Having tried for years to get in, Diego Pazos of Switzerland is lastly lining up for his debut on the 2024 Hardrock 100. On this interview, he talks about coming to the US along with his household forward of the race to expertise Colorado, why he limits the variety of 100-mile races he runs, how the excessive altitude is treating him, and what he hopes to get out of race day.
For extra on who’s racing, take a look at our in-depth 2024 Hardrock 100 preview and comply with our reside race protection on race day.
Diego Pazos Pre-2024 Hardrock 100 Interview Transcript
iRunFar: Meghan Hicks of iRunFar. I’m with Diego Pazos earlier than the 2024
Hardrock 100. Hello, Diego. Welcome to America. Welcome to Hardrock.
Diego Pazos: Hello, Meghan. Thanks, thanks. I’m blissful to be right here.
iRunFar: You could have been making use of to race Hardrock for a very long time, so being right here immediately, this week, is a very long time coming for you.
Pazos: Yeah, it’s like a dream come true, you recognize. It’s been 10 years that I wished to race this race, and 7 years that I’ve been making use of, so very blissful to be right here with the entire household and discovering this glorious Colorado.
iRunFar: Superb. You could have an extended profession in ultrarunning at this level. I believe possibly 13 or 14 years of ultrarunning, is that right?
Pazos: Sure, 13 now.
iRunFar: Okay, 13. It looks as if you’re particular with the 100-mile races that you simply do, although. I believe possibly your races have been solely UTMB, and the Diagonale des Fous, and now Hardrock. Is that this what 100-mile working means to you?
Pazos: Precisely. For me, 100 miles is a legendary distance, so I select the races that for me have a way and those that make me dream, you recognize. In any other case, I’ll go to different codecs, greater than 100k, I like that, however 120, 110, 100. However 100 mile, a 100 miler, I believe it’s a tough race. And I believe it’s a must to spot them. You can not do many in a single 12 months. No less than me, with work, with household, I can not race many 100 milers in a single 12 months.
iRunFar: I all the time wish to ask people who find themselves coming internationally what it means to get into Hardrock, to be right here. It’s only a very, every little thing about this place is exclusive. May you share a bit bit about your expertise? You’ve been in America like 10 days now?
Pazos: Sure, sure. I imply, every little thing is completely different for us in Europe, you recognize. All the pieces is huge right here, you recognize. Huge vehicles, huge roads.
iRunFar: [laughs] Huge meals.
Pazos: Yeah. For meals, it’s completely different. It’s a distinct vibe, you recognize, and I’ve all the time been dreaming of collaborating in a single race within the U.S. And for me, I imply, Hardrock fits higher my qualities than Western States, for instance. So I’ve all the time been extra excited about Hardrock because the starting. Because the first time yeah, possibly Kilian [Jornet] got here, as a result of he gave to this race, a picture. A imaginative and prescient in Europe. As a result of earlier than, I heard about it, however I didn’t know that it was so excessive.
iRunFar: Didn’t know something.
Pazos: It didn’t curiosity me greater than earlier than Kilian got here. And now, since one week, I like the climate. It’s good. The paths are very good. And I like that it’s very wild. It’s sort of a paradox between huge roads, huge vehicles, and with vehicles in every single place, you recognize, the place Engineer Cross, it was filled with buggies. However in a way, it’s very wild and guarded. Not so many ski resorts in every single place that possibly we’ve got an excessive amount of in Europe, in some elements. So, this half, I like loads.
iRunFar: It’s fascinating so that you can level out that dichotomy of America with, you recognize, every little thing is outsized, and massive, and simply very American. However then our wild areas are fairly wild. And possibly in most locations, rather more wild than the wilderness you discover in Europe.
Pazos: Yeah, positive. It’s protected. It appears to be like like there’s nothing. Like no trails, nothing. And as a path runner and mountain lover, you need to go in every single place. You realize, it’s arduous to be, to remain calm right here in Silverton if you see so many mountains and so many wild mountains within the environment.
iRunFar: I’ve to ask a bit bit in regards to the altitude. That is one thing that’s distinctive for nearly everyone who does this race. Coming from Europe, one thing like 2,000 meters is fairly excessive for a path there. You’ll double that on this race. You’ll go to 4,000 meters, 14,000 toes. You could have been right here for every week and a half. I do know you’re tenting with your loved ones up fairly excessive, like 3,000 meters. How’s altitude feeling for you?
Pazos: For the second, it’s good. I went to Engineer Cross, so it was near 4,000 meters, 13,000 toes, I believe. It was fairly okay. You are feeling that if you wish to push a bit, it’s more durable. And to eat, for the diet, is a bit particular as nicely. You must watch out as a result of it’s not really easy to eat. You may have some abdomen issues. However in any other case, I really feel fairly good. Sleeping at Molas Lake, it was wonderful.
iRunFar: Ah, good.
Pazos: I really feel that on the muscular tissues as nicely. Whenever you begin working, it’s like you will have filled with acid within the muscular tissues. However then, after 15, 20 minutes, you begin to stabilize.
iRunFar: Yeah.
Pazos: You discover your rhythm. It’s what I like in ultrarunning. On this race, we add one other parameter. Normally, you will have quite a lot of them in an extremely race. Right here, you add one other one. I should play on this one to attempt to give my greatest. That is much more fascinating.
iRunFar: That was precisely my subsequent query for you, since you’re very acquainted with working 100 miles. You’re very acquainted with the quantity of vertical acquire and loss that we see this weekend. However staying persistently fairly excessive is the variable of the weekend. You could have a lot expertise at 100-mile working although. My query for you is, how are you going to take the experiences you’ve had, like issues and issues that you simply’ve thrived at earlier than, what are you bringing particularly to this race and its distinctive situations?
Pazos: I believe it’s to organize myself mentally to undergo much more than in different 100 milers. As a result of these parameters, I don’t know the way it will have an effect on my situation. It’s to remain all the time centered that it’ll come again. And never say, “Okay, I’m a multitude, and I’ve to cease as a result of I can not even breathe.” I’ll deliver this expertise to know to say, okay. For instance, final UTMB, final 12 months I had huge issues within the 65 first kilometers. I misplaced nearly two hours on the entrance leaders. Abdomen issues, diaphragm issues. Then it switched, and the final 100K, I may actually [makes gesture implying moving forward with hand]
iRunFar: Fascinating.
Pazos: Yeah. I gained possibly 60, 62 positions, but it surely was too late. I used to be too far. So it was unattainable to get into the highest 20. I used to be twenty third, I believe. However this expertise gave me quite a lot of confidence for a race like that, the place we’ll be alone within the wild more often than not, as a result of there may be not quite a lot of contributors. However you may be alone with your self, and you’ll have to combat to seek out your assets to adapt that. So I believe it’s extra on the psychological half than within the bodily half. As a result of on the bodily half, I attempted to, I had a tent at dwelling for 3 weeks earlier than coming. Attempt to sleep a bit.
iRunFar: That’s why you’re feeling so good.
Pazos: Possibly, possibly.
iRunFar: You’ve been at altitude in your tent at dwelling.
Pazos: I finished one week earlier than coming right here. I did three weeks. However you recognize, with work and household, I couldn’t keep greater than eight hours within the tent for the night time. It was simply, it was quick. However I believe possibly it gave to my physique a style of what’s right here.
iRunFar: Yeah, yeah.
Pazos: So I’m feeling good. I’m sleeping good. So, I simply received sick, as I instructed you, 4 days in the past. So, I hope, I’ve nonetheless 4 days. I hope it’s going to be all wonderful for the race. And yeah, I can’t wait.
iRunFar: My final query for you. You could have a little bit of an alter ego. Zpeedy?
Pazos: Yeah.
iRunFar: How is the alter ego feeling about this actually new journey racing at excessive altitude in
Colorado?
Pazos: I imply, my bow tie is simply ready to run right here. I imply, to say hello with a giant smile to the neighborhood right here, to the volunteers. And you recognize, it’s a dream to be right here. So, I do know that if I can combat for the lead place, I’ll do it for positive. That’s an goal. But when I can’t, my goal is to be on the end line. And I do know that I will probably be in a warrior mode. So, I’ll give all of it to be right here. And even when I’ve to, if it is going to take me 47 hours, or 47:30, I’ll attempt to be right here. So, I’m centered. I’m mentally actually prepared, I believe, to do these mountains, this altitude. I hope so. After which I simply wait that the climate will probably be with us with out an excessive amount of thunderstorm, as a result of I believe right here it may be very violent. So yeah, I’m prepared and Zpeedy waits for Colorado trails.
iRunFar: Superior. Better of luck to you and Zpeedy on Friday and Saturday.
Pazos: See you on the end line. Thanks.
