Julia Silvennoinen is crafting a lifestyle where competitive running, climbing, working as a doctor and long trips to the mountains in a camper van fit all together.
“I don’t want to choose only one sport. At the moment, I compete in trail running and climb a lot, but I also love swimrun, cross-country skiing and ski mountaineering.
Competing was a side product of getting into sports. Even if there never were any more races, I would still run. Racing is just a spice on top of my training. What matters is leading an adventurous life.
I own a camper van with my boyfriend and we spend a lot of time in it. It’s very handy for a runner or a climber to take your home and the gear you need with you. Sometimes we drive for an evening run in the woods, stay overnight in the woods and drive back to work in the morning.
This summer, I spent a month and a half in the camper van in Northern Norway. This was the first time I followed a training plan while taking a longer trip to the mountains. As a matter of fact, having my running coach plan my training was a good thing: spontaneously, I would have just climbed all day long.
At the moment, my main goal is Trofeo Kima, a highly technical skyrace. No Finn has ever crossed the finish line there. I was supposed to run the race this year, but the coronavirus postponed my plans by two years. I’m also interested in longer distances and ultra running races, but I don’t want to increase the distance too quickly. I want to take my time so my body can keep up with the load.
As an athlete, nutrition is as important as training and resting. I love cooking, and many of the recipes on the Nosht blog are by yours truly. I’ve been a vegan now for four years and it works very well for me. I don’t want my diet to be restrictive, I believe nutrition needs to be both smart and relaxed.
It’s rather easy to eat well on the road, too. You just need to plan for foods you can cook in one pot. It’s always possible to make nutritious food, but sometimes you may miss out on the culinary experience when you just mix veggies and tofu together with rice. Having a van has made eating easier: you don’t need to come all the way home for dinner if you have your kitchen waiting at the trailhead!
This is my last year in medical school. Studying and working as a doctor have been helpful in developing a deeper and holistic understanding of the effects of training, rest and nutrition. I’m far from perfect, however. Sometimes I have to ask myself, would I recommend what I’m doing to someone else.
My dream is to move up north where there is more choice in sports. I’d love to work part-time to make more time for following my passions and having adventures.”
Julia Silvennoinen
You can follow Julia's adventures on Instagram @juuliskan
Meet the Noshter
Name: Julia Silvennoinen
Location: At the moment Helsinki, but more and more Rovaniemi
My type of adventure: Running, climbing, skiing, swimming, cycling and campervan-ing
Dream: To have hobbies and adventures and play sports well into my retirement
Motto: Progress is not perfection
Favourite Nosht products: Lemon Iced Tea and Caffè Mocha energy chews
Header picture by Samuli Tiainen
