In this interview, Walter Liniger explains his deep love for running, describing it as pure fun, a way to connect with nature, and an expression of life's constant movement. He shares his aspiration to complete a 100‑kilometre ultra, noting that whether he achieves it or not, the experience itself is valuable. Liniger recounts a history of recurring injuries, including a 2015 muscle tear that forced him to miss a marathon, and credits his involvement with NAF (presumably a low‑impact training approach) for reducing further injuries. When asked about his current training, he emphasizes predominantly low‑heart‑rate runs with minimal speed work, suggesting a philosophy focused on sustainable, injury‑free mileage.
Walter, you, you run a lot. Like, you run 10 hours, 12 hours, 14 hours per week. Can you tell me, why do you run? What, what is it for running that, that is so, so special for you that you're out there for that many hours?
Yeah, that's a great question because the, the truest answer is because it is fun. It's fun to run. I have read the book Born to Run. I find it wonderful. Great book. Yeah, yeah. Life is moving. Life is running, is moving. Life is always being in movement. All change. Each moment is new. Each moment changes. All is in constant movement, and running is, is an expression of that. And if you allow the body to run, he's just happy. It is, it's such a pleasure and a joy to be out in nature and in some way to forget all what is in mind and to just live, to just It's such a feeling of being one with nature, of being happy in this moment, happiness that is real, that is true, that is here. You have nothing to do in order to create it. You find it if you stop all the things that you do in order to find happiness. That is unbelievable, really. And clear, do now 100K, that is official, really finish 100K. That is my wish, big wish. But if it will happen, okay, if it will not happen, okay. It does not give me more or less. It is just a new experience that will be experienced. And it happens. And if it happens, okay. And if it does not happen, then other things happen. And it's okay always. It's okay as it is. Out of this energy, of this energy of life, things happen. If you are in the flow of all that, you don't need any more.
Yes, very well said.
Yeah. And perhaps one more point for you. You asked me before what could be an advantage for some for the beginning. I had a lot of injuries all my life with running. I had a lot of injuries. I remember that in 2015, I was ready for the marathon in Lucerne, in Lucerne, and half a week before, I went out for just doing a speed work, for short speed work, for getting in movement. And what happened, I had a muscle tear and I couldn't start this and so I was 3, 4 weeks without being able to move and that was a constant in my life, it was a constant. And since I do NAF, no, absolutely nothing happened in that way and nothing was, is here that would show that it is possible that there will be injured, that an injury occurs. It's not possible, I have the impression.
Do you do any speed work at all, or do you run only at low heart rate at this point?
Absolutely, most of the time is low heart rate, but sometimes there is a, oh, this time I will force a little bit, or if I do my turns around the lake, perhaps the last 2, 3, 4 kilometers, I give a little push. I push a little bit, but it is out of the moment. It is not planned, or it is not, I will do that and that and that. And it's not my way.
