life is like in Pheriche, the place that will become home to Emelie Forsberg and Kilian Jornet’s family in the coming weeks. Will you join us as we follow them on this incredible journey?