Kilian Jornet, considered by many to be the greatest mountain runner of all time, is deepening his partnership with COROS through today’s release of 5,000 Kilian Jornet Edition Apex 2 Pro sportwatches. On top of that, 25 lucky runners who buy these specially branded watches will be selected for a free 12-week personalized training program by Jornet, with added input from the COROS Sports Science Team.

The Apex 2 Pro was released in 2022 and has a 1.3-inch screen and a bevy of premium features, including multiband GPS, offline maps, MP3 storage, an advanced optical heart rate sensor via four photodetectors, Sp02 monitoring, and temperature resistance down to minus-4 degrees Fahrenheit. On top of that, the COROS Apex 2 Pro is the kind of watch that can almost outlast Jornet himself: The battery goes for over 75 hours of continuous use in standard GPS mode, 45 hours when connected to all five satellite systems and 26 hours in miltiband/dual frequency mode.

This watch figuratively had Jornet’s name all over it from the moment it was released — now it does in a more literal sense too.

Jornet’s take on the Apex 2 Pro comes in a white and stone-gray colorway to match his everyday running landscape: the snowy Romsdalen valley in western Norway. It is listed at $549 USD, compared with $499 for the regular Apex 2 Pro. Buyers will also get to rock an ultralight race cap from Jornet’s own newly launched brand, NNormal.

For those who get their hands on a Kilian Jornet Edition Apex 2 Pro, applications to Jornet’s training camp will be open through February 17, and things will kick off on Feb. 27 for everyone who has been selected.

The opportunity here is amazing, and it’s one that could easily go for thousands of dollars a head, yet COROS is making it free to these more than two dozen people. The program includes group coaching sessions, strength training protocols, and practical advice on all the little things that too often slip under the radar: nutrition, hydration, recovery, and mental preparation.

Bringing on a running coach is one of the best decisions I’ve made for myself, and I don’t just mean that in terms of running alone. Yes, it’s made a huge difference in the way I run. I’ve largely broken my overtraining habit, built up a more resilient foundation, and started to chase bigger dreams than I would ever have thought myself capable of — all thanks to my coach.

More importantly, though, I’ve figured out how running fits into the grander scheme of things for me. I have a newfound perspective on what it means to run for life, not just for now. Together, we formulate plans that prepare me for the loftiest of goals without throwing all other priorities out the window. It’s possible for athletes to find the balance between ambition and sustainability. But I wouldn’t have been able to craft my version of that without the support of a coach.

The fact is, buying the watch to get a chance at this kind of training plan isn’t even what I would call a catch, though — it’s more like a great excuse to get your hands on Jornet’s version of this pivotal training tool.

This isn’t the first time that COROS has entered into such a partnership. In August 2021, the sportwatch brand that has quickly become a major competitor in the running industry launched an Eliud Kipchoge Edition of its award-winning Pace 2. The move capitalized on Kipchoge’s massive fame in the road-running market after he became the first person to ever break the two-hour marathon mark.

COROS also celebrated American Olympic marathoner Molly Seidel with her own version of the Pace 2, released in November of 2022. Seidel won the bronze in her third ever marathon at the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo. Her take on the Pace 2 features the motto “Full Send,” which took her across the finish line as only the third American female to bring home an Olympic medal in the marathon.

» Related: COROS Apex 2 Keeps Up With Energizer-Bunny Athletes

---

Lucie Hanes is an avid writer and adventurer on rock and trail with a passion for sharing her outdoor enthusiasms through journalism and mental strength consultation.