In reply to yelloman: I think his training for the Eiger wasnt just a set one year plan but lots of different regimes over many years. This wasn't just for the Eiger but just his personal training regime as a climber. He did however 'join' the Swiss Olympic team for more intense and scientific training pre-Eiger.
Alun: I think it's very hard to understand the rational and psyche behind speed soloing until you try it yourself. It's definitely not a case of daft boldness. Ueli is a very calculated climber and always in control. His speed records are truly incredible- I climbed the Colton Macintyre recently and just cannot get my head around how fast he did it in. It's not just a case of fitness for these climbs either- they involve some very serious mixed climbing, often very tenuous. However Ueli is a master of all climbing trades and you can see that for him, these climbs that 'we' think are pretty serious, are actually so far below his technical level that they are quite easy. Regardless of that though he is also really strong in the head, which on these kind of faces is so important when going at it without a rope.
It would be an amazing thing to be able to do if you were capable. It's not a media statement; it's a form of climbing that entails no ropes, no belays, and no weight. Just covering a huge amount of technical ground on serious mountains before lunch time. I'm not having a go at you here in any way by the way- even though I've seen Ueli climb and been one of only a handful of people who have actually watched him speed solo up something I still dont fully understand how he does it.
Jon