Kimi Schreiber: Shaping the (outdoor) future together - my thoughts on the subject

It's Wednesday, day 3 of OutDoor and the final hours of the trade show are underway. I feel exhausted. As great as the past few days have been - I'm not used to such a high level of exchange and networking over several days. I'm not an extrovert by nature, I need peace and quiet around me - one reason why I chose running as a sport. Immersing myself in my head and my thoughts helps me not to lose myself in (self-made) stress. Too many people stress me out quickly and if I'm not careful, sooner or later it shows in my facial expressions.

I have the name Grumpy Face for good reason. I'm not a smiling person all the time, which doesn't mean that I'm unfriendly or shy. On the contrary. Over the past few days, I've been surprised again and again at how much enthusiasm and group dynamics come together in outdoor sports and what exciting characters you (re)meet. It's like a big class reunion and that not only allows me to break out of the trail running bubble, but also an all-encompassing exchange with exciting people and current topics.

The daily routine and the demands on me as Kimi are different here at the trade show compared to my everyday routine. A well-paced program with several appearances on stage and cameras pointed at me drain energy and I can feel that very clearly now. My social batteries, if you like, are practically depleted and every conversation is exhausting. The public image of the past few days is taking its toll. The glow, the authenticity, the excitement, the tension - it's all in my bones and is now falling away bit by bit.

Nevertheless, I feel satisfied and fulfilled and am now consciously taking the time to review everything I have experienced and talked about. Because I would like to emphasize one thing. I feel honored to have been the face of OutDoor this year. And not only that. I am grateful for the encounters and the opportunities that were offered to me. I particularly remember two moments. My own presentation on the topic of "Sustainability in trail sports - from an athlete's perspective" and the panel talk, which I was able to attend together with the climber Nasim Eshqi and Chase Tucker, my testimonial colleague. It's encounters with people like these two that make trade shows special for me.

My presentation on the topic of "Sustainability in trail sports" primarily posed the question of whether trail running is sustainable in my opinion, how this can be achieved in the long term and what solutions there could be or already are for athletes, brands and events to protect nature and thus the basis of our sport. Not easy to answer. The topic of sustainability is generally not an easy one. You know this at the latest when you start to deal with it and face up to the associated challenges. Consumer behavior, CO2 footprint, travel, heating, shopping - all areas of life are involved. This makes it all the more important that the sports industry - beyond the outdoor sector - makes its contribution.

Towards the end of the day yesterday, I was asked what drives me. The question was also about running, but mainly about my motivation to make relevant issues heard. Sustainability, climate change, equal rights for women (in competitive sport), all that sort of thing. I thought it was a great question and I would like to answer it at the end of my article. I have made it my mission to inspire people with what I do.

It makes me proud when I realize - even on days like these at OutDoor - that people know me and that what I do attracts attention and sometimes admiration. This not only makes me happy, it also spurs me on to continue and draw attention to inadequate conditions. I think OutDoor has once again shown one thing very clearly. At the end of the day, it's all about exchanging ideas with each other. It's about looking for solutions together and listening to each other. Nasim, for example, drew attention to problems in her home country of Iran that I, as a German woman, have never had to deal with. She inspired me immensely with her strength and charisma.

In our modern society, the ability to listen to each other has unfortunately been lost over time. I would like to see us close this gap again. In our own niches and areas of life, we (perhaps) know about the problems and grievances, but looking outside the box requires us to listen and get involved: with new topics, new acquaintances and new perspectives. That's what drives me. Looking ahead and searching for solutions for a better world. It would be nice if it were possible to run in the great outdoors without taking responsibility. But unfortunately we have long since passed that point.