Diego Pazos of Switzerland completed second on the 2024 Hardrock 100 after a detailed battle with Jason Schlarb that noticed the 2 males inside two minutes of one another with simply 5 miles to the end. On this interview, Zpeedy — Pazos’s alter ego — talks about how the race performed out with Schlarb within the later miles, how he did all the things he may to run the ultimate downhill as quick as doable with out getting harm, and whether or not he hopes to return to the race sooner or later.
For extra on how the race performed out, take a look at our in-depth 2024 Hardrock 100 outcomes article.
Diego Pazos Submit-2024 Hardrock 100 Interview Transcript
iRunFar: Bryon Powell of iRunFar right here with Diego Pazos after his second-place end on the 2024 Hardrock 100. How are you, Diego?
Diego Pazos: Hello, Bryon. I’m high-quality. Very high-quality.
iRunFar: Yeah? Did you may have an satisfying day on the market? Or two days.
Pazos: Sure, with excessive highs and downs, however I loved this present day each minute.
iRunFar: Earlier than we get into the play-by-play, as a result of it was form of an attention-grabbing race for such a small discipline, what did you get pleasure from on the course, exterior of the racing?
Pazos: The landscapes. I believe, I didn’t know Kroger’s Canteen, Handies Peak, so I found all the things throughout the race. And yeah, it was fabulous. I had the sundown at Handies Peak. That was fabulous.
iRunFar: Yeah?
Pazos: It was a dream. All purple behind. It was like, wow.
iRunFar: Yeah, so you bought to get pleasure from it.
Pazos: Yeah.
iRunFar: And also you had been in a position to take that in throughout the race, slightly bit.
Pazos: Yeah, slightly bit. It was a tough second for me at that time, however it helped me. Yeah, figuring out that it’s distinctive to be right here at that time of the race, so I can’t quit, and I’ve to proceed and provides all of it.
iRunFar: Yeah. So going to how the race type of occurred. Early within the race, you’re on the market with Ludovic [Pommeret], François [D’haene]. It’s a francophone begin to the race. Have been you, a minimum of for a while, operating collectively and chatting, or was this racing from go?
Pazos: No, no, no. It was a pleasant tempo originally. We had been 4, with Jason [Schlarb] as nicely. Courtney [Dauwalter] simply behind, perhaps 50 meters behind. After which after the primary downhill, we went, the three, with François and Ludo. I used to be feeling good. It was good on the first checkpoint and all the things. And so they went away on the second climb. I didn’t wish to observe this rhythm. I wish to hold in my bubble. However the first climb, it was good. It was a pleasant discuss. Jason was the botanist. He was explaining to us all of the flowers of the area. It was good.
iRunFar: And also you loved these as nicely?
Pazos: Yeah, yeah, positive.
iRunFar: It’s an ideal time of yr for the wildflowers right here within the San Juan Mountains.
Pazos: Columbine and all the things, all of the flowers. It was great.
iRunFar: So, beginning at about 20 kilometers, you’re by yourself.
Pazos: Yeah.
iRunFar: And for fairly a very long time, sure?
Pazos: Sure. The uphill to Kroger’s Canteen, Jason got here again and he handed me. And I used to be not in an excellent second. I used to be caught. I had no energy climbing. So, it was a tough second. I mentioned, okay, it should go. You must study. Use your expertise in extremely to say, okay, that’s a nasty second. I let him go. And I went, after which we went down. Very technical descent after Kroger’s Canteen. Very good expertise. After which, yeah, the lengthy descent to Ouray. After which I got here again, and I used to be perhaps one or two minutes simply behind him. And from Ouray till the tip, I might say the large struggle with Jason began.
iRunFar: Yeah. For a very long time, you had been perhaps 10 minutes behind him.
Pazos: Yeah.
iRunFar: And in contrast to him, you recognize the distinction. You may hear on the help stations.
Pazos: I can see him.
iRunFar: You may see him. What was that like? Was it a constant distinction in time?
Pazos: It was all the time altering.
iRunFar: Oh, altering. Okay.
Pazos: Yeah. You possibly can see solely that it was 10 minutes as a result of he was taking me on the uphills.
iRunFar: Yeah.
Pazos: After which within the downhills, I used to be lowering the space. And generally I used to be passing him. He was passing me once more. Within the night time, it was a, how do you say, a forwards and backwards?
iRunFar: Yeah. Backwards and forwards. A battle.
Pazos: A giant battle.
iRunFar: Which doesn’t seem like it on the splits and within the help stations. It was all the time him forward.
Pazos: Yeah. He was extra forward than I used to be.
iRunFar: Okay.
Pazos: Extra time. However from Pole Creek, I handed him simply after the checkpoint of Pole Creek. After which we did a mistake. I imply, I went up after which I went down the identical manner. And I used to be two minutes forward. So, I noticed him going up once more. So, we went with him. At that time, we had been collectively. After which going to Maggie’s, I had perhaps two, three minutes benefit. I stored the benefit till Cunningham. Three, 4 minutes. And I knew within the final uphill that he was higher than me, perhaps. I used to be feeling higher. So, he was not rising the hole within the uphill. So I could possibly be on the highest of the final uphill with perhaps one minute, 1:30. After which I knew that within the downhill, I used to be going to present all of it. And that I used to be feeling a bit higher than him going downhill. So, on the finish, that’s what occurred.
iRunFar: For me, that looks like a nightmare to be, I imply, it doesn’t matter for those who’re additional again within the pack. However for those who’re attempting to run for first, second, third, and being 10 kilometers out with one minute.
Pazos: Yeah.
iRunFar: Is that scary? Thrilling? For you, what’s that emotion like?
Pazos: Each. Scaring and thrilling. However if you wish to carry out, you need to be used to that. I’m fairly used to it because the years. It may be for podium, it may be for high 10 positions. You all the time should struggle. And it doesn’t provide the time to breathe. You realize, you need to test level, you need to go. You must put the stress. He’s placing the stress on you. So, it’s a sport. And we all know one another very nicely with Jason. So we loved it rather a lot. It was good.
iRunFar: So that you do find yourself ending second. An incredible efficiency for you. Are you proud of it?
Pazos: Very joyful. Sure. I imply, for me, it’s excellent. Ludo was on one other planet on that day. And I’m very joyful as a result of I had a really onerous preparation. I had large well being issues. I had with the household, with work, it’s not straightforward for me to place quantity, to coach very well. If you find yourself not skilled and you’re busy work, it’s onerous. So I’m very, very joyful, very happy with my efficiency. And mentally, I believe I used to be actually, actually sturdy yesterday. And this helped me rather a lot on the finish of the race.
iRunFar: So, it’s onerous to get into this race. However do you suppose you’ll put your title in ever once more to come back again to Hardrock?
Pazos: I imply, once you see the panorama and all the things, I can’t say no. I hope so. However I can’t say now when, and if it is going to be. As a result of, you recognize, it’s a variety of group for me. However I imply, it’s certainly one of my greatest souvenirs, for positive. I’ll remember all the time. And why not? I will likely be joyful to come back again. Yeah.
iRunFar: What do you may have in your schedule for the remainder of the yr? Any large highlights developing?
Pazos: I give me the subsequent two weeks to get well. As a result of I’m not an individual that does many hundred miles, many races. I desire to give attention to some races. I don’t have time to do the remainder of the issues. However perhaps I might like to do Grand Raid de la Réunion, Diagonale des Fous.
iRunFar: Yeah?
Pazos: We’ll see. I will likely be at UTMB, however extra for cheering.
iRunFar: Okay. In order that leads me to a query, then. UTWT [Ultra-Trail World Tour], you ran when that was the primary years, you’ve been doing that for a very long time. You’ve been doing high-level extremely operating for a very long time. Individuals who you had been racing on the high degree within the UTW races, a variety of them aren’t racing anymore, or are usually not racing at a excessive degree. Perhaps do you may have a bonus in longevity within the sport? As a result of, not simply since you’re selecting to not race a ton of races, however having a career and never having the ability to. Is that a bonus? Not in a person race, however in your profession?
Pazos: Certain. For me, the target is the profession. I need my children, as nicely, to see me operating nonetheless, to see this environment. I believe we’ve got excellent values in path operating, in extremely path operating. So, I wish to final. And I believe in case you have one thing subsequent to the operating, as nicely, for those who protect your self, you possibly can last more. And naturally, I believe it helped me, and I hope it should assist me as nicely sooner or later.
iRunFar: Superior.
Pazos: If you see Ludo, for me, it’s an instance. I imply, for positive, he’s 49 quickly, and he’s nonetheless at high degree. If not one of many now two, three, 4 greatest extremely path runners on the earth. Yeah, he’s going to be at UTMB. It’s going to be attention-grabbing.
iRunFar: Superior. Properly, congratulations in your nice run right here, and I can’t wait to see you at a race in a decade.
Pazos: With pleasure. See you.
