Italy’s Martina Valmassoi makes her 100-mile debut on the 2023 UTMB — stepping up the space from her win ultimately yr’s TDS.
On this interview, she talks a few difficult begin to her taper, the place she had suffered the ill-effects of coaching within the warmth. She mentioned how, or if, operating TDS has ready her for UTMB, and what she thinks her very best day at UTMB would possibly appear like.
For extra on who’s racing, try our in-depth males’s and ladies’s previews. Comply with together with our UTMB reside race protection from Friday.
Martina Valmassoi Pre-2023 UTMB Interview Transcript
iRunFar: Meghan Hicks of iRunFar. I’m with Martina Valmassoi. It’s a few days earlier than the 2023 UTMB. Hello, Martina. How are you doing?
Martina Valmassoi: Hello, Meghan. It’s good to be right here once more. Yeah, I’m feeling higher. I’m actually excited to race this race. My first 100 miler, and yeah, I’ve been feeling a little bit bit, not unhealthy however similar to, bizarre the previous week. However most likely it’s simply the tapering hitting onerous or the mixture of tapering and warmth. However I’m actually constructive and truthfully actually excited to start out and see how this journey will take me.
iRunFar: Yeah, you’ve been right here in Chamonix for some time coaching and there was a heatwave previous to this storm that’s moved in that we’re all carrying jackets for right now. So it was troublesome the final couple of weeks.
Valmassoi: Yeah, I used to be right here the start of August to do the Tour du Mont Blanc, the coaching camp with the Salomon workforce. After which I stayed one other week after which moved to work in Sierre-Zinal. And after that I stayed one week in Italy as a result of we’re simply extra comfy in my nation, although I used to be not at dwelling, however in Val d’Aosta and Val Formazza. And it was stunning, however simply so scorching impulsively.
iRunFar: Okay.
Valmassoi: It was a very nice temperature once we have been coaching. And in order that was good, at the least to have the large block with regular temperatures. After which final week, actually humid. Actually scorching. So fairly troublesome to recuperate properly, particularly as I used to be staying in my van. However yeah, now we obtained snow decrease than 2,000 meters and I felt nice.
iRunFar: [laughs]
Valmassoi: The previous two days it was raining. It was depressing, and I used to be like, respiratory once more. It was nice.
iRunFar: So Martina is requesting a chilly weekend for the race.
Valmassoi: Sorry. Yeah. And I’m actually sorry for who’s on the market now for PTL or the folks operating TDS tonight, although I believe it may not be raining as a lot tomorrow. However sure, for UTMB having a bit decrease temperatures. Hopefully not raining. I cross the fingers for it. [crosses fingers]
iRunFar: It’s humorous once I consider you as a racer, I don’t essentially consider tremendous lengthy races, however you have been right here on the pageant final yr. You’re the winner of the TDS, which is as near 100 miles as you might be. So are you a 100-mile racer? As a result of now we’re right here at UTMB.
Valmassoi: Yeah, properly, I don’t know. Actually, I nonetheless really feel like I’m actually excited and scared, like the identical feeling as final yr. As a result of I don’t really feel like I’ve the expertise, although final yr I raced very well at TDS, but in addition it’s a special course. There’s completely different dynamics within the race. I lead from begin to end, and I used to be in a position to simply set my tempo and proceed in the course of the day. And yeah, UTMB there’s heaps happening that properly, you possibly can’t management, in fact, but it surely makes it tougher. I believe I’m good at pacing myself, however you by no means know in this sort of state of affairs since you suppose okay, I’m going to tempo myself, however then if there’s 30 ladies which can be passing you, and also you’re like Uh, okay, so possibly…
iRunFar: Am I not pacing myself?
Valmassoi: Am I pacing myself an excessive amount of? Am I like, going too gradual?
iRunFar: [laughs] Yeah.
Valmassoi: As a result of that is the situation I’m imagining proper now, as a result of on my ideally suited race I begin gradual, after which I catch up.
iRunFar: You’re the one who’s passing.
Valmassoi: Yeah, however in a while. However right here, actually, when you begin too gradual you might be fiftieth tremendous straightforward. And so yeah, it is going to be fascinating to see how I’ll handle the entire, the environment I might say greater than my efficiency.
iRunFar: It’s actually fascinating to listen to you replicate on TDS. You realize, it was type of a race inside your self, however lengthy. Like, you skilled principally all of the variables you’ll meet on this race, but it surely’s fascinating to listen to you replicate that now you must take all that and apply it to the dynamic of a bunch of different ladies round you.
Valmassoi: Yeah, I nonetheless wish to attempt to actually give attention to my technique, even when I don’t actually have one. However.
iRunFar: My non-strategy technique.
Valmassoi: My non-strategy technique, however making an attempt to not get caught into the vibe of going onerous at first. However sure, you don’t know. Like what Katie [Schide] mentioned final yr, that in fact she knew that she didn’t have to start out as quick, however then at that second, it felt excellent. And so yeah, why not additionally following the emotions. However yeah, I don’t know. Actually, I’m curious, and I simply want to have day. Despite the fact that, you recognize, even on one of the best day at an extremely like that, in some unspecified time in the future the battle is actual, even on one of the best day. [laughs] I believe I’ve ready properly, so on paper, I believe I can do race. So, I actually sit up for see if I’m in a position to play all my playing cards on the proper second.
iRunFar: What does it appear like? Like, it’s a troublesome factor to attempt to be aggressive however race inside your self for 100 miles. What does Martina’s personal finest day appear like? Whenever you’re visualizing that, what does that appear like?
Valmassoi: So, yeah, I don’t know. Right here, I might see myself not in entrance in the beginning. First, as a result of I usually attempt to not push an excessive amount of at first, but in addition how the race itself is. Like, it’s fairly quick and runnable till Les Contamines. After which there’s all the large climbs and the extra technical climbs, which is the place I believe I’m higher. So, like, on the [Trail] World Championship [80k] I needed to change technique as a result of all of the mountains, the large mountains, have been at first, and so I went out onerous.
iRunFar: Exhausting.
Valmassoi: Despite the fact that it was comfy. So not like, too onerous.
iRunFar: You needed to play to your strengths then.
Valmassoi: Yeah, yeah. So, and right here I believe it’s like, my strengths are following the course.
iRunFar: That’s fascinating.
Valmassoi: So hopefully, yeah, I will keep on with my plan. The one factor I’m most afraid of is vitamin, these form of issues. As a result of yeah, I don’t have issues dialed. [laughs] I don’t know. I’m like, roughly I do know I’ve to eat one thing each hour. And I’ll put together some polenta, some rice to eat on the support station the place I’ve help, however I don’t know.
iRunFar: I really feel such as you’re both like, actually, actually methodical about one’s vitamin, or it’s extra informal such as you.
Valmassoi: Yeah, so I do know that I don’t need to eat sure issues, and I don’t need to eat sure gels. But in addition, relying on the day, one thing that I used to eat and haven’t any issues generally it sits bizarre on the abdomen. And so it’s actually onerous to foretell. However yeah, I’ll attempt to not rush out of support stations. If it’s chilly, to decorate up, as a result of I believe this stuff are necessary. And yeah, and simply all the time keep in mind that it’s a very lengthy race, so you possibly can actually begin to truly race actually far into the race you probably have the power.
iRunFar: Yeah, I used to be going to ask you to type of comply with that practice of thought on the place you mentioned, you recognize, it’s extra runnable to Les Contamines, after which it will get into the extra technical, like, going up Col du Bonhomme, Col de la Seigne, after which the climb to love, Bertone and Bonatti and Grand Col Ferret. After which there’s some extra runnable stuff in a while, however then additionally some extra technical. Like, have you ever, I don’t know, thought by means of that second half situation of the way you handle what you say you’re much less good at with the issues that you’re good at.
Valmassoi: Yeah. So, I hope to have the ability to not be too far-off within the first half, like till Champex-Lac, I might say. And even the climb up Grand Col Ferret. The massive climbs, I actually like these. However yeah, for certain the downhill after La Fouly earlier than climbing up Champex goes to be lengthy. And so yeah, it’s my technique is to be able to race truly from Champex-Lac.
iRunFar: Okay.
Valmassoi: Yeah, so, as a result of there I believe there’s like, two actually good climbs for me. And yeah, the third one was one of the best for me, truthfully, however properly…
iRunFar: Now we’re not doing it this yr.
Valmassoi: Yeah, we’re not doing it.
iRunFar: Tête aux Vents turns into a forest run, I believe.
Valmassoi: Yeah, in order that’s not so enjoyable. However on the finish, I used to be like, yeah. I used to be bummed at first as a result of I actually preferred this climb. It’s good, and it’s all of the technical bits after. However there’s excessive possibilities that I might be actually drained there. [laughs]
iRunFar: [laughs]
Valmassoi: Usually even the technical there might be actually onerous additionally for me. So I’m like, possibly it’s not that unhealthy. It’s nonetheless climbing. If it was all downhill or all quick operating, I might be upset. However it’s nonetheless climbing, and you continue to need to be sturdy. However for certain the climb up Bovine and the one after Triente, they’re two onerous ones. So yeah, let’s see. Let’s see. I’ve been trying on the splits from the opposite years. It’s actually fascinating to see the completely different methods. And I’m simply trying ahead to race with so many superb ladies that they’re my mates, most of them. Those that has all the time impressed me a lot, so it’s actually cool.
iRunFar: And those you don’t know, you wish to be their mates quickly, proper?
Valmassoi: Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I’m actually trying ahead truthfully. And yeah, it’s extra annoying generally, the day main into the race as a result of there are such a lot of issues happening. Like, the strain is rising. However yeah, we’re all right here to attempt to show one thing to ourselves primarily. And so yeah, I can’t wait.
iRunFar: Effectively, better of luck proving one thing to your self on the market on the UTMB course.
Valmassoi: Thanks. Thanks.
