Pau Capell

From Sant Boi de Llobregat and passionate about the sea, Pau ended up in the mountains as a kid to recover from a torn ligament and meniscus injury while playing indoor soccer.
Ever since, he hasn't been able to live without them. While the valleys give him freedom, the mountain passes bring him peace. The trails lead him to reflection, while the silence makes his heart beat stronger. And the summit? The summit makes Pau feel alive. At home, Pau was always taught to chase his dreams—that settling for what's easy isn't truly living.
That’s why one belief has always stayed with him: fight for what you want and love what you have.

Biography

Like many other Spanish children, Pau grew up dreaming of playing professional football. And he actually came pretty close. But that dream was shattered in 2012 when he sustained a football-career-ending knee injury. For active rehab, his doctor recommended trail running. And just a few months later a new dream was being hatched. The following year, Pau competed in his first trail race and won. He then followed it up with a time of 2.58 in the Barcelona Marathon. 

But Pau felt these distances weren’t enough. In 2014, he started to compete regularly in ultra-running events. He found he excelled the longer the distance and the tougher the race, and in 2014 he stormed to victory in the Ultra Sierra Nevada (103km) and in the Ultra Trail Mallorca (112km). He’s won the Transgrancanaria Classic four times. He’s taken the top spot at the Eiger Ultra Trail, the Patagonia 100 Miler and the TDS Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc. But his biggest personal victory came in 2019 when he won the UTMB in a record-breaking time of 20 hours and 19 minutes over the 171km distance, and the win earned him the ultra running world title. 

Outside of competition, Pau continues to seek personal challenges such as Run For the Arctic and Breaking 20.

Quick Facts

HOMETOWN
Sant Boi de Llobregat, Spain.

HOMEBASE
Sant Boi de Llobregat, Spain.

BIGGEST DREAM
Win again UTMB.

HOW DO I FOCUS
I think on my family and what they see me. I have always felt ambitious on my dreams and they were with me to do it possible. So when I train I try to focus on what I want and what would happen if I catch my dream, and how my family felt if would happen. Also, I feel fortunate to live the life that I want, and I focus on it.

BEST ADVICE
Fight for what you want and love what you have.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
The drive to Improve for every race and be the best, although it’s not easy and sometimes you can’t achieve more than the race before, it’s what drives me forward.

WORDS TO LIVE BY
Fight for your goal, but love what you have.

FAVOURITE OTHER FITNESS EXCERCISE
Cycling and golf.

I DON'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT MY...
running shoes, phone & headphones with some good music or podcasts and a lot of motivation for training or work. 

INSTAGRAM