Chris Lundstrom can run up mountains faster than (most of) you

Courtesy of Chris Lundstrom's blog

This guy runs up mountains faster than you run around Lake Calhoun

​Minneapolis's own Chris Lundstrom just ran up an Alp. Yep, one Alp--a jaw-dropping, ski-bunny Slovenian Alp--with a slope so steep it would shred a mere mortal's calves and lungs.

Lundstrom, 34, raced on the six-man U.S. team in the World Mountain Running championships. He finished 6th of the American men, who brought home the silver as a team in the race over Labor Day weekend. Lundstrom finished 59th in the world.
Lundstrom raced the 12 kilometers--7.5 miles--at about an 8 minute 30 second a mile pace, for a total time of 1:04:34. That might not sound impressive to flatlanders, but consider the slope: the mountain rose 4,400 feet. That's pretty close to one mile.

So how does one train for zipping up mountains in flat Minneapolis? At the gym, of course, according to the Strib. Lundstrom puts his treadmill on maximum incline, and then jumps onto the stair-climber to make his legs burn. Wow. He has to beat boredom, too.

Lundstrom's an incredible though; good enough to try out for the Olympic team in 2008. Check out this profile of him in Runner's World.