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Kai Forster | Running & Performance Coach

@kai.forster

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Crew Leader | Runner | Engineer
Founder @trail.leopards & LEAP 🐆
Elevating ambitious humans through movement & mindfulness
DM 'LEAP' to get started 👇

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Some news that I've been excited to share for a while! 🚀

For the first half of the year, I went through a career crisis, paralyzed with uncertainty regarding what to do next.

My head was telling me to stick to the 'stable' and 'safe' option and stick to the engineering work that I had been doing for the past 4 years. My heart was telling me to follow what I have wanted to really be doing since 2020 but had never had the courage to fully go for it.

The decisive moment hit me while I was at a conference in June as I explained in the clip, and I figured that since I was in a phase of life where I had no debt, and healthy savings runway, and no kids or family to worry about looking after, now was the best time of any to try and give this all a shot.

The plan? To go all in on the running coaching journey and nurturing the Trail Leopards community 🫶

Where I would struggle to get through even an hour of my day work without a sense of dread, deep unfulfilment, and restlessness, and starting to develop unhealthy coping mechanisms to numb that discomfort, I can now easily (and happily) work 12+ hour days towards these goals as it feels like there is an endless pool of energy to pour into it 📈

I have no idea how the next year will pan out, but what I do know is that I will give it my absolute best shot and pour everything into this new chapter - I owe it to myself and to everyone else in my life to show up as the most fulfilled and authentic version of myself.

In the meantime, please follow along for the journey - I have no doubt that despite the uncertainty and challenges that it will bring, I will look back on this stage of life with great fondness and gratitude that I was willing to roll the dice 🙏 by @kai.forster

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15 hours ago

After spending almost 8 months on the sidelines due to an overuse injury, I had a lot of resistance coming back to racing.

Despite getting in some good training this year, I was worried that I would still be nowhere near where I was pre-injury, which led to delaying entries, conveniently 'forgetting' to buy entries until they were all sold out, and being resistant to spending a few hours in the pain cave.

At long last, I finally pulled the trigger last weekend and had a super fun morning out at @houtbaytwinpeaks, and bagged my first podium, coming in 2nd place just a minute behind 1st 🥈

It took a lot of patience and determination, and at times I feared that I would never make any progress after additional minor injury setbacks while building up the fitness again, but thanks to having a top coach to help guide me through the process @ascent.run and an unreal physio @rconrad1703 @amandahawkephysio, the process, while challenging, was manageable and I have gotten back to a place where I am loving training again 🫶

Onwards and upwards 🚀 taken in Chapmans Peak by @kai.forster

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3 days ago

Meet the LEAP Coaches - Kai and Didier 👋

We are both endurance athletes and coaches with engineering backgrounds, cultivating a space where you can deepen your running and training practice alongside people who genuinely care about what you are working towards and want to see you win.

We officially launch on Monday - come test the waters with a free 1 week trial:

🔗 Tap the link in our bio to join our WhatsApp group for trial access and community updates.

Have any questions or want to learn more? Drop a DM with 'LEAP' to either @trail.leopards or @ascent.run 📩 by @kai.forster

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14 days ago

@kai.forster founder of the incredible @trail.leopards joins us in our latest episode to unpack his story including his incredible feat conquering the 13 peaks, numerous successful ventures his bold outlook and of course just how he created the biggest vibe of a running club in Cape Town! Kai it was SUCH A TREAT having you, thanks a million for the epic shirt, your time and inspiring story! Wishing you all the best with future and hope to have you round again soon! We'd love some help figuring these trails out here ;) !

#storytelling #trailrunner #trailrunning #trailruncapetown #capetownrunners #entrepreneurjourney #capetownsouthafrica #runnersmotivation #houtbay #7peakschallenge #houtbayleopards #trailleopard by @kai.forster

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a year ago

13 Peaks, 105km, 6300m of elevation, 19h37 and a top 15 fastest ever time to top if off ⛰️

That was hands down one of the most beautifully profound experiences of my life, and was a goal that I have been working towards for almost 2 years. Even after 2 weeks of processing and reflecting on it, it's still hard to put into words how meaningful and impactful the experience was.

Instead of a race report, I want to rather express immense gratitude to those who played a significant role in the journey to get there and the day itself - it absolutely wouldn't have been possible without the incredible support and love from everyone 💛

To the pacers (Jaime, Ulrich, Indy, Dan, Josh, Aran, Chris, Shaff, Nic, Seb, Leo, Pete, and Saskia) thank you for making every step of the journey an unforgettable one, for the chats, laughs, encouragement, and for carrying my water and nutrition. It was such a highlight to have spent the day out there with you all, and is really what it was all about for me. I dropped any expectations of a time goal leading up to it, and the main goal was to go on an epic adventure in the mountain I love with the people I love. Mission accomplished.

To my parents, thank you for the love, support and belief in me leading up to it, and for doing such an exceptional job crewing me. To @joshhyams, @indyvanrensburg and @saskvanrensburg, thank you for helping my rents with the crewing and for the time, energy and care that you put into making the day a successful one (and to Josh for the massages along the way).

To my training partner Vaughn and coach Didier, this training block was the best of my life and I am a better person and runner thanks to you two.

To the @houtbay.trail.leopards and @mindsetmovement communities, your support and encouragement gave me more strength than you could know on the day.

To @katjaphotography and @mattie_lennon, thank you for capturing some incredible pics along the way and eternalising what was one of the best days of my life.

And lastly a huge thank you to everyone who donated towards the cause - we have raised nearly R14,000 for @ikhayalethemba_project.

Together, we can move mountains. taken in Table Mountain National Park by @kai.forster

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2 years ago

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4 months ago

Top morning out in Tulbagh for the @fullsendtrail series final ⚡️

Yesterday felt like months of patience, strength training, trust in the process, and rebuilding had started to pay off. For a while I had been putting off a longer run at anything more than an easy effort out of fear of the fitness I might have lost to months on the sidelines or reaggravating and injury.

The plan was to use the race as a test and to cruise at a moderate effort to see how my legs held out at a slightly quicker pace than in training to see what I have to work with. I was over the moon to get to the finish line with fresh legs and a lot left in the tank, no flare ups, (severe) chafe and a many kiff kms shared with @ruanviv @ulrichvanstaden 🐆

Real chat though I can't stress how much of a difference strength training has made - for years I would skip leg sessions to do chest, which is one of the main reasons I got injured in the first place. If you run and neglect strength like I did, I couldn't recommend incorporating legs into your weekly routine more. The first few strength sessions really sucked and I struggled to walk for a few days afterwards, but after 2 weeks the legs got used to it and they thanked me for it yesterday.

Shoutout @lenelvanniekerk @aranbrouwer @tanya for pulling through to support, and to the @fullsendtrail team for putting together another epic series! ⚡️

ATB

@openfuel keeping the energy up 📈

Fresh out the gate ⚡️

@aran.brouwer making sure I stay hydrated

👀 taken in Schalkenbosch Wine Estate by @kai.forster

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4 months ago

We recently launched the LEAP Training Crew, an in-person training crew that offers at least 8 sessions a week, accessible to all fitness levels and backgrounds 🚀

With a combination of training plans catering for beginner, intermediate, and advanced, strength/running/recovery sessions, and a long list of perks and discounts, we bring you the ultimate performance package to support your training and fitness goals in a supportive and caring environment 🏃‍♂️

Your first week trial is on us - join the WhatsApp group (link in bio) or DM us 'LEAP' for more info 🫡

Follow us for all the trail running tips, training, and content taken in Cape Town, South Africa by @kai.forster

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5 days ago

The past 6 weeks have been an incredibly refreshing reset, getting to focus on enjoying life, prioritizing new experiences and adventures, and investing in important relationships after a stressful and materialistically-oriented period leading up to my time away.

I managed to dodge most of Cape Town's (non-existent) winter this year between spending time in the Drakensburg, Portugal, and then Namaqualand for the @namaqualandflowerfestival this past weekend which was the perfect send off as I head into the last sprint for the year 🌻 shoutout @antonkruyshaar and @pietervzz for the film pics from this past weekend 📸

Lots of exciting things and new beginnings are in the process of launching and can't wait for what they will bring and to share more soon 🫶 taken in Namaqualand by @kai.forster

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a month ago

LEAP UTCT 55km recce 1: Llandudno - Alphen Trail ⛰️🏃‍♂️

Follow us for all Cape Town trail running tips, training, and content.

Link in bio to join our in person LEAP training crew, offering 8 sessions per week including running (intervals/hills/long runs), strength, and recovery 🚀 by @kai.forster

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6 days ago

Moving & grooving 🌞 by @kai.forster

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10 months ago

Always exciting to line up at one of the biggest races against some of the strongest competition, and what a priviledge to be able to do it in one of the most beautiful parts of the world with some of the best people around 💛

Spending the weekend and seeing so many of the homies exceed their own expectations and put in some massive shifts was a huge highlight, as was seeing so many familiar faces out and about through the weekend 🌞

Personally, I set out and achieved exactly what I had planned - to take it easy out the gate and keep the legs feeling fresh for as long as possible (something I got horribly wrong last year) and to improve all round on last year's performance. I managed to take 30 mins off last year's time to finish in 7 hours 39 minutes, and climbed a few positions to 15th overall, 13th male, and 8th in my category. Not quite the 7:15 I ideally would have wanted, but it's got me fired up and hungrier than ever to come back and smash that goal next year 😈

@georgemountainultratrail once again you did not disappoint, and the Outeniqua Mountains were relentless as usual - til next year x

Shot @warwick.purdy for taking better pics than the event photographers did xx by @kai.forster

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a year ago