Photo: Yara Burkhalter

29-year-old Céline Aebi has made a name for herself in recent years by winning countless road, mountain, and trail races. Now living in Utzenstorf, the Bernese athlete was the Swiss mountain running champion last year and has already represented Switzerland multiple times in international competitions.

Goals for 2025

I want to qualify for the World Championships, which will take place at the end of September 2025 in the Pyrenees. There, I aim to compete again in the uphill race (only uphill) and the up-and-down race (usually consisting of two laps with about 400 meters of elevation gain each). I also want to complete at least three races of the Golden Trail Series (a race series comparable to a World Cup). With strong results, this would allow me to qualify for the final in early October at Lake Garda in Italy. I already laid a solid foundation for that with a top-10 result in Noli (Italy) in May.

Training Routine

My training routine varies from day to day. In addition to endurance runs of various distances, I do one stability workout, one flat threshold session, one to two strength training sessions, and one hill interval session per week. I train once or twice a day, six days a week. One day a week I take off. A sample training week might look like this:

Training Volume

I usually train 12 to 14 hours a week, covering 80 to 100 kilometers with about 1,500 meters of elevation gain. The exact distribution depends on whether a competition is coming up and what the race profile looks like.

Training Philosophy

I listen closely to my body and, when necessary, opt for shorter or slower endurance runs.

Coaching

Since this season, I’ve had two coaches. Samuel Geissbühler, coach at LV Langenthal, has been training me since 2011, when I transferred from LV Huttwil. I also now work with Patrick Flückiger, whose expertise as a mountain running coach has been very beneficial. The reason is that I want to focus even more intensively on mountain and trail running to improve further in this discipline.

Strength Training

In winter, I do two strength sessions per week, reduced to one in the summer. Strength training isn’t my favorite, as it has to be done indoors. I prefer being out in nature. Each session lasts about 1.5 hours and focuses on strengthening the leg and core muscles.

Recovery

After hard training sessions, I always have a recovery shake. I also do stretching exercises and use a foam roller. I take one rest day per week, usually on Friday. Unfortunately, I don’t invest enough in recovery overall, due to limited time resources. Otherwise, I would do more wellness, get massages, and generally give my body more rest and active recovery.

Job

I work at an insurance company in the area of daily sickness benefits with a workload of 70%. However, I actually work about 80%, accumulating overtime weekly. This allows me to take more days off to participate in races or training camps.

Trail Running

I love being out in nature. Trail running perfectly combines my two great passions: running and spending time outdoors. Encounters with animals and the magical landscapes make every trail run unforgettable.

Mountain Running

I’ve been doing mountain races for a long time. When I was still running on the track, it was a great way to balance my training. I’ve always enjoyed the connection to nature. Now, it’s my main discipline, and I truly enjoy it.

Road Running

I still enjoy road races. Since I like variety, I always look forward to a road race. I especially appreciate the close contact with the spectators.

My Strength

I’m ambitious and persistent. When I set a goal, I pursue it until I reach it. I also have the endurance to back it up.

My Weakness

I’m very impatient.

My Recipe for Success

I don’t have a specific formula for success. You just need to be passionate, ambitious, and persistent—then the success will come naturally.