Meet Anja, a mother of 4. She holds a PhD in microbiology and works as an assistant and researcher at the University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Biotechnology. Her work is very dynamic, as she conducts laboratory exercises with students, lectures, and works with young researchers.

Anja is an excellent time organizer, as she likes to use every free moment to hike, run, climb mountains, or organize the challenging running spectacle Ultra Trail Vipava Valley. In running, she is known as an extreme ultra trail runner.

In 2018, she set off on the 600-kilometer-long Slovenian Mountain Trail with 40,000 vertical meters, setting a women's record of 11 days and 23 hours, which was later improved. She and her husband Tomi are the only married couple in Slovenia to have completed the Slovenian Mountain Trail. They are also one of five and the only couple in Slovenia to have completed the Swiss Peak in 2019 – a 360-kilometer trek through the Swiss Alps with 27,000 vertical meters – that's like climbing Mount Everest three times from the sea in 6 days, or nine times from Ankaran to Triglav!

In addition to the above, she and Tomi also embark on many shorter ultra trails, which for them mean a length of up to 160 kilometers. What seems impossible for the average person is a challenge and a kind of relaxation for Anja. Despite everything, Anja remains modest. She does not brag about her achievements, what is important to her is experiencing the moment and making the most of the moment. As she says herself, she runs because she can, and she is very grateful for this opportunity. She has often stood on the podium on shorter trails, but on longer trials it is important to her to be among those who cross the finish line. Anja is simply very persistent, resilient, she does not stop and does not give up; you could say that she has a coastal stubbornness in her. All this allows her to be such an exceptional super mom and ambassador for SportHG clothing.

Besides trail running, her great passion is the mountains. She is an active mountaineer who conquers peaks in summer and winter. She started with via ferratas, and later enrolled in a mountaineering school and became a mountaineering trainee. Since then, she has also conquered mountains on more demanding climbing routes in the Triglav North Face, in the Dolomites, on Gross Glockner, Mont Blanc and elsewhere. In winter, she likes to climb with ice axes on ravines and steeper approaches to the summit.

Anyone who knows her knows that she is open, relaxed, smiling, energetic, and always up for action.

With all this, we can ask: how does she manage to take care of the children?

As mentioned, Anja is not an ordinary mother. Her children mean everything to her, which is why she teaches them independence from a young age. It is not unusual for their children to participate in all the chores, and they also love to cook and bake. They are all active basketball players, runners, cyclists and musicians. She teaches them that material goods are not what they strive for, but that relationships between themselves and with others are important. Her children are between 8 and 15 years old, they are always smiling, always active, curious and playful. What is surprising is that they never run out of energy and often come back from hikes ahead of Anja and Tomi. It is hikes and nature that connect them the most and also prepare them for life. Together they go to Vipava peaks such as Nanos, Golake or Čaven, as well as to the Alps and lower winter peaks. They started slow, multi-day hikes together at an early age; at the age of five they had already conquered Triglav, at the age of seven they went from Vipava to Sveta Gora, at the age of ten they went from Vipava to Triglav; they never run out of ideas. They love going together to the local climbing area on the Gradiška Tura, Bela or to the climbing wall. The children encouraged Anja when she ran on the Slovenian Mountain Trail and met her at the finish line on Debeli Rtič.

With such an extraordinary and demanding lifestyle, good time management is very important. Anja also demands that her clothes be of the best quality, that she can wear them for a long time and that she does not need to buy them every year. It is important to her that they fit her well and are comfortable, that they breathe well, that they absorb sweat, but at the same time do not retain it and cover up an unpleasant odor. In the mountains, it is also important that they offer good sun protection and are made of durable material. Compression, which ensures optimal muscle function, is also very important. With these requirements, Anja has been using SportHG sportswear since 2018. Anyone who knows her knows that she wears them practically all the time. Friends would say that they would not recognize her without SportHG clothes. At the beginning, it was just a short T-shirt for the Ultra Trail Vipava Valley event, but later the offer included leggings, armbands, a hairband, a wider, stronger headband and a hoodie.

Today, Anja is an active ambassador of the SportHG clothing brand for a simple reason - because she finds them comfortable, reliable, high-quality and practical. She uses them for hiking in the mountains in summer and winter and for skiing. She uses them for running training and for running competitions. She uses them for strength training and for climbing. She also wears them in her free time because of the comfort and skin-friendly material.

You can find the clothing combinations that Anja likes and uses the most in her collection here.

Interview:

What does your average day look like?
I'm practically in action all the time, from 6 am to 11 pm. Every day is adjusted to work in Ljubljana, children and other obligations. In between, I find minutes to relax and move. And we always spend the weekends in nature.

How do you organize your day?
I try to roughly organize my week on Sunday, especially in terms of when I have more or less time for activities. It often turns out differently, mainly because I am primarily a person of feelings and I am attracted to every new idea. I always listen to my body and adapt. I don't care about prescribed training, I just listen to my body. The variety of sports has always helped me and also motivates me a lot. Basically, I am a very exploratory character and this is also evident in sports. At SPP, for example, I didn't even know half of the hills. I still don't understand why I didn't know that from Razor to Vršič I had to cross Prisojnik. But that's me, with me it's always interesting and varied, because I'm always looking for new things.

What were you like as a child, what were you interested in, what did you like to do?
There were five of us in my family, and my parents had a farm in addition to their jobs. Back then, there was no time for sports. But even then, I spent all my free time in nature – in the fields, in the vineyard, with my younger sisters and brother, anywhere, as long as I was in action.

How do you balance raising children/pregnancy with sports?
I was lucky during my pregnancy, as I was always able to go to work and be active until the end of my pregnancy. But nature helps me with raising children. During this time, children are spoiled, have all the comforts and everything is within reach. Nature gives them life experiences, teaches them perseverance and endurance. Nature offers them unpredictable situations, and interrupts many plans. It is necessary to cooperate with others and be content with less comfort. Obstacles and problems simply have to be solved, and in doing so, life guides us with the people it puts on our path, and many of them give us the necessary impetus. This may sound a little philosophical, but only when you are not at home can you run out of drinks, get overwhelmed by rain, drafts, cold, and your shoulders or legs hurt from the backpack. Often, the hill at its foot seems like an impossible goal, but in two hours they are at the top - nature gives them the realization that they are capable and can do it, teaches them to listen to themselves, cooperate and be in solidarity. Then triumph overcomes all pain. Struggle is a part of life and if they accept that, they will be able to see happiness in the little things, in every moment.

Where does the motivation/energy for such a lifestyle come from?
Everyone asks me that, but I don't really know. It's in me. Nature basically gives me new motivation. Every run, climb, hill - everything gives me extra energy. The days are too short for me and I'm constantly looking for new paths, hills and new challenges. Every idea and invitation motivates me a lot. I like to be active and I would also like to contribute my part to the community, which is why I'm active at UTVV and in the mountaineering association.

How do you train for running, endurance?
For ultra running, it's important to train everything. In the winter, I do a base - long slow runs and speed intervals. From spring to autumn, I do everything - various steep climbs, descents, shorter and longer trail runs, and also flat runs. I also benefit a lot from strength and body stabilization training, as well as stretching and waltzing, especially for my legs. In the summer, I'm in the hills a lot or at races, so I don't train extra at that time. But my endurance is mainly provided by hikes with my children and various 24-hour challenges that Tomi and I do together with our friends.

What does good clothing mean to you?
The clothing should not hinder or oppress me. It is important to me that I can dress in a smart way, and nothing should wrinkle. It is also important to me that it is versatile and durable. The main thing, of course, is that the clothing breathes and at the same time wicks away sweat and dries quickly. This is the only way I can move without worry. Practicality, such as sleeves, is also great. Anyone who goes to the mountains knows that even in summer, clothing must be protective, protect us from the wind, and dry quickly in the event of a shower. From a financial point of view, it is important to me that I can wear the clothing all year round or that I can adapt it to any weather and any sport. The clothing must also be durable, must not tear, and must maintain functionality even after daily washing. SportHG clothing has all of this, which is why I use it.

Clothing system for long runs?
When it comes to long runs, practicality is really important. Since Tomi and I usually run together, we don't have any extra companions and we have everything we need in our backpack, so I never complicate things and only wear what's really comfortable and okay for me. In the summer, I wear a short T-shirt or tank top (if it's hot) and knee-length shorts and socks. I wear a headband all the time. In the winter, I wear a long T-shirt underneath and a thicker top. After a long climb, I mainly change into the bottom T-shirt. If it's cold, I also wear sleeves, gloves and a thicker headband on my head and around my neck. Compression long pants are very comfortable for me and they prevent many cramps in my calves.

Clothing system for the hills in summer?
For the hills I wear a short T-shirt, shorts and gloves. I also usually wear socks in the hills, especially if I know I'm going to have a lot of climbing. I often go into the hills with just a running backpack, but I always have a headband, a windbreaker, long sleeves and long pants, and spare socks and gloves in it. Others often wonder, but this has come in handy for me a few times, because the weather in the mountains can change quickly and get very cold. I remember one night run across the Carnic Alps when we were caught in a storm and I lent my extra socks to a fellow runner for gloves. On longer tours I also take a larger backpack, but the most important thing for me is that I can rinse my T-shirt, dry it quickly and then wear it again.

What does your dressing system look like? You're known as a mountaineer who likes to wear sleeves.
I wear sleeves practically all the time. They are very important to me when running and in the hills. Sleeves allow me to instantly change short sleeves into long sleeves or vice versa without stopping and putting them on. This is essential for long runs, at altitude or at night. I can also put the sleeves over the running pole system, which I always have on hand and allows me to quickly change poles. My running backpack is always full, but I practically never change clothes. When the weather is nice, I often get angry with myself because I don't need anything. But I still think it's better to have a spare, because in a difficult situation every little thing can be important. SportHG shirts don't even get wet while running, because they dry quickly, so I often don't change them even after 100 kilometers (I hope someone else will run with me, now that I know this).

Where do you see the advantages of SportHG clothing?
The biggest advantage of SportHG clothing is its versatility. It is important to me that I can have the same clothes for all sports. It is also important to me that they are durable and of good quality. When climbing hills, they must breathe well, but at the same time they must also offer protection from the wind, in the sense that they are not too thin and too light. Optimal compression of trousers and socks, which I also wear a lot, is also very important to me. Shorts should not be too short, socks should be functional. I also really like canatera and it is important to me that they have wide straps, because that way the backpack does not chafe me. For shorter activities, a belt around the waist is great, where you can put your key, phone and also a small bottle - it compresses very well and does not jump. I have never seen anything like that before.

What from the SportHG collection would you recommend to active moms?
Tough choice. In the summer, a tank top (sleeveless shirt) and shorts (a little longer), sleeves and a headband; in the winter, a black/blue shirt and long compression pants; and of course a hoodie.

You are also one of the organizers of UTVV. Tell us more?
Is this a bit of a 'trick' question? I'm the only woman in a men's team ;o). This is one of the things I really like to do. It may sound strange, because I often don't have time, but I always make time for UTVV. I think the guys have accepted me and that we work together very well. Ožbej has great ideas, Boštjan is an excellent leader, Matic is a real hard worker, Toma has also joined in for informatics, and I often connect them with my energy and give new impetus. We work practically throughout the year, often giving ourselves an additional challenge - such as Marjan's record after the SPP or live interviews during the corona period. All of this connects us, because in between we solve a lot of things that we laugh about later. The UTVV event is a special event. The intensity is really high then and planning, logistics and trust that each team member will do their part are important. I think we are doing great!

What are your future plans/plans?
I'm registered for a few races, many of which have been cancelled or postponed. In 2021, I'm mainly counting on LUT, and in the future on PTL. But lately, I've been more drawn to the hills, hiking with my family on longer trails, mountaineering and climbing. As always, I'll listen to my gut, because that's what makes me happiest.