Miguel Heras Pre-2013 TNF EC 50 Mile Interview

A video interview (with transcript) with Miguel Heras before the 2013 The North Face Endurance Challenge 50 Mile Championships.

By on December 5, 2013 | Comments

Miguel Heras arrives to the 2013 The North Face Endurance Challenge 50-Mile Championships as the returning champion and two-time winner. In the following interview, find out what Miguel’s been up to since his second-place finish at the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (post-race interview) at the end of August and how he’s feeling for Saturday.

[Editor’s Note: For more information, we’ve published a full men’s race preview with links to other pre-race interviews.]

Miguel Heras Pre-2013 TNF EC 50 Mile Interview Transcript

iRunFar: Bryon Powell of iRunFar here with Miguel Heras before the 2013 The North Face Endurance Challenge Championships. How are you doing, Miguel?

Miguel Heras: Fine. You?

iRunFar: Very good. You have won this race twice and you’re back. You’ve had a good year so far this year. You had a great run at UTMB. You were second. How has your season gone since UTMB? How is your running?

Heras: Besides UTMB, I did several races. I did Cavalls del Vent in Spain, Les Templiers, two races in Argentina, and a little bit of racing in Spain—short races in Spain. At this moment, I come to San Francisco on the plane.

iRunFar: Did you win Cavalls del Vent?

Heras: No, I did third. The winner was Luis Alberto [Hernando]. Second was Tòfol [Castanyer]. Third was me.

iRunFar: Very strong competitors.

Heras: Very strong.

iRunFar: Then in October at Les Templiers, you were in the lead, you were winning, and then you dropped out. What happened?

Heras: In the race, the atmosphere was humid. I wasn’t careful with my water. In one moment, I didn’t have any water and mental told me, “Miguel, stop.”

iRunFar: You couldn’t even walk, yeah?

Heras: Yes. I was running fast one minute, and my body stopped, and I couldn’t walk.

iRunFar: You came back and went to South America (Argentina) and you ran two races there. Did you win there?

Heras: Yes.

iRunFar: So you’re feeling strong?

Heras: I don’t know. At this moment, I don’t know. I feel good, but I never know what happens to each race. In Argentina, I was strong. I felt good. I did one race of 50 miles and one week later I did 42. I feel good, but I hope to recover good for today.

iRunFar: Yeah, that’s not very much time between two races and a championship.

Heras: Yeah, two weeks… three weeks. I think it’s enough. Sometimes it’s enough. Sometimes it’s not enough.

iRunFar: You don’t know until Saturday.

Heras: Yes, I don’t know. I will be at the start line and I will see.

iRunFar: In the fall (autumn), have you had good training since UTMB?

Heras: Yes, but I could do several races and training is not important because if you run a race, you must recover in between the races. The training is not important.

iRunFar: The races are the training at that time.

Heras: Yes. It’s the best training—the race.

iRunFar: It’s training for the body and for the mind.

Heras: Yes, for the mind.

iRunFar: Last year you dealt with many injuries. Have you been healthy this year? No injuries?

Heras: This year I had one injury, but it wasn’t very important.

iRunFar: Back in the spring—was it your hamstring?

Heras: Yes, in the spring, but it isn’t important. What’s important is I feel good now and I’m 39 years old. My recovery is in difficulty.

iRunFar: But you’re still very strong as you showed last December. Best of luck this weekend, Miguel. Great to see you back here.

Heras: Thank you.

iRunFar: Do you want me to have some pizza for you in the race?

Heras: I’m sorry?

iRunFar: What on top?

iRunFar: Jamón, salmon…

iRunFar: Meat?

Heras: Yeah… if you want.

iRunFar: Will do.

Bryon Powell

Bryon Powell is the Founding Editor of iRunFar. He’s been writing about trail running, ultrarunning, and running gear for more than 15 years. Aside from iRunFar, he’s authored the books Relentless Forward Progress: A Guide to Running Ultramarathons and Where the Road Ends: A Guide to Trail Running, been a contributing editor at Trail Runner magazine, written for publications including Outside, Sierra, and Running Times, and coached ultrarunners of all abilities. Based in Silverton, Colorado, Bryon is an avid trail runner and ultrarunner who competes in events from the Hardrock 100 Mile just out his front door to races long and short around the world, that is, when he’s not fly fishing or tending to his garden.