Jasmin Nunige won the Ultravasan 90k for the second year in a row, once again in course record fashion. In the following interview, Jasmin talks about how she was challenged by Isabellah Andersson, how her final kilometers compared to last year’s tough stretch at the end, and what else she’ll race this year.
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Jasmin Nunige Post-2016 Ultravasan Interview Transcript
iRunFar: Bryon Powell of iRunFar here with Jasmin Nunige after her win at the 2016 Ultravasan. How are you, Jasmin?
Jasmin Nunige: Fine. I’m happy.
iRunFar: You had a good battle at the beginning of the race with Isabellah Andersson. How did that go down? How did it happen?
Nunige: She was pushing me all the time. She was just some seconds behind me. Before the sprint mid-race, she pushed very hard for the sprint. I told me to keep cool and the race was still long. Five or six kilometers later I saw she had some problems, cramps. I got her again. I continued to run, but I didn’t look back. She pushed me.
iRunFar: In mid-race, do you know if you were faster than last year, or were you about the same time?
Nunige: No, I didn’t know that we were so fast. A little bit later on my husband told me we were really running fast and, perhaps, I could beat the record. I tried to continue.
iRunFar: The second half of your race or the last third of your race was much stronger this year. What went differently?
Nunige: I really looked that I drink enough and I also eat some rice cake. I was really better and in better shape in the last kilometers. It was difficult also, but I didn’t get longer.
iRunFar: Do you think the nice cool temperatures with a little bit of rain helped you with that?
Nunige: Yes, we had really perfect conditions. It was a little bit slippery on the foot bridge, but it was just the first part. Afterwards, we had really perfect conditions
iRunFar: The course this year was a few minutes slower. It was the same conditions, but they added the more technical trail, so it was maybe five or six minutes slower. So your course record here was quite impressive. Did you think you could run that fast?
Nunige: I told you also yesterday that it’s possible to run faster than before. Last year, I had a bad last 20k, but I didn’t expect that I run so fast and with the technical part, so I’m really happy to have this new record.
iRunFar: You just ran the Swiss Alpine Marathon a few weeks ago. You won this. Are you going to take a little break, or do you have more races coming up?
Nunige: Yes, the Swiss Alpine Marathon was three weeks ago. I just continued to come here. Now in September, I don’t race. I just make some sessions of mountain running and have pleasure. In October, I do the Tour de Tyrol. It’s a three-day competition. And I do Les Templiers again.
iRunFar: Les Templiers—you’re going back there. Hopefully a win there?
Nunige: It would be a dream also, yes.
iRunFar: Best of luck there. You had a great race today and a great season so far. Enjoy.
Nunige: Thank you, Bryon. Thank you.
