Annie Hughes braved a troublesome day to complete third within the 2023 Hardrock 100. On this interview, she talks about how the race went from her perspective, the essential function her pacers performed, and her plans for the remainder of the season.
For extra on how the race performed out, learn our in-depth Hardrock 100 outcomes article.
Annie Hughes Put up-2023 Hardrock 100 Interview Transcript
iRunFar: Sarah Brady of iRunFar. I’m right here simply after the 2023 Hardrock 100 with third girl Annie Hughes. Annie, congratulations. How do you’re feeling?
Annie Hughes: Thanks a lot. I really feel drained, however good. [laughs]
iRunFar: Okay, sensible. Such an incredible achievement. So, I seen you on the course and it appeared such as you had a troublesome day. So, you’re simply absolutely the queen of powering via. So, simply form of to speak in regards to the early miles. Did you begin to really feel a bit of bit off from early on, or how was that?
Hughes: Yeah, I felt like I used to be working tougher than regular to maintain up with like, you already know, the tempo I needed to run and you already know, the ladies in entrance of me. So it simply felt like a tougher effort than regular, after which, you already know, issues form of began to go flawed. So like, upset abdomen after which respiration points. So, form of all of the ultrarunning issues.
iRunFar: Yeah, completely regular ultrarunning stuff. So, was it round Handies Peak or someplace like that the place you had abdomen hassle first?
Hughes: Yeah, so round Handies, I began to get actually sizzling. After which additionally, yeah, simply dehydrated. And yeah, these sorts of issues. However the abdomen didn’t actually occur till Camp Fowl Street, is the place it actually hit. Proper after the Ouray support station. So.
iRunFar: Okay. The circumstances have been actually troublesome, I believe particularly for somebody who lives in Colorado, and also you’ve had such an enormous winter, and you then’re working in a heatwave. So, did you discover the warmth actually onerous?
Hughes: I did. Yeah. The warmth is all the time simply actually onerous for me. Like, that’s all the time a giant problem. So yeah, to have the warmth. After which the respiration additionally began to have an effect on me a bit on Handies Peak. That’s the place that began. So, fairly early on as effectively. And yeah, these little hurdles you must recover from to complete.
iRunFar: Properly you probably did so good. There was a very robust girls’s area, and it was fairly shut. So, did you share some miles with Kimino [Miyazaki] or Claire [Bannwarth] or anybody, and the way was that?
Hughes: I didn’t share many miles, however Claire was in entrance of me for the primary 15 or so miles. And, so, yeah, I caught as much as her and chatted for a minute or two, after which went previous. And yeah, I assumed I’d see right here once more on the downhill. She was actually, like, I’d catch as much as her on the uphill, after which she would go down and drop me once more, so I assumed I’d see her once more. However yeah, it’s simply humorous how that each one works. I spent plenty of time alone. Like, it’s actually spaced out in these lengthy ones.
iRunFar: Okay. And for you was the downhill your power all through the day? Have been you climbing higher than you have been descending?
Hughes: I really feel prefer it form of went up and down. Like the start, I felt stronger on the climbs and never as robust within the descents. After which in the direction of the top, I felt lots stronger on the descents simply because I may breathe a bit of simpler. On the uphill it’s just like the respiration that was holding me again. Which is form of irritating, as a result of it’s like, I may energy up this a lot quicker if I simply breathe.
iRunFar: Yeah, that’s actually irritating. Like, you’re an area so, such as you simply mentioned, it’s been a giant winter for you guys. So, you’re used to snow, however individuals have been saying the snow refroze, and it was like actually slippy on the market. Have been you okay with that? Is that your consolation zone?
Hughes: Yeah, I imply, I’m used to, you already know, working within the snow and you already know, crossing snowfields, all that form of stuff. However yeah, there have been a few spots that have been fairly sketchy. Particularly on the climb popping out of Telluride. There are a few spots there the place I used to be a bit of sketched out. However yeah, received via it okay.
iRunFar: You probably did nice. And was there any level the place it form of began to show a nook and also you began to really feel extra comfy, or really feel such as you have been a bit of bit safer in podium place?
Hughes: Yeah, I assume it wasn’t, as a result of I by no means, you already know, actually knew how far behind subsequent feminine was. However yeah, within the final part, or occurring the final climb, and you then go all the way down to Putnam, and that’s the final support station to the end. And going up on that final climb, we appeared over and noticed some, a few runners cross the ridge. And I used to be like, I didn’t know who it was. Yeah. And so I used to be form of burdened like, Was that the feminine behind me? And so then I began like, powering down the opposite facet, and yeah, didn’t even cease on the subsequent support station. [laughs] However it ended up being lots additional than I assumed, so I may have walked extra, however I’m glad I pushed. It like, lit a hearth, and received to see like, what I used to be actually able to.
iRunFar: Okay. And also you may need felt higher than you thought you probably did at that time.
Hughes: Yeah.
iRunFar: After which did you keep very lengthy at most of the support stations, or have been you simply making an attempt to get out and in as fast as you could possibly all day?
Hughes: Yeah, I really feel like I’m all the time making an attempt to love, simply get out as fast as I can, but additionally taking the time to love, maintain myself. And yeah, there are a few stops when my abdomen actually turned the place I wanted to spend a bit of bit longer, similar to, to get some extra meals down, and broth, and all that form of stuff. However for probably the most half, like I used to be, I felt like I received via them fairly good. I believe I had like 72 minutes complete stopped, which at Hardrock I really feel like that’s fairly good.
iRunFar: That’s a fairly dialed system, proper?
Hughes: Yeah.
iRunFar: After which I do know you’ve ran with out pacers earlier than for different races like Javelina [100 Mile] which is all the time clearly actually completely different. However I believe you had pacers for this, and do you suppose pacers are actually essential for one thing like this?
Hughes: Yeah, I used to be so grateful to have pacers for this one. It was simply, I simply had plenty of like, actually low moments. Like, among the worst I’ve skilled in ultrarunning. So yeah, I used to be simply grateful to have pals that have been so type and affected person, and supported me via that, and form of noticed me at my worst. [laughs] So yeah.
iRunFar: It was good in your pals to get to share on this achievement as effectively, I suppose. After which how did you’re feeling while you ultimately made it to the end line?
Hughes: Oh my gosh, it was so surreal. Like, I simply, you already know, dreamed of kissing the rock and all that. It’s simply actually particular to be right here. And yeah, simply to have the chance to run after which to complete is rather like.
iRunFar: Yeah. Large achievement. After which afterwards, I do know you’re not taking it straightforward for lengthy. You’ve received a reasonably large race in Switzerland. So, you need to inform us about that a bit of?
Hughes: Yeah, so I’m doing the Swiss Peaks 360k, so it’s 230 miles with 80,000 toes of climbing. [laughs] So, yeah. Hardrock, it’s form of a double dip, as a result of it’s good coaching for Swiss Peaks, however it’s additionally, you already know, like, that is like my A race of the season. I actually needed to nail it. So yeah.
iRunFar: Large adventures forward. You’re so younger for somebody to do such large ultras. So, what’s it that you just love about like these actually lengthy issues?
Hughes: I simply, I like the problem of it. And, I don’t know. I simply really feel like these longer distances simply gasoline me extra. Like, it’s simply what I take pleasure in doing. So. Yeah.
iRunFar: Okay. Good. Properly there’s no higher cause than if that’s what you take pleasure in.
Hughes: [laughs]
iRunFar: So, thanks a lot, and luxuriate in a bit of little bit of restoration earlier than you get going once more.
Hughes: Thanks a lot. I’ll.
