An ultra-trail through solitude, clarity, and sustainable fuel.
Episode #1 – The Starting Line
"I’m not here to suffer, transcend, or prove anything."
September 2nd, 2021. 4:00 AM. Philippe steps into the dark for 175 kilometers of alpine trail, 11,000 meters of elevation, and 35 hours of time alone. But this isn’t a race. It’s a pause — a quiet reconnection with self through the rugged terrain of Monte Rosa.
Months of slow buildup, mindful training, and mental prep led here. No hype. No noise. Just enough stillness to listen. To observe. To endure.
While most rely on sugar and adrenaline, Philippe turned to fat — the long-lasting kind. Two months sugar-free, fully keto. Back to basics. And alongside him on this journey: Holyfat — clean energy, subtle taste, built to last. In the weeks before race day, he trained with it on long and mid-range sessions. A remarkable shift took place. His body responded. Calm replaced chaos. Energy met endurance.
4:00 AM. The journey begins — to the mountains, and back to himself.
Episode #2 – Moving Body, Silent Mind
"I am the mountain pass and that bike ride in June. I become a scree slope or Orion above the Täschhorn."
His knee starts acting up at kilometer 30 — a first in years of running. The pain grows predictably with distance. Still, there’s no energy crash. No digestive issues. Just smooth, stable movement through the hours.
At midnight, 2800 meters above sea level, a lemon-macadamia Holyfat pouch becomes a quiet ritual. A small joy under the stars. At kilometer 120, it’s time for a bar — cacao, sea salt, MCT oil. The routine continues. The trail fades into presence. The body knows what to do.
Three weeks earlier, Philippe’s final training block was done entirely fasted. Occasionally, he’d slip — a few almonds, a trace of agave. But always at low intensity. Now, mid-race, Holyfat is both fuel and comfort, performance and ritual. His digestion purrs. Energy flows. Movement is slow, but steady. The kind that endures.
Episode #3 – Breaking, and Returning
"Here lie the worst farfalle in all of Switzerland. Rest in peace. You meant well."
At kilometer 130, it nearly ends. The knee screams. The joy is gone. Sadness replaces purpose. He knew this point might come — the “K100 wall” of ultra-distance. Now it’s real.
So how do you keep going? First: ritual. Strip down. Change clothes. Reset. Light a small altar of habit and identity. Then: fuel. But not just anything. Not noodles. Not regret. Holyfat again — deliberate, dignified. And somehow, the engine restarts.
The sun rises. The body moves again. Philippe realizes: 12 bars and pouches into the race, his digestion is flawless. No bloating. No nausea. Just calm, clean fuel doing its job. Two weeks prior, he’d upped his omega-3s — more avocado, more fatty fish. Nothing forced. Bulletproof coffee or green tea on the go. The memory of these flavors stays with him now, as a kind of mobile shrine.
At 2:00 PM, he sees the final climb. And he realizes — in the last five hours, he’s accelerated. Unexpectedly. Quietly. A kind of internal clarity has emerged. No adrenaline. Just deep, unwavering focus.
Arrival is close.
Conclusion – Holyfat: Built for the Long Haul
Philippe’s story isn’t about performance stats. It’s about reconnecting — to the body, to the moment, to what truly sustains. In a world of sugar highs and overexertion, he chose the slow, steady burn of clarity.
Fueled by Holyfat. Powered by presence. Sustained by silence.