the wanderful mag, issue 6 q3 2015

1Brands, People & Love

Brands, People & Love

ISSU

E 6

, Q

3 20

15

WANDERFUL

Rachel Frei BandieriLone runner and limitless adventurer with a unique bond with nature. by

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Passionate long distance runner, mountain trail walker, horse endurance rider and explorer of the Great North; constantly striving for change and vitality in life, dynamic and tireless, she feels a deep connection with nature and the environment.

When she is not planning for a new adventure, Rachel trains athletes and amateurs, preparing their minds and bodies to face their limits and go beyond them.

Rachel Frei Bandieri

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“Sometimes to improve we just need to slow down and listen to ourselves.”

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Rachel, tell us your story: how did you

realize that your passion was so impor-

tant?

The path that brought me here was a

little bit unusual: I studied Law and

Criminology and I started my career as a

lawyer in England, then I moved back to

Switzerland and joined the police. I really

liked my job because of its dynamism, but

something was definitely missing. In 2010

I finally realized how strong my passion

for endurance outdoor sports was and

that the spirit of challenge, the sense of

achievement and fulfillment that those

activities gave to me was everything I

wanted. So I quit my job and headed off

for the Alp Trekking, a two-week trek

set among the beautiful Alpine peaks. In

nearly fifteen days I walked and ran 530

kilometers as the first woman to face this

trail completely alone. On those peaks I

had the ultimate coup de foudre and decid-

ed never to stop doing what I loved. Back

home I started RFB Concept, which aims

to train people mentally and physically

for better performance in challenging

endurance events. I practiced and studied

a lot, and now I can declare myself an en-

thusiast, satisfied with my achievements

both as a trainer and as a runner.

What are the fundamentals of your

training?

My approach to training is a holistic ap-

proach. Mental preparation gets the same

attention as physical, if not more: it’s

definitely the mind that shapes the body!

It took me a while to understand how

important it is to take care of your mind

while preparing for a physical effort.

Years ago, I was all for the “maximum

effort with maximum output” creed,

then I discovered Dr Phil Maffettone’s

training approach, which totally changed

how I trained. Combining it with men-

tal preparation techniques, I developed

a method that teaches how to connect

body and mind for better performance

and increased well-being. Each of us is

different, we each have our own pace, and

sometimes to improve we just need to

slow down and listen to ourselves.

WANDERFUL

“What was missing in my life was the contact with nature, the spirit of challenge, the sense of achievement and fulfillment.”

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Do you find this body-mind connection

on the trail? What are you looking for,

walking and running for so long?

Finding this interaction is the first step

in all my excursions, and the feeling just

gets stronger as I walk and run. Lone-

liness is helpful there: listening to your

heartbeat and senses, you slowly learn

how to understand your body-signals.

You also feel a complete and overwhelm-

ing symbiosis with nature, which is un-

doubtedly the greatest gift. I just love the

feeling of running, of moving fast on the

trail; it doesn’t stop me enjoying the mo-

ment, being fully in what I am doing, and

taking in the scenery – on the contrary!

And of course there is the pleasure of

meeting your limits and surpassing them,

going beyond your own assumptions. I

have always admired people who refuse

to limit themselves… I mean, life is really

too short to be small!

How do you face the difficulties of such

challenging trails?

First of all, it is essential to be prepared.

Preparation is even more important

than the trek itself: you must study the

maps, the alternative paths, the weather

conditions and so on. Yet no matter how

well you prepare yourself, it’s unrealistic

to think you can predict every possible

hitch. We can’t protect ourselves from

everything, and we shouldn’t be afraid of

unpredictable events, because fear always

leads to bad decision-making. Always.

One thing I try when I feel a bit down or

tired is positive thinking: I imagine my-

self reaching my destination and seeing

at last all the people who have supported

me – and that helps a lot.

Speaking of preparation, in the last few

months you are getting ready for a great

adventure, and this time you won’t be

completely alone…

In August I will start on the longest and

toughest expedition I’ve ever faced: the

Nordkalottleden trail, a 800 km long trail

that runs through Norway, Sweden and

Northern Finland. It’s really demanding

– I’ll have to walk and run for about 40

kilometers a day with a 12 kilo backpack

on my shoulders and nobody keeping me

company… except for two exceptional

friends: Sparta and Nyx, my beautiful

dogs! I met them by chance in 2011 – or,

rather, I saved them from an unfair end

– and it was love at first sight. We bond-

ed immediately and now have a pretty

strong relationship: they usually train

with me, and are definitely used to long

walks and runs! This is why I thought I

should take them with me on this North-

ern adventure. Going on trails with them

is amazing: we communicate without

even knowing it, we adapt to each other’s

pace and they are really helpful when

it comes to listening to the path and

understanding the surroundings. They

have also taught me something impor-

tant: challenges are good, but the greatest

thing on such adventures is to really en-

joy the path and sometimes even stop to

stare at the wonders around you. We have

been preparing a lot for this and I am

so looking forward to sharing the Great

North experience with them!

“When I’m alone, I feel a complete and overwhelming symbiosis with nature. This is the greatest gift.”

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Why did you chose the Nordkalot-

tleden, and what motivates you?

I have always been attracted to the

Northern regions, maybe because of

my Russian origins, or maybe be-

cause I’m attracted by people who live

differently from us. Northern people

have an amazing traditional connec-

tion with nature that I deeply admire.

Apart from that, Hiking for the Arctic

– which is what I decided to call my

adventure – has a clear purpose:

raising awareness of the continuing

climate change that is causing so

many environmental shifts. I will also

be able to contribute to some major

research conducted by anthropolo-

gists at the University of Lapland’s

Arctic Centre; its purpose is to un-

derstand the life of Sami people and

other indigenous populations who are

also struggling because of the chang-

es their land is facing. My strongest

motivation, therefore, is knowing

that I am not just running for my

own sake, I am doing it for a better

cause. And I know that even on those

days when I feel exhausted, this will

help keep me going. People expect

me to make it, and if I can be of some

inspiration for others, I will consider

myself satisfied.

“My strongest motivation is knowing that I do not run for my own sake, I am doing it for a better cause.”


The Wanderful TakeMeet your challenge.

Rachel says that life is too short to be small. We should never limit ourselves, but instead search for those things that challenge us and make us leave our comfort zone.

And if fulfilling our goals is important, enjoying the journey is fundamental: the way defines us better than the destination.

Don’t resist the desire to push boundaries and keep raising the bar; strive for change, change for the better. Never settle for normal; always seek for Wanderful.

WANDERFUL

WANDERFUL MAG

Contributors

Micol Biasoli, Editor in Chief Giulia Piazzi, Art Direction Simona Tami, Director of Photography Alberto Bernasconi, Photography

Publisher Ander Group SA, BSW Lugano, Lausanne, Geneva T. +41 91 966 99 66

[email protected]

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the wanderful mag, issue 6 q3 2015

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