Latest / RunThrough Trails / #Ep53 - Lauren Gregory | Winning OCC, Race-Day Mindset, and the Power of Supportive Competition

Transcript

#Ep53 - Lauren Gregory | Winning OCC, Race-Day Mindset, and the Power of Supportive Competition · RunThrough Trails

• 0:27
  SPEAKER_00: Hey, welcome back to the Run 3 Trials podcast.
• 0:30
  SPEAKER_00: My name is Beth, and I'm your host.
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_00: And today we have got the amazing trailrunner, Lauren Gregory, with us.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_00: She's a chairrunner from America, part of Team ACG, winner of OCC 2026, which has to be one of the best races I've ever watched in my life.
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_00: It was just an incredible watch.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_00: First at Speako, second at Broken Arrow 20K beforehand, and has had so many incredible results across her career, and there's so much more still to come.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_00: So how are you, Lauren?
• 0:59
  SPEAKER_00: I'm well.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you for having me.
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's nice to be home and settled again.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_01: So a lot of craziness, as you mentioned, but it's nice to be back.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_00: A busy year.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_00: And yeah, I can imagine it's a well-deserved rest now.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think when you're in the moment and training for things, you don't realize how much you put into it.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_01: And then on the other side, I've definitely been enjoying a nice restful fall so far.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, definitely.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_00: If we go right back, how did you get into trail running?
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I mean, this question has come up from time to time.
• 1:37
  SPEAKER_01: And it's it's interesting because it is still like kind of linked with the brand that I'm with now, which is Nike.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_01: And I grew up in Fort Collins, Colorado, which is about an hour north of Denver or like 45 minutes north of Boulder, where I live now.
• 1:52
  SPEAKER_01: And um, it's kind of backed against the foothills.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_01: So that's kind of just how we trained in high school.
• 1:57
  SPEAKER_01: And I didn't think anything of it.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_01: I thought it was a perfectly normal way to train for cross country.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but the summers were always my favorite time because that was my favorite time to train.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_01: I loved going out on the trails and it would get you, you know, fit enough for cross country, which was nice too.
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_01: But I remember going to the Nike used to host an elite camp for high schoolers, and they would fly you out and then take you on little excursions.
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_01: And they took us to Mount Hood in Oregon and had two of their trailrunners at the time um come and run with us.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_01: And that's where I learned that being a professional trail runner was even a possibility.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_01: And I remember I think I was 15 and I came home and told my whole team, I was like, guys, this is the this is the ticket, this is where it's at.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_01: So pretty much from then on, I kind of just knew that somehow if I could still be running, that's how I would want to be doing it post-collegially.
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_01: So it's kind of like something that was planted really young, and then I actually got to live it out, and I'm still living it out.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_01: But it's funny that Nike was kind of the connection for me.
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_00: Ah, that's amazing.
• 3:05
  SPEAKER_00: And it's amazing that like obviously Nike brought it into your life, and now you get to be part of the team, and like you've literally lived the dream, and like I love that because you know, why not go for big goals and then you've made it?
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_00: Like, that's so cool.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_00: And it's so nice you also had the mountains in your life from like such a young age.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_01: Definitely, yeah.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_01: Growing up in Colorado, I think you take it for granted just how nice it is to live here.
• 3:28
  SPEAKER_01: And luckily, and my parents and my brother and I like would go out and explore what there is to explore because there's so much in this state.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_01: But um, I left for college and um definitely knew what I was missing.
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm I'm happy to be back and back home and and enjoying the trails that like I remember from childhood.
• 3:49
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, I love that.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm guessing you do quite a lot of your training just at home then.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, a little I live a bit far, but um sometimes I go back to Fort Collins and and do the runs that I remember.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_01: And it's funny because I remember them being a lot more mountainous than they actually are.
• 4:07
  SPEAKER_01: So it's nice to kind of have that perspective of like, okay, what I thought was maybe um a really rugged trail is kind of just like maybe a service road and and a 1500-foot line or something.
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_01: But back back when I was young, it felt like a big adventure.
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_01: So it's fun to kind of like expand my horizons now in like a more fit and able body.
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_00: No, that's amazing.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_00: So building up to UTMB, you took part in OCC, won the race.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_00: We'll get onto that in a little bit.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_00: But how was your build to UTMB?
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_00: You did Speed Goat, which was Speed Goat your second 50k, if I believe it was, yeah.
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_00: So how was that like the plan to do Speed Goat and then go on to Ace OCC as like a bit of a build?
• 4:52
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, um man, I think I set OCC as my goal maybe end of last year.
• 5:00
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I guess end of my my season last year, because I raced the Golden Trail final in October and did the classic distance at Worlds in 2025, and then um was gonna do a qualifier for OCC in November.
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_01: Um, it did get canceled, it was out in California, so I also got a little injured.
• 5:19
  SPEAKER_01: So I canceled myself, anyways.
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_01: But pretty much since the Golden Trail final, I was like, I kind of want to experience a new community and see what maybe 50K is like.
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_01: But throughout this year, I had some moments where I was like, I don't know if I'm I'm ready to take on 50k.
• 5:38
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know if this is too much to add, like this is a big step for me.
• 5:42
  SPEAKER_01: Um and Speed Goat particularly was seen as a bit of a dress rehearsal.
• 5:47
  SPEAKER_01: I think it did pose its risks being so close to OCC, but it's a pretty rugged course out here.
• 5:53
  SPEAKER_01: And um, I think about the same amount of vert, which I needed to like make sure that time-wise I was gonna be good for around six hours, which is what we thought OCC would be, and we were correct.
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, I think doing speed go just gave me a lot of confidence in that maybe I can test out fueling for that long, I can test out what I'm wearing, um, and kind of just how I would respond to that distance.
• 6:20
  SPEAKER_01: But I think next year in in following years, I probably wouldn't do a six-hour 50k that close to OCC, but it did, it did give me kind of that like peace of mind that I think helped a lot going into OCC REL.
• 6:33
  SPEAKER_01: So I probably would have been a little bit more nervous than I was.
• 6:36
  SPEAKER_00: Well, you just talked about how it was a step up in distance and OCC, they stepped up the distance from what it initially was.
• 6:43
  SPEAKER_00: I'm guessing when you entered.
• 6:45
  SPEAKER_00: Like, what was your reaction when you found out that they'd increased it to 60k and increased the elevation?
• 6:52
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think probably my approach to most things is like coping just through humor.
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_01: And if you're not laughing, you're crying.
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_01: So I think it's always just funny when you go into a trail race thinking it's a set distance, especially from someone who comes from a track background where it's obviously an extremely set distance.
• 7:12
  SPEAKER_01: But I've been in plenty of trail races before where even it's advertised as a said amount of kilometers, and then I'm doing my little course research beforehand.
• 7:21
  SPEAKER_01: Like, I think it's three more kilometers in what they're advertising, which is nearly two miles extra, which for me, you know, is like a good amount more distance.
• 7:30
  SPEAKER_01: And this was the case where I think they added probably six miles onto the course or 10k roughly.
• 7:38
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but I think the way I train is through time.
• 7:42
  SPEAKER_01: So to me, like as long as I know the overall time to shoot for, it's less like nerve-wracking.
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_01: So I think that's how I kind of cope with it is maybe just funny and then have to reframe like, okay, maybe a previously five to five and a half hour race is now a six, and that's just what it is.
• 7:59
  SPEAKER_01: So to me, the time makes it sound a little less daunting than jumping up in a distance that previously scared me and then is even longer than before.
• 8:08
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, I think mentally I wasn't that rocked because it was more just funny a little bit.
• 8:14
  SPEAKER_00: It's the best way of looking at things, you know?
• 8:16
  SPEAKER_00: Because you know, if you don't laugh, why cry, you know?
• 8:19
  SPEAKER_00: Exactly, exactly.
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_01: Like it can be funny in a in a certain light, yeah.
• 8:24
  SPEAKER_00: No, I love that approach.
• 8:26
  SPEAKER_00: And why get stressed about, you know, it's out of your control.
• 8:29
  SPEAKER_00: And yeah, when you put it like what's an extra half an hour, you know, when your legs are really burning and you're not good and you just want it over.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 8:38
  SPEAKER_01: Right, just like a few more gels, that's it.
• 8:40
  SPEAKER_01: Um and I didn't really get to recon the course that much.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_01: Um, because this year was supposed to be a bit of a recon, anyways, for future years.
• 8:49
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 8:50
  SPEAKER_01: And so I think even any change they would add, I'm like, was already gonna be new to me.
• 8:56
  SPEAKER_01: So why get you worried about it, you know?
• 8:59
  SPEAKER_00: No, I love that.
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_00: And if anything, I guess the people that have done the course many, many times, it kind of made it a bit more of a level playing field.
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_00: Like, don't wrong most of the course was the same, but it's new for everyone, which adds its benefits for people that it's their first time doing the course.
• 9:14
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and I think Trail is is pretty interesting in the sense that you really rarely get to see the full course, anyways.
• 9:22
  SPEAKER_01: And so I usually, anyways to any race, no matter the distance, do a pretty like thorough deep dive of it on apps like Strava or even just like the UTMB um website.
• 9:34
  SPEAKER_01: And so you can really get to know a little bit like mentally what the course is gonna be like and be able to conceptualize what you're getting yourself into.
• 9:42
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm used to doing that anyways for courses.
• 9:44
  SPEAKER_01: This is just maybe another like three hours of doing it.
• 9:49
  SPEAKER_01: So um yeah, I think luckily there's enough information out there about that area that and I mean I found like full course run-throughs on YouTube.
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_01: So even that to be able to kind of see the terrain was was really nice.
• 10:02
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so it's nice that trail, like even though you are kind of just out there for the first time, you can get a pretty good understanding of what you're getting yourself into beforehand.
• 10:12
  SPEAKER_00: No, so true.
• 10:13
  SPEAKER_00: So I've watched like your race vlogs and your YouTube channel, which I absolutely love, and I definitely recommend to everyone who's listening.
• 10:20
  SPEAKER_00: But I remember seeing on your like pre-race vlogs that you had a few Achilles problems, I think it was, and like the week before well, two weeks before the race before going out, you weren't running as much.
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_00: Did you like did that put you in like in a I don't know, more nervous position going into the race, or was it like once you got to the start line, you were like, actually, I'm okay?
• 10:41
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah.
• 10:42
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, for better, I mean, the blessing of this whole build was I was remarkably healthy throughout the whole thing, like from December on, I've just had no real blips, no illness, no nothing, which is very, very rare.
• 11:00
  SPEAKER_01: So luckily, I think when something popped up in my Achilles, like I alarmed it really fast because obviously the race was coming.
• 11:08
  SPEAKER_01: And being like living in this area, you have plenty of resources.
• 11:12
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm a very verbal processor, and the YouTube helps me a lot because I can kind of like behind the scenes put a lot into a clip and then just really work through it verbally.
• 11:22
  SPEAKER_01: But I also have like a doctor out here, so I don't know, like I can get on it really quickly, and I also see a PT and massage therapist, so I pretty much have every resource while I'm here.
• 11:33
  SPEAKER_01: And Nike did bring on a PT and a massage therapist for while we were out there, but it was really nice almost that I wasn't already in Europe because I like could see all my people and and really talk through a plan and kind of cut back.
• 11:48
  SPEAKER_01: I think all I did was bike a long run and bike a workout.
• 11:51
  SPEAKER_01: So it wasn't that much of an adjustment.
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but I could also get treatment here and then the whole plan was to calm it down here and then get to Europe and not have it occupying any of my brain space.
• 12:04
  SPEAKER_01: And that was about exactly how it played out.
• 12:07
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I think it was a nice kind of like, you know, reminder, like something's knocking at the door, you know, you've you've really pushed it for a while.
• 12:16
  SPEAKER_01: Like, let's maybe like assess this when you come home and give it the respect it deserves.
• 12:22
  SPEAKER_01: So that's kind of how I took that.
• 12:24
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm really glad it didn't impact my race at all.
• 12:26
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and luckily because the build was so smooth, a little blip just really didn't impact the overall fitness that I had built.
• 12:34
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and so it didn't really bash my confidence all that much.
• 12:37
  SPEAKER_01: I think the only thing that would have bothered me is if I was mentally putting energy towards that on race week or on race day, and that's not what happened.
• 12:45
  SPEAKER_01: So managed it as best as possible, but always a little stressful for sure.
• 12:50
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, no, I can't even imagine like I'd be very stressed.
• 12:54
  SPEAKER_00: But it's good that it was like one of those things that wouldn't like and then you could have you could have run through it, you know what I mean?
• 13:00
  SPEAKER_00: And then it would have been a completely different outcome.
• 13:02
  SPEAKER_00: So it's like being level headed and being like, okay, I'm just gonna step back now, and then it all worked out.
• 13:07
  SPEAKER_00: So winning.
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_01: And honestly, I'm not I'm not always the most level headed, but I have people around me who are, and they just have to like keep telling me, you know, it's it's gonna be okay.
• 13:17
  SPEAKER_01: You've done everything.
• 13:18
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm like, oh yeah, you're right, you're right.
• 13:20
  SPEAKER_01: You know, like so, even if you're not the most level-headed person, I'm pretty like emotionally invested in in how I do.
• 13:28
  SPEAKER_01: And so I don't know, but having people around that are are pretty stable is helpful as well.
• 13:33
  SPEAKER_01: So there's two ways to go about it.
• 13:36
  SPEAKER_00: No, it's a sign of a good team, so yeah, amazing.
• 13:40
  SPEAKER_00: So talking of OCC, the race itself, so it was 60k with 3,000 and so meters elevation for those who aren't so familiar with the race.
• 13:51
  SPEAKER_00: So we'll get on to the finish, but if we tackle the first half first.
• 13:56
  SPEAKER_00: So you were kind of not sat towards the back, but in you weren't in the lead pack.
• 14:00
  SPEAKER_00: Naomi went off from the first ascent, I believe, and she was leading it.
• 14:06
  SPEAKER_00: And then you were sat further back.
• 14:07
  SPEAKER_00: Was that kind of your race strategy, or was it just I'm gonna sit at my pace and I end up where I end up?
• 14:13
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think a bit of both the race strategy was to kind of go off of my own effort.
• 14:19
  SPEAKER_01: And we've been training off of heart rate a good amount because I live at altitude, so it's a bit hard to like hit pace exactly to C level and know exactly what that's like.
• 14:29
  SPEAKER_01: But I kind of knew the heart rate I could about sustain as long as I was fueling.
• 14:33
  SPEAKER_01: So kind of was just chilling, and and Naomi and I were running together for a little bit in like the first 90 minutes or so, and I saw her kind of make an attack, and maybe she helped me kind of like move my legs a little faster on the descent because she's so good at that.
• 14:47
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but we still had just so much racing, and I think because this was my first OCC, my first race of a 60k with that much vert, I was really respecting kind of what we still had to do on the day.
• 15:01
  SPEAKER_01: And um, I think that was helpful because maybe I didn't feel amazing enough to go out with that lead pack, because it just felt a little bit above the effort that I should be putting out in the first hour.
• 15:12
  SPEAKER_01: And um, I do think that helped though, because in the moment it was a little stressful.
• 15:17
  SPEAKER_01: I was like, they're either gonna come back or they're not, and that's gonna really change how the day goes.
• 15:23
  SPEAKER_01: So luckily, I mean, I kind of just stayed put and and slowly started moving up throughout the first maybe three hours of the race, but that's not even half.
• 15:32
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, that's about halfway.
• 15:34
  SPEAKER_01: So I think um it was nice that I was able to maybe move up and be able to respect how much time we still had to go because it was a little stressful.
• 15:44
  SPEAKER_01: And I think in a shorter race, you would be a little more nervous about letting the front pack go because they often don't come back to you.
• 15:49
  SPEAKER_01: But in this scenario, it did work, and that was kind of what my coach told me to do.
• 15:54
  SPEAKER_01: So I did execute the plan.
• 15:56
  SPEAKER_01: It was maybe fortuitous that I didn't feel great from the start because I didn't push those higher like effort levels, but yeah, I guess it did turn around or people just came back to me.
• 16:05
  SPEAKER_01: I don't still know which one was what happened.
• 16:09
  SPEAKER_01: But it worked, so it worked, it worked, and yeah, we could talk about the end later, but it did end up being like a more sustainable pace than I think my competitors had, which was just a little bit of luck and a little bit of skill.
• 16:23
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know.
• 16:24
  SPEAKER_00: No, I love that.
• 16:25
  SPEAKER_00: So coming into Cold Bomb, Sarah had a two-minute lead on you, and then I think um Naomi was a further like 90 seconds or so ahead of Sarah.
• 16:36
  SPEAKER_00: So still like you've obviously got time in these races because, like you said, it's a six-hour race, like it's you've got time to make up, but like it still seemed like quite a big gap.
• 16:44
  SPEAKER_00: I think you've just overtaken Judith at this point.
• 16:47
  SPEAKER_00: You're I think that's when you enter third place.
• 16:49
  SPEAKER_00: Were you kind of at that moment, like, maybe I could win it, or did it still feel a bit out of reach?
• 16:55
  SPEAKER_01: I think what was interesting, and it was probably from that point on, because you see a lot more of your people or just people cheering and spectating, and 90 seconds in front of you is enough to not see them ever.
• 17:08
  SPEAKER_01: And so you don't really have eyes on the person in front of you, which makes it really difficult to feel like you're in it or like you could close.
• 17:16
  SPEAKER_01: And so everyone kept telling me my distance back, and I mean, they were believing in me almost more than I was at that point, and that was kind of the theme for the next like two or three hours was, or maybe two and a half hours from Cold De Bomb on, was people believing in me, maybe more than I was in that situation, because they were like, You look great, you know, you look better than them, and like really kind of putting that into perspective for me.
• 17:41
  SPEAKER_01: And you don't know because they're strangers, so you don't know what that means, or if they're like truly timing your distance gap, you know, or your time gap.
• 17:49
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm like, okay, I've heard 90 seconds about 300 times to this point.
• 17:53
  SPEAKER_01: Like, is it 90?
• 17:55
  SPEAKER_01: I've heard also 60, I've also heard two minutes, you know, you don't know where you fall.
• 17:59
  SPEAKER_01: But it was nice to hear that people were like believing in me even though I couldn't see them.
• 18:04
  SPEAKER_01: And so I think having that in the back of my mind the whole time is like maybe it is still a possibility.
• 18:10
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and it kind of kept me going at my pace, but I think I was just chugging along at a pace that felt right for me in that moment, and um, I did still feel really good.
• 18:20
  SPEAKER_01: So I felt like that was promising considering I still had three-ish hours left of racing.
• 18:25
  SPEAKER_01: Um, yeah, I think I was more still like just trying to manage my own energy and not think too far ahead.
• 18:31
  SPEAKER_01: But it was a little stressful because I was like, they're not exactly coming back.
• 18:35
  SPEAKER_01: Like I haven't closed the gap per se.
• 18:38
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, I think in that moment it was kind of like balancing, believing in myself, but also realizing like maybe they're not.
• 18:44
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know.
• 18:45
  SPEAKER_01: But it did end up playing out a little bit differently.
• 18:49
  SPEAKER_00: No, it must be so hard though, when you've got people telling you all different things, like is it 60?
• 18:54
  SPEAKER_00: Is it two minutes?
• 18:55
  SPEAKER_00: Is it more?
• 18:56
  SPEAKER_00: Like it's it must be hard when you've got loads of people yelling at you different things.
• 19:01
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 19:01
  SPEAKER_01: And it would be a lot more believable if I could see a hat or like yeah, Naomi somewhere off in the distance.
• 19:07
  SPEAKER_01: But when it's just empty space and you're very much so alone, it's like, okay, are you sure like I'm not seeing anyone?
• 19:16
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, I mean, it's it was nice to be getting those um little reminders, but it was almost surprising how many people because after the race, some people were asking me, like, oh, did you know that you were that close the whole time?
• 19:29
  SPEAKER_01: I'm like, Oh, I knew every single step of the way almost from like cold bomb on how close I was to them, which I think does help because it's it's nicer to be chasing than to be chased.
• 19:40
  SPEAKER_01: So it was nice to have those reminders, but definitely was, you know, I'm like, okay, well, what does that like distance-wise conceptually look like?
• 19:49
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, it's it's a little different on the trails than it would be on the roads or on the track where you can actually see a pack in front of you.
• 19:58
  SPEAKER_01: When was the first time that you saw Sara?
• 20:01
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and not until that climb.
• 20:05
  SPEAKER_01: Uh the last little like punchy short climb up to Petit Balcon, which I guess is probably 5k to go.
• 20:14
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so yeah, that's where I saw Sarah for the first time, kind of at the top of that.
• 20:18
  SPEAKER_01: And then that kind of is when things started closing in.
• 20:21
  SPEAKER_01: But yeah.
• 20:23
  SPEAKER_00: Because you overtook Sara at 5 hours 56.
• 20:27
  SPEAKER_00: There's only 12 minutes of racing left to go, which is crazy that you moved up very quickly.
• 20:33
  SPEAKER_00: But to be fair, you did look a lot stronger.
• 20:36
  SPEAKER_00: And there wasn't like Sarah didn't try and continue.
• 20:39
  SPEAKER_00: I think she was aware that you were going faster.
• 20:42
  SPEAKER_00: Was there any communication when you went past, or was it just a you're both kind of bet dying and just straight past kind of thing?
• 20:49
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think it was a bit of like a controlled focus dying because even before then, um, you know, I've been closing since who knows when.
• 20:58
  SPEAKER_01: Like the gap started shrinking at some point.
• 21:00
  SPEAKER_01: But and and you start to see more people, and everyone is like tearing me on, thinking I can catch, even not just Sarah, but first place as well.
• 21:09
  SPEAKER_01: And so you know, I passed people, I passed people, and the last 10k was relatively flat or probably like net downhill from Argentina on, and you're on like a tow path almost, like a I don't know, uh a why, not really a trail kind of flowy.
• 21:28
  SPEAKER_01: And I had seen one of my ACG teammates, and he was like, you know, you're moving better than them, but until you actually see yourself closing a gap, you're like, Are you sure?
• 21:40
  SPEAKER_01: Because like I'm not moving great.
• 21:41
  SPEAKER_01: And I think that was a a lesson I learned was that maybe in my head, like the idea of closing well or strong felt a lot different than it actually did in the race, because you you're still on legs that have already run 55 kilometers.
• 21:58
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so it was hard.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_01: To even believe that I was like moving that well because it didn't feel amazing or like smooth or strong in and of itself.
• 22:07
  SPEAKER_01: But um I think it is just like whoever's dying the least at that point.
• 22:11
  SPEAKER_01: And luckily, like I had managed my energy well enough to do that.
• 22:15
  SPEAKER_00: So you overtook Sara, and then that was then when you caught on to Naomi quite shortly afterwards.
• 22:22
  SPEAKER_00: But the I was actually stood at the moment that you overtook Naomi, and it was like maybe like 400 meters to go, well no, a bit longer than 400 meters to go, but it really was not far from the finish.
• 22:35
  SPEAKER_00: And I've heard in other interviews that Naomi was like not aware that you were that close until you basically overtook her and she did come for a little bit.
• 22:44
  SPEAKER_00: Did you think it was gonna be like probably the fastest 400 meters potential of your life because you'd be fighting it out?
• 22:49
  SPEAKER_00: Or did you think that you had it and you could just like glide past?
• 22:54
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think that's where being the chaser is really helpful because I could kind of tell, like, hey, if I've been able to close this down to this point, like I'm obviously feeling better.
• 23:06
  SPEAKER_01: And um, unless like she had, and I highly doubted she had decided to like coast it in at any point because Sarah wasn't that far behind her either.
• 23:15
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, I think, but knowing that, hey, like I've closed a gap, I still feel pretty good in checking in with myself.
• 23:23
  SPEAKER_01: Um, that being said, I kind of didn't like I had been walking in Chamony all week and seeing one K to go sign.
• 23:31
  SPEAKER_01: But when you pass it and I'm in the race, like I had no idea how close I actually was to the finish.
• 23:37
  SPEAKER_01: And sometimes these races will like move you around town, or next thing you know, you're like doing some circle and another climb.
• 23:44
  SPEAKER_01: So I was kind of like, crap, like, you know, I know how much I have left in my body, but if I push too soon, like it could be catastrophic.
• 23:54
  SPEAKER_01: And it's kind of having some of like the late race cramps start to hit.
• 23:57
  SPEAKER_01: And so it's like I don't want to step on the gas too hard and then just have things seize up.
• 24:03
  SPEAKER_01: And I just knew that was a moment I couldn't fumble really.
• 24:06
  SPEAKER_01: So um also it's incredibly loud when you come in.
• 24:10
  SPEAKER_01: And I had headphones in, but that wasn't even the problem.
• 24:13
  SPEAKER_01: It's just so many cheers, and everyone like invested in this race now, which was really exciting to be a part of.
• 24:20
  SPEAKER_01: But I honestly could not hear or really know what Naomi was doing behind me.
• 24:25
  SPEAKER_01: But I think because I knew I had the momentum and I wasn't slowing down, like even if she was gonna stick on me, like I had another gear if necessary, and um knowing that like maybe I can celebrate, but I'm not gonna slow down, like kind of kind of carry the momentum and and you it's not over till it's over, kind of thing.
• 24:46
  SPEAKER_01: But yeah, that finish was different for me in the moment than it is watching it on the live stream, like even watching the Instagram reels after I was like, hmm, that's different than how I thought in that moment.
• 24:59
  SPEAKER_01: But um yeah, I think the whole thing was just like absolutely absurd how that all played out, really.
• 25:07
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 25:07
  SPEAKER_00: And it was just incredible that like the women's finish had the most views that UTM V has ever had.
• 25:13
  SPEAKER_00: It had more views than the men's finish, which I think is just crazy empowering for like women's face and trail running.
• 25:19
  SPEAKER_00: And then I just absolutely loved like first of all, your reaction that you'd actually won it because you looked very shocked.
• 25:24
  SPEAKER_00: I think five minutes ago it was you're in second place, and 10 minutes ago you were in third place, you know, you've just had essentially the race of your life.
• 25:32
  SPEAKER_00: And then to also see Naomi's face of just how happy she was for you.
• 25:37
  SPEAKER_00: Like, she could have quite easily been like, I was winning that race for so long, and now I didn't.
• 25:41
  SPEAKER_00: Like, she was so happy to come second and so happy to see you win.
• 25:45
  SPEAKER_00: Like, did that mean a lot for you taking that win?
• 25:49
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 25:50
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, I think yes, oh my gosh.
• 25:53
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, absolutely, especially since we started the race together and like chatting and and talking, and and we are like quite close as friends just throughout doing kind of the same race series and kind of being a pretty similar personality and enjoying a lot of the same things about trails.
• 26:10
  SPEAKER_01: So we get along really well.
• 26:12
  SPEAKER_01: And I think when I saw, I mean, running with her, she passes me early on, and I see her take off, and I'm like, that's awesome! Like you, you go, girl.
• 26:22
  SPEAKER_01: Like, I hope, I hope you do well, you know.
• 26:24
  SPEAKER_01: So I I like remember having that conscious thought of like rooting for her and and being really happy that she was having such a strong day, and I wasn't sure quite yet like how my day was gonna go, but um then I think in return, me finishing and her just being so like elated for me winning, but also her doing so well.
• 26:46
  SPEAKER_01: And I think at the end of it, like competition and all you want out of racing is just to give it your all, and she can, you know, rest easy knowing that she did exactly like what she could to to do that and probably learned so much.
• 27:02
  SPEAKER_01: And I really appreciate her not being pissed at me because I did kind of the the more like sit and kick approach, which is not, you know, as commendable as leading from the front, but I hope one day to have the courage to be able to do that, what she was able to do for so long, and um just to have her to celebrate with after, because I don't think in any world she's upset with second, and in no world would I have been upset with second.
• 27:27
  SPEAKER_01: So to be like pretty equally excited for each other no matter the outcome.
• 27:31
  SPEAKER_01: Even if I had a terrible race and she won, I'd be so excited for her.
• 27:35
  SPEAKER_01: So knowing that like the friendship is there before, during, and after is a really sweet and unique part of racing, and I think it's pretty unique to trail because I think in other sports it's very head-to-head, but I think in trail particularly, and maybe as the longer you go, it's also you versus your like the elements or the course or just the day, and I think that can eliminate kind of that head-to-head like cattiness or fierceness, which maybe we both don't really have that much, you know.
• 28:06
  SPEAKER_01: We're not like trying to destroy each other, like we're not each other's like true opponents.
• 28:12
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, I don't know.
• 28:13
  SPEAKER_01: That was a really special thing to be a part of, and cool that it's probably good marketing for women's sports, because I think a lot of women might resonate with being friends, and you can be friends throughout the competition, not just before and after.
• 28:28
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 28:28
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 28:29
  SPEAKER_00: No, I think it it was honestly like so beautiful to watch, and it's just so nice to also hear it.
• 28:35
  SPEAKER_00: Like, and I think especially young women now growing up in this sport, like seeing stuff like that, not only is it super exciting to watch women's sports, but it's also super nice that it doesn't need to be like obviously it's competitive, you know, everyone wants to win and all those kind of things, but you can still also have those really positive connections, you can still make friends on these places, and it doesn't need to be like really brutal, like cutthroat, like competitive.
• 29:00
  SPEAKER_00: And it's nice to see like there was like when Jingle Word over took Tony, like that was a really beautiful moment too.
• 29:08
  SPEAKER_00: And I think UTMV this year, like the women's races, like there's gonna be so much that is remembered forever.
• 29:14
  SPEAKER_00: Like that finished is gonna go down in history.
• 29:17
  SPEAKER_00: Like this, it was just like women were leading the way, like it was just such an exciting year to watch women's race.
• 29:23
  SPEAKER_01: And I don't know wrong, it's always exciting, but it was a really good and I I agree.
• 29:28
  SPEAKER_01: I think even that it's all unscripted, you know, like you can't force or write up what Naomi did, like smiling and and partially clapping for me as I'm charging to beat her, you know, like that's not something you plan out or ahead of time, like you're not putting on a show, that's just genuinely how you are.
• 29:49
  SPEAKER_01: And I I think maybe some women or people can resonate with like competition not being one way.
• 29:57
  SPEAKER_01: You don't have to be one specific way to be a winner or a competitor.
• 30:02
  SPEAKER_01: Like you can kind of hold both, and I think maybe that's kind of what the theme was in UTMB this year, just like you can both be supportive and competitive at the same time.
• 30:13
  SPEAKER_01: And sometimes those don't always go together historically, but there's not one way to be a competitor.
• 30:19
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I just think that's a cool message for maybe people that don't resonate with being so like I don't know, cutthroat or something like that.
• 30:28
  SPEAKER_00: No, it's so true.
• 30:29
  SPEAKER_00: And you guys would have had the well, I hope you guys had the best time.
• 30:33
  SPEAKER_00: Like, you know what I mean?
• 30:34
  SPEAKER_00: Like just because people might be more competitive or be more like not happy for other people, like it doesn't make you enjoy the experience anymore.
• 30:42
  SPEAKER_00: Like it just makes the sport better by having these positive moments.
• 30:45
  SPEAKER_00: So I really hope that a lot of people have like learned from that.
• 30:49
  SPEAKER_00: But going on from like you won OCC, has life been different since, or have you, yeah, how has things been since winning OCC?
• 30:58
  SPEAKER_01: I think the few days following in Chamony were a lot different than I had anticipated.
• 31:04
  SPEAKER_01: But I think what's really cool about doing that race for the first time and winning is I had no concept for what any of that whole week or weekend was gonna look like.
• 31:14
  SPEAKER_01: And it was cool to just be experiencing everything brand new.
• 31:18
  SPEAKER_01: And even we did things before the race that maybe I wouldn't do otherwise, but I got to go to the expo and like walk around and I think I I just thoroughly soaked in like what that week was about.
• 31:29
  SPEAKER_01: Um, because that was also my first time experiencing UTMB week.
• 31:33
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, I think that all in in and of itself was really chaotic, but really fun.
• 31:38
  SPEAKER_01: And and of course, like winning made it so much more special.
• 31:42
  SPEAKER_01: And my training partner from Boulder flew out um just to support and hang out, and my boyfriend was out there too.
• 31:50
  SPEAKER_01: So we got to kind of enjoy like our little friend group and and obviously like the whole ACG team who I love was out there too.
• 31:59
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, I don't know, it was it was really fun just to have so much support, and you're not really celebrating alone, you're like celebrating with your friends and your brand and everyone around.
• 32:08
  SPEAKER_01: So then to follow, I guess you know, you have to come down from that high.
• 32:13
  SPEAKER_01: And uh that's taken a little while, and and now I'm kind of just settling back into home, which is great, and I'm really grateful to love where I live and love my friends and my community, so it's kind of like nice to just look forward to coming back.
• 32:26
  SPEAKER_01: It doesn't feel like a letdown.
• 32:28
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but yeah, the rhythm's about the same, and I'm just kind of like sitting in what to do next, which is always fun, but kind of enjoying because usually you don't leave races feeling completely satisfied or content, but this time I did.
• 32:43
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm kind of like enjoying the fact that maybe I don't need to prove anything else to myself, or I don't feel like, oh, I need to use this fitness and try to do it better.
• 32:55
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know.
• 32:56
  SPEAKER_01: It's just really nice to be content, and I don't want to take that for granted because I know that's not often how you leave races.
• 33:03
  SPEAKER_00: No, I love that, and it's nice to leave a race because, like you said, it's a very, very rare moment to leave a race content.
• 33:09
  SPEAKER_00: So, and I think it's very clear that you and Naomi did give it your all.
• 33:13
  SPEAKER_00: So it's a well-deserved content feeling.
• 33:16
  SPEAKER_00: But do you have an do you have an idea of what you want to do next?
• 33:20
  SPEAKER_00: Can we expect to see you at OCC again next year, or is it still very much in the planning progress?
• 33:26
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think I need to see kind of maybe what Golden Trail decides to do.
• 33:32
  SPEAKER_01: Because I'm definitely not looking to step up in distance from OCC.
• 33:36
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and next year is a worlds year, which I definitely want to be a part of.
• 33:40
  SPEAKER_01: And so I kind of have to see what the US qualifiers are gonna be for that.
• 33:44
  SPEAKER_01: Um, there's just quite a few things and pieces to to slot into next year.
• 33:50
  SPEAKER_01: And I like that about trail because as opposed to tracker, maybe there's always a worlds or an Olympics to build towards.
• 33:56
  SPEAKER_01: It's like such a different schedule and different seasons and kind of a different game of chess to play how you're gonna peak at what time and do races that you just want to do.
• 34:07
  SPEAKER_01: But in the raised category, the only one I have that I would really like to do is a gamma for next year.
• 34:12
  SPEAKER_01: So that's all I have currently on the schedule.
• 34:15
  SPEAKER_01: Um, we'll see what happens after that.
• 34:18
  SPEAKER_01: I'm not sure if I'm gonna do anything else this year.
• 34:20
  SPEAKER_01: As I said, I'm feeling a little content at the moment, but I'm still kind of just toying with the idea of maybe maybe a marathon at the end of the year, but also feeling a little unmotivated at the moment.
• 34:32
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, in a good way.
• 34:33
  SPEAKER_01: But yeah, that's kind of just we're weighing like how how into getting back on the grind I'm I'm really feeling.
• 34:41
  SPEAKER_01: But it's also getting cooler here in Boulder and I love the fall.
• 34:44
  SPEAKER_01: So kind of just want to enjoy like running and training out here just for fun.
• 34:49
  SPEAKER_00: No, I love that.
• 34:50
  SPEAKER_00: Do you get snow like over the winter where you are?
• 34:53
  SPEAKER_00: We used to, yeah.
• 34:55
  SPEAKER_01: In theory, we're supposed to be like a winter state um last year, which maybe this was something to do with like a niño or a La Nino year.
• 35:05
  SPEAKER_01: I'm I'm not really sure which one, but we didn't have any snow over the winter, and it worked out a little well for me because I was training for some road races in the f in the early spring.
• 35:16
  SPEAKER_01: So I was able to train consistently all winter, but we'll see.
• 35:20
  SPEAKER_01: I think I would like for us to get snow so we could go, you know, cross-country skiing or get into some skiing stuff and just playing outside in the mountains.
• 35:30
  SPEAKER_01: But luckily, like the trails are very dry.
• 35:32
  SPEAKER_01: This is a very dry place, so really most times of the year you can get out on trail or um on the roads, and it's good running seasonally, but I would like maybe a little bit more variation in the seasons because I do like winter, but yeah, so we don't know.
• 35:47
  SPEAKER_01: It we used to get more snow, not not so much from what I've seen so far anymore, but hopefully.
• 35:52
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, fair.
• 35:53
  SPEAKER_00: Because it is interesting how like some trail runners, it's just like snow winter, so it's just treadmill and skiing, and then some people they can run all year around.
• 36:01
  SPEAKER_00: Like it's so interesting how everyone's kind of strategy and training's so different.
• 36:06
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and boulder is a good mixed bag because we get so much sun.
• 36:10
  SPEAKER_01: So occasionally the trails will be icy, but for the most part, things melt off like very quickly, which I'm a big sun proponent, so I'm really happy with with winter here as opposed to maybe other parts of the US or of the world.
• 36:22
  SPEAKER_01: So we're very fortunate to have good like 300 something days of sunny year.
• 36:28
  SPEAKER_00: Definitely a lot more days than we get in the UK.
• 36:31
  SPEAKER_01: I agree.
• 36:32
  SPEAKER_01: No, I mean I can only imagine, and I don't think I'm I'm up for any of that.
• 36:38
  SPEAKER_01: I think I would just crumble up and die.
• 36:40
  SPEAKER_01: I'm not gonna lie.
• 36:42
  SPEAKER_00: No, very valid.
• 36:44
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I feel like that too.
• 36:45
  SPEAKER_00: It feels like it's just like it was such a dry summer, and now it just feels like it's rained every day for too many days now.
• 36:51
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm that's right.
• 36:52
  SPEAKER_00: Right, like can we get a mix?
• 36:54
  SPEAKER_01: Can we just can we just blend not one or the other?
• 36:58
  SPEAKER_01: And I always do feel bad for like people who live in the UK and stuff, because I complain like if it's cloudy for a few days, and I really respect the resiliency of people who can handle multiple days of clouds in a row because I am just an absolute like Goldilocks or something.
• 37:16
  SPEAKER_01: Like, if it's not many days of sun, I am like not the same person.
• 37:20
  SPEAKER_01: So I am really, really in awe of people who can like still function in the clouds, which would be nice if I could maybe get a little bit more resilient to to weather in that way.
• 37:32
  SPEAKER_00: Oh no, that's so funny.
• 37:34
  SPEAKER_00: Well, anyway, every episode I ask um the guest to bring a piece of trail news, and I bring a piece of trail news.
• 37:41
  SPEAKER_00: So, Lauren, what is your piece of trail knees?
• 37:44
  SPEAKER_01: I guess I I thought of two, because the first one that came to mind is like a pretty sad part of trail news in the world right now.
• 37:52
  SPEAKER_01: But if we do need to turn it into something a little more positive, I can also use the secondary.
• 37:57
  SPEAKER_01: But I did want to mention like the death of Kaylee on the Matterhorn and how terribly sad that has made me feel and like just thinking about her family and her community in British Columbia and people that we know, because this is maybe the first time in my life in Trail where I actually like know someone who's passed, and we had actually spoken with her in Chamonix that week, and it makes you realize like, why did we just interact for a good 10 minutes or so in in the street?
• 38:30
  SPEAKER_01: Like, why didn't we just sit down and get a coffee and catch up?
• 38:32
  SPEAKER_01: And so I think for me personally, like reflecting on catching up with these friends, kind of like Naomi, where you build this relationship over racing and and you know, you don't know anything about their home life or what car they drive or what their house looks like, but you know them pretty well because you spend immersive time together on trips.
• 38:54
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but yeah, kind of just thinking about that and and kind of really recognizing that trail is an adventure sport and it is a like mountain sport as well.
• 39:05
  SPEAKER_01: And we're not in climbing where the the deaths happen pretty often or mountaineering as much, um, which is fortunate, I guess, but it's a good reminder that like what we do is relatively dangerous and there are degrees to it, and even if it's the best person you know at this type of activity, it's still dangerous, but it's like the risk that you want to take.
• 39:28
  SPEAKER_01: But yeah, it just really made me like reflect on what this sport is and the community as well.
• 39:34
  SPEAKER_01: And I really do feel for her family and friends and everyone back at home.
• 39:39
  SPEAKER_01: But yeah, that's been a little heavy recently, but it seems like everyone in the media and everything is is really like paying their respects, and everyone has nothing but kind things to say about Kaylee because she really was such a light.
• 39:54
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but she's very missed.
• 39:56
  SPEAKER_01: And yeah, I think that's that's probably the most recent trial news that's hit me pretty hard.
• 40:01
  SPEAKER_00: No, it is really sad, and it just puts things into perspective.
• 40:05
  SPEAKER_00: Like it's really beautiful that everyone's been sharing such like beautiful photos of her and memories and stuff like that.
• 40:11
  SPEAKER_00: But it I think those things like it's nice that Hillary has almost turned, which I'm guessing was your second piece of trial news, um, like the negative and all positive and like kind of celebrated it, right?
• 40:22
  SPEAKER_00: But like it is one of those things that it's really sad and it almost makes you like cherish everything so much more, which is kind of a shame that something bad has to happen for us to cherish things more, but it does put things in perspective of like yeah, we shouldn't take these things for granted, and yeah, absolutely like paying respects to all the family and friends in this time.
• 40:45
  SPEAKER_00: But I don't really want to go on and talk about Hillary's challenge.
• 40:50
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah.
• 40:51
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, I really uh respect Hillary's openness with kind of her relationship with Kaylee and how that's colored the project she already had planned.
• 41:03
  SPEAKER_01: Because sometimes people do projects in tribute to a friend or like dedicate something to a friend, and and this was like something that they had planned to do together that now Hillary is like carrying on on her own.
• 41:16
  SPEAKER_01: And also, I can't imagine the immense amount of stress of like being in this event that you've created for yourself, this FKT, and and also being a huge part of what I have read is like the rescue and and coordinating with her family and being someone who's really competent in the mountains as well, like helping kind of paint the picture for what went down.
• 41:40
  SPEAKER_01: Um both of those things are like incredible stressors, one on one hand being the the event you're about to do and the expedition you're about to take on with kind of handling this whole other stress.
• 41:53
  SPEAKER_01: And I really admire her ability to hold both and still um kind of be able to reflect and know whether she can go after it or not.
• 42:03
  SPEAKER_01: But to be able to do both is is astounding, and it's really just shows like the athlete that she is because it's not just about performance, it's also about being a person and a good person at that.
• 42:14
  SPEAKER_01: And I think it's been really inspiring to see her ability to do both.
• 42:19
  SPEAKER_01: So that's kind of what m I have thought about that whole um thing just just observing on social media.
• 42:26
  SPEAKER_01: I haven't looked into it too much, but yeah.
• 42:29
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, no, I think it's amazing.
• 42:31
  SPEAKER_00: Like Hillary is such a positive, like go-getter kind of person, and like you said, like to be able to carry both stresses and kind of go on and still do it, even though obviously this must have had a huge impact and this must be like an incredible emotional journey.
• 42:48
  SPEAKER_00: But it's nice that she's kind of still decided to go on with it and yeah, absolutely respect her and best of luck to Hillary with the trailer.
• 42:59
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, she's going for the fastest known time of the length of Corsica.
• 43:03
  SPEAKER_00: So there's like on Hillary.
• 43:04
  SPEAKER_00: I think by the time this episode comes out, it would have already happened, but definitely check out Hillary's Instagram to see how she's getting on.
• 43:11
  SPEAKER_00: It feels like I now shouldn't do my pizza trownies, because but you know, yeah, go for it.
• 43:16
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, I think I just I think that was just the first thing that came to mind.
• 43:20
  SPEAKER_01: So I just I just could I thought about it.
• 43:23
  SPEAKER_01: But I mean, obviously there's like ebbs and flows to it, but I do want to hear what your other pieces.
• 43:30
  SPEAKER_00: So Tor the Giant happened, well, it's still happening actually right now.
• 43:34
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but Matt East, who was I think the second ever episode that I did on the podcast, he completed it.
• 43:41
  SPEAKER_00: Um he runs for Mount Coast and he came, I think, 40th.
• 43:46
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but that was 330 kilometers with 26,000 meters elevation.
• 43:52
  SPEAKER_00: I just can't comprehend how anyone could run for that long.
• 43:56
  SPEAKER_00: And they still look so fresh crossing the line.
• 43:58
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, how like.
• 44:00
  SPEAKER_00: I would be crawling.
• 44:02
  unknown: Yeah.
• 44:03
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 44:04
  SPEAKER_00: But the women's win is something that I absolutely want to highlight.
• 44:08
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm really sorry if I said it's wrong.
• 44:10
  SPEAKER_00: I think it's Katharina Hartman.
• 44:14
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, sorry about that.
• 44:15
  SPEAKER_00: But anyway, Hooker athlete, incredible runner.
• 44:18
  SPEAKER_00: She not only broke the course record, she broke her own course record by 12 hours.
• 44:24
  SPEAKER_00: So completed 330k in 67 hours.
• 44:28
  SPEAKER_00: She only took 15 minutes to sleep across that whole 67 hours.
• 44:33
  SPEAKER_00: And she now she came third overall.
• 44:37
  SPEAKER_00: And she now has closed the gap.
• 44:39
  SPEAKER_00: So the gap between the men and women's record for Torge Giants is now only an hour and 15.
• 44:46
  SPEAKER_00: Which I just don't understand how you could take 12 hours off a previous course record, which she had.
• 44:52
  SPEAKER_00: Like that is a mad improvement.
• 44:56
  SPEAKER_01: That is insane when you actually put the numbers to it, you know?
• 44:59
  SPEAKER_01: And I've always been told that maybe like a good rule of thumb comparison is like 10 to 15% for a men's time to a women's time, kind of in these distances.
• 45:09
  SPEAKER_01: But there almost needs to be another conversion for what realistically like something of that distance and time invert is, because like racial winning Kokodonna, I think it's obviously like a different playing field, and and there is like a lot more quality in men's and women's sport, which is maybe the only sport out there where it can be almost a one-to-one, potentially, which is so freaking cool.
• 45:37
  SPEAKER_01: Um, also on that, it's not like she was an hour and 15 off of the men's winner.
• 45:44
  SPEAKER_01: It's like an hour and 15 off of the men's record, which is like another bar.
• 45:49
  SPEAKER_01: You know, it's like the two absolute best times of all time.
• 45:53
  SPEAKER_01: Um really freaking cool.
• 45:55
  SPEAKER_01: Insane.
• 45:56
  SPEAKER_01: Awesome cool that this sport has so many opportunities.
• 45:59
  SPEAKER_01: Like you can do UTMB, you can do a Western, you can do an OCC, like everything is so different, or you can do something of this caliber, which is like pure mountain sport stuff, and insane for I actually honestly can't even comprehend what that would be like.
• 46:16
  SPEAKER_00: It's like a whole other world, but insane.
• 46:19
  SPEAKER_00: She was out there for essentially three days and only had 15 minutes sleep.
• 46:24
  SPEAKER_00: And it also on the percentage gap, I haven't actually fact-checked this, but I read that the gap is technically now 2%, I think, which is such a small margin.
• 46:33
  SPEAKER_00: Like an hour and 15 sounds like quite a lot of time, but when you put it in proportion, so a 2% gap between her and the men's course record, so yeah, absolute respect to her.
• 46:46
  SPEAKER_01: Um yeah, so much respect.
• 46:48
  SPEAKER_01: And I think it's really cool because it's not like it's um, it is obviously an event and it it's a pretty big deal in like that part of the world, but UTMB has seemed to go global, you know, and the media and and brands are there and everything's there.
• 47:02
  SPEAKER_01: But to set a goal like that at something that maybe isn't gonna get the mainstream attention, or you know, you're doing it a lot for you and your own personal pursuits, and I commend the heck out of that.
• 47:14
  SPEAKER_01: I think that's really, really cool and should also be highlighted.
• 47:18
  SPEAKER_00: No, absolutely.
• 47:19
  SPEAKER_00: And it's one of those things that's probably one of those races that you could easily go more than 12 hours about seeing a single soul, and that like looking after yourself in the mountains and getting yourself through, like, yeah, it's a lot of yeah, just being able to look after yourself, which is really a lot of respect to it.
• 47:39
  SPEAKER_00: I just couldn't like, I think I'd get very lonely.
• 47:42
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 47:42
  SPEAKER_01: I think you'd have to like visualize yourself in every step or every minute or hour of that race and be like, truly, what would I do in that situation?
• 47:51
  SPEAKER_01: Like, yeah, you're on our like you haven't slept, you're you're alone, you're in the dark, which to me, like the mountains in the dark are something that you have to probably practice quite a lot to get comfortable in.
• 48:02
  SPEAKER_01: And I don't know if you ever feel truly comfortable because it's a very spooky and ominous and peaceful feeling, but a lot of us do not train or race in the dark.
• 48:12
  SPEAKER_01: So even that in and of itself is is insane to just be taking after care of yourself and you're probably not in the right mental state, you know, unless you're in the dark, you're also navigating a little bit too.
• 48:24
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I I literally can't even imagine.
• 48:26
  SPEAKER_01: I would want to hear like almost a mic'd up like live stream of what she's going through and thinking, and that would be a really interesting video, I think.