Ultra-runner Andrea Kolbeinsdottir feels most at home in the mountains. From long training runs to Iceland’s Laugavegur Ultra, running has become as much about being outside in nature as it is about the distance. And when those long hours on the trails are over, there is one thing she says her body now craves: Unbroken.
Finding her place in the mountains
Andrea’s sporting journey started with soccer and tennis before she moved into track and field and discovered a love of long-distance running. Over time, longer distances took over, and today she is hooked on ultra-running.
For Andrea, Iceland provides the perfect playground. From running up Esja, the mountain overlooking Reykjavík, to spending hours on mountain trails, it is the combination of distance, nature and constantly changing terrain that she loves.
The Laugavegur Ultra has become a particular favorite.
“That’s where I belong, in the mountains and running up the hills in this beautiful landscape.”
Andrea completed the Laugavegur Ultra and immediately knew she wanted to return. For her, the roughly 55-kilometer race through the Icelandic highlands captures what she loves about running.
A recovery routine that became instinctive
Andrea first started using Unbroken about a year before the interview and quickly made it part of her running routine.
Before Unbroken, she would often finish a run, head home and eat 30 minutes to an hour later. What she liked about Unbroken was being able to get fluid, amino acids and nutrients straight after training.
“I feel that it helps me to recover faster.”
When Andrea runs outside, she normally takes Unbroken immediately after finishing. On the treadmill, she often puts it in her water bottle and drinks it during the session.
That flexibility becomes particularly valuable as the distances get longer. Andrea talks about spending two or three hours running in the mountains, when having something easy to drink during or immediately after the run becomes part of the routine.
And after a year of using it, that routine has become remarkably natural.
“I just crave Unbroken after the runs. I really love it.”
For Andrea, recovery is now simply part of the running experience — helping her finish one adventure and get ready to head back into the mountains again.
Mountains. Long miles. And recovery she's come to crave.
