Simply 13 days after ending sixth on the 2026 Western States 100, Tara Dower traces up for the 2026 Hardrock 100 for her second lap across the course. Within the following interview, Tara talks about her race at Western States, a few of the restoration strategies she’s utilized in between the 2 races, her first time at Hardrock in 2024, and the way she’s strategizing this weekend’s race.
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Tara Dower Pre-2026 Hardrock 100 Interview Transcript
iRunFar: Megan Hicks of iRunFar. I’m with Tara Dower. It’s the day earlier than the 2026 Hardrock Hundred Endurance Run. We’re right here to do Hardrock once more.
Tara Dower: Yay. Woohoo.
iRunFar: Woohoo. It was simply 12 days in the past that you simply have been doing this different hundred mile race a pair states over. How are you doing?
Dower: I’m doing nice. It’s exhausting to imagine that was 12 days in the past.
iRunFar: Actually?
Dower: I imply, it seems like a month in the past, truthfully. It’s identical to restoration has been my job, and so I’ve simply been working actually exhausting to recuperate as quick as doable. The race in between the races was the race restoration.
iRunFar: So it’s actually like three races. There’s Western States [100].
Dower: It’s three races. Yeah.
iRunFar: There’s recuperate as fast as you possibly can, after which there’s this mountain race.
Dower: Yeah, we had a protocol. Me and the workforce had a protocol arrange for the three races.
iRunFar: Let’s speak about race one, first if we are able to. Simply 12 days in the past you ran 16:16 for sixth place at Western States.
Dower: 13.
iRunFar: 16:13.
Dower: 16:13. I don’t often keep in mind my instances, however for some purpose that one’s sticking with me.
iRunFar: These are three essential minutes.
Dower: Properly, the explanation I believe I do know that’s as a result of 16:15 was my purpose time and I had simply skirted beneath.
iRunFar: So 16:16 would’ve been unacceptable.
Dower: Yeah. It’s one minute too lengthy.
iRunFar: Inform us a bit bit about your day.
Dower: The day went very well. I imply, I used to be so glad to be on the market feeling like 100%, working with the rivals. I believe the issues I took from the race is inspiration and simply information for subsequent yr. So inspiration, the ladies that I race towards are so intense, relentless, relentless racers. Going into races, I form of really feel like I might outlast lots of people, particularly the hundred-mile distance, however that is just like the Tremendous Bowl of 100s and everybody out there may be simply utterly relentless, intense, going backwards and forwards with folks, linking up with sure folks to catch others. After which simply the results of how everybody got here in, I believe for me, the 2 most inspiring performances was Jenn [Lichter]’s, after which clearly everybody within the high 10, however I believe Caitlin Fielder as nicely who had an unimaginable race. After which simply information too. I realized a lot, I realized a lot for coaching for subsequent yr. I believe there’s much more I might do to be higher ready for Western States. After which I additionally realized the right way to truly race the race, as a result of Caitlin, simply watching her splits, her splits, it was unimaginable.
iRunFar: That’s the stuff to faucet into for subsequent yr, is the right way to make Foresthill ahead as stable as she did, hey?
Dower: Yeah, it takes such a stage of confidence and self-assurance to race the way in which she did.
iRunFar: You have been at Western States the yr prior.
Dower: Mm-hmm.
iRunFar: You needed to drop halfway since you have been sick. And you then got here again this yr, took sixth, ran an extremely quick time amongst essentially the most aggressive ladies’s subject that that race has but seen. Do you are feeling such as you avenged 2025 at Western? Or are you continue to tremendous hungry?
Dower: I’m tremendous hungry nonetheless. I believe with the sure issues that I might have accomplished higher, like there was only a couple issues that I felt that I might have accomplished higher. And clearly with 100s, it’s by no means going to be good, it’s by no means going to be good. However I believe it’s simply the hunt to be as good, make an ideal race as doable. And I believe that’s why I all the time questioned why folks stored going again to Western States, they stored searching the golden tickets, and now I form of get it. It’s addicting. It’s undoubtedly addicting to go to Western.
iRunFar: Wish to assume, “Okay, I did this proper, however right here’s the place I might have gotten a couple of minutes. Right here’s what I might do subsequent time. Oh, I’ve this concept I need to strive.”
Dower: Yeah. It’s kind of like Black Canyon [100k] for me. It’s such as you need to good the race, and the way can I do this higher subsequent yr.
iRunFar: So I suppose that solutions the query on that, F6 bib goes to be put to make use of.
Dower: Yeah. Properly, once I first completed the race, all of us, all the highest six have been within the medical tent, getting drug examined. All of us simply appeared so tough. And I turned to my accomplice Scott and I used to be like, “I don’t need to…” As a result of my voice was like after races it’s identical to, can’t speak. Like, “I don’t need to do that race once more. I can’t. I can’t do it.” After which possibly two hours later I used to be all clear and I used to be like, “I acquired to return.”
iRunFar: Yeah, after all.
Dower: “I need to return. After all I do. I need to return.”
iRunFar: I do need to speak about the way you have been feeling on the finish of the race, since you’re infamous for going deep contained in the darkness of the nicely, and the tales popping out of the drug testing tent have been that you simply have been deeper in than all people else there. However then the subsequent day we noticed you and also you have been form of again to your regular self. Are you able to describe, as a result of lots of people have that have sooner or later, nevertheless it takes them some time to come back again, however you go there, then the subsequent day you’re Tara once more.
Dower: Yeah. And I ponder if I’m simply allergic to racing indirectly, as a result of the primary half-hour I’m high-quality, however then half-hour after, for half-hour to 2, three hours after, I’m simply wrecked, throwing up, the whole lot’s occurring to me, my physique is so indignant, and issues are popping out of my physique that’s bizarre colours, and-
iRunFar: Inappropriate conditions.
Dower: Yeah. And it’s actual tough. Yeah, I hate that I acquired that. Jenn appeared actually unhealthy, however she wasn’t throwing up, I suppose. She did end 45 minutes in entrance of me, so possibly she was throwing up earlier than that.
iRunFar: Yeah, possibly you didn’t see her worst moments, proper?
Dower: Yeah. Man.
iRunFar: I really feel prefer it’s form of aspirational in that group of individuals although to have taken it that far and made it that far.
Dower: Properly, yeah, Caitlin appeared high-quality, she was laughing and carrying on, and sitting up. It’s was like, “What? You simply ran so quick from Foresthill.”
iRunFar: So transferring on to race quantity two, the race to restoration. You talked about that you simply have been simply going to make that your job and also you had an entire sequence of belongings you have been going to occupy your time with. Inform us what the final 12 days has appeared like for you.
Dower: I imply, two and a half days after the race, it was actually exhausting to wrap my head round doing Hardrock.
iRunFar: Actually?
Dower: I form of wasn’t even occupied with it in any respect. It simply was like, I used to be so bone drained. I felt so exhausted and my physique felt so exhausted, I used to be limping. Simply the physique is so sore. Anybody who’s accomplished Western, it’s simply a lot downhill, and it’s identical to, I used to be so sore, and I couldn’t even give it some thought. And it form of match completely as a result of Megan [Roche], my coach, she was like, “What we need to do is in that 48 hours after the race, we need to have fun the race, Western States. We don’t need to simply transfer proper on and, that might trigger it….”
iRunFar: We will let that sink in.
Dower: Yeah, let or not it’s once more, like, “We don’t need to trigger any extra psychological fatigue, simply get pleasure from what you probably did at Western.” And that form of was good as a result of I wasn’t even considering Hardrock. I simply couldn’t even… Anyone would point out Hardrock, I believe once I completed, any individual was saying stuff and so they have been speaking about Hardrock. I used to be like, “I can’t even wrap my head round that.”
However yeah, once we acquired again, I’m actually grateful for my accomplice Scott. He simply moved in and he’s actually accomplished the whole lot for me. He’s cooked for me. I lived alone earlier than, earlier than he moved in, earlier than Western States, and typically it may be tough to prepare dinner wholesome meals for your self after which simply reside life, recuperate. And he’s cooked the whole lot and he’s helped quite a bit, so I’m actually grateful for him.
I’m actually grateful for my associates who’ve additionally helped, like Robyn [Lesh] and Reese and Raskal, who all reside in Durango as nicely. It’s identical to it takes a neighborhood for a lot of these issues. I believe anybody would agree for ultrarunning basically, it takes a neighborhood, but additionally for the restoration afterwards, it undoubtedly takes a village.
And so I’ve simply targeted on sleeping a bunch, simply a lot sleep, consuming a variety of carbs, I do a variety of protein shakes, I did L-glutamine to assist restore the intestine lining. After which simply once I’m able to run, it’s simply actually easy runs. I did two eight milers over the weekend after which I’ve accomplished a pair strides, a pair pace stuff simply to get up the legs. After which it form of acquired thus far, I believe it was Tuesday, I posted a reel about it, however I used to be on this run with Robyn and Scott and I used to be like, “I really feel so good. My physique feels so good.” And clearly that is in Durango, we’re not up right here in Silverton, however I simply felt so good, and that was so assuring that my physique was recovering nicely. Clearly, we’ll see going into the race, but when something, it could be useful to start out the race out a bit chiller, after which possibly hopefully destructive cut up.
iRunFar: Properly, that was going to be my query, is in case you’re… you already know? Strategically, you’re going into this race, so that you’re simply going to go from the gun, push it, do a form of Tara model, or as a result of you may have that inference of the previous of you simply ran Western States, you struggled with staying along with your diet all by way of the race final time. Are you altering the Tara method this time?
Dower: I used to be speaking to Maggie [Guterl]… when did we hang around? Was it over the weekend? We did one thing collectively, however I used to be like, “Maggie, I’m going to ship it. I’m simply going to run as quick as I can.” And he or she’s like, “That’s the precise reverse I used to be going to counsel for you.”
iRunFar: That’s actually precisely what she would say.
Dower: And I thought of it extra and I used to be like, “Yeah, I don’t need to dig myself right into a gap.” Hardrock is a tough race to good. You possibly can good 100 miler, however I believe Hardrock, I don’t know if… I’m unsure concerning the males’s, however simply wanting on the ladies’s race for therefore a few years, I don’t assume anybody’s totally utterly perfected the race. There’s all the time one thing that occurs, if it’s nutritionally, if there’s a bonk, or if there’s only a low level. Clearly, there’s some unimaginable instances on this course. I truly don’t know the place I used to be going with that.
iRunFar: Oh.
Dower: New Technique. Yeah, technique.
iRunFar: Yeah.
Dower: So I believe it might most likely be not good to get myself right into a gap so early within the race. In 2024, I acquired an early low at Chapman. And I-
iRunFar: Like about mile 18 or one thing.
Dower: I threw up at that help station, and-
iRunFar: Oh, no.
Dower: … it didn’t cease throwing up till Burrows the place my pacer Devin was like, “We’re going to sit down for an hour. You’re going to eat one thing, you’re going to take a nap and we’re going to let that meals settle.” So I used to be throwing up that total time. I just-
iRunFar: Wow.
Dower: … couldn’t preserve something down. And I used to be like, I actually don’t need to repeat that, it could be good to only have a race that I’m comfy with and pleased with and never push it too early. And I even have appeared, I imply, you have a look at these splits, I’ve checked out some splits, it’s identical to folks can destructive cut up this race, they will ease into the race for the primary half, after which they cross so many individuals within the subsequent half of the race. So I used to be actually impressed by a variety of these splits, so I believe the technique is rather like, we’re going to really feel out the physique, if one thing pops up, I’m going to need to determine it out on the fly. After which we’re simply going to circulate with no matter my physique offers me on that day. And simply drawing inspiration from different individuals who have accomplished the double, like Courtney [Dauwalter]. And simply seeing her race, I used to be on the town when she was doing Hardrock. I used to be in Ouray, watching her run by way of, and she or he was gaining on first place. And simply watching her, simply… In my thoughts, I don’t know if she would say this as a result of she stated she must good the race, nevertheless it’s a dominance. A dominance at Western and Hardrock and UTMB, and it’s simply drawing inspiration from that and never making an attempt to assume an excessive amount of about what I did 12 days earlier than, or 13 days earlier than tomorrow, and simply making an attempt to overlook that and simply be impressed and making an attempt to get essentially the most out of my physique.
iRunFar: Vitamin is the factor that so many individuals battle with at Hardrock. I imply, that’s kind of like 100 milers basically, however actually all people after Hardrock talks about their diet woes. You, such as you stated, struggled fairly exhausting final time, however you have been capable of rally and actually end exhausting. So classes from that that you simply’re taking to this, and I’m positive you may have a completely totally different diet plan.
Dower: Yeah, I do. Oh my gosh. I had no concept what I used to be doing nutritionally in 2024. I ate two ice cream sandwiches at Telluride.
iRunFar: Bless.
Dower: And my crew gave me a mound of potatoes and I’m like, “I can’t eat this.”
iRunFar: Okay.
Dower: After which proper after Telluride, on schedule I used to be throwing up after-
iRunFar: On schedule.
Dower: Throw up after Telluride, like possibly that wasn’t the perfect concept. I had Coke proper after the ice cream sandwiches too. Simply not a good suggestion. So nutritionally I really feel assured that I’ve a bit higher of a plan. Simply actually easy carbs if I’m consuming any actual meals at help stations, actually easy, like a plain rice. After which I’ve been utilizing these gels that really feel… Knock on wooden, I’m very superstitious.
iRunFar: Concerning wooden for that.
Dower: They’ve labored so nicely in my system, I’ve by no means had points with these gels, so I’m utilizing these gels all through, and simply decreasing the carb rely, what I’d usually do. And I’ve two emergency gels on me, so if I really feel like I might use extra carbs or my physique would settle for it, I’m going to eat these emergency gels.
iRunFar: And as a refresh to the top of your 2024 race, I believe you have been in seventh place as late as mile 87, one thing like that. And also you handed three ladies and ended up in fourth. And all of these ladies have tales concerning the Tara Dower rage. So there have been issues from the final race that you simply need to enhance on, however that’s additionally one thing that different ladies are like, “Whoa, Tara’s acquired this closing capability right here.” Do you consider these moments too the place you have been capable of simply kind of be your self?
Dower: Yeah. I’ve struggled quite a bit with my during the last… Simply to be utterly 100% actual, it’s like during the last yr I’ve struggled with my self-assurance in my racing and being assured in the way in which that I race. However I do draw inspiration from 2024 and the way resilient my physique may be. As a result of I stated this within the ladies’s panel, however I used to be consuming a melon an hour. You recognize they’ve the cubed melons on the help station. My pacer was like, “Simply might you eat one melon, please?”
iRunFar: Simply strive a bit melon.
Dower: I used to be like… Yeah. And I’m like, “Tara, your physique’s unimaginable. For the final, from Burrows to the end, in case you might eat that little and be capable to shut that arduous, your physique can do unimaginable issues.” And simply making an attempt to remain within the second, I believe the primary half of the race is all the time form of heightened. It’s simply so heightened, however you then form of get into the depths and that’s form of the purpose I stay up for essentially the most, is when it’s actually exhausting, and simply pushing by way of that. And I believe that depth that lots of people had noticed was me within the depths of ache and grunting, and simply wanting it to be over.
iRunFar: The feral aspect of you.
Dower: Yeah.
iRunFar: One of many issues that I’m inquisitive about with you, that as I get to know you higher and see you race extra, you may have this duality to you that you simply’re about vibes and also you’re about kind of like working by coronary heart, and also you simply kind of put on your reality in your physique, but additionally there’s this gorgeous analytical aspect to you. Your crews have very particular issues they’re alleged to do, Maggie Guterl, who was in your crew for Western States, talked about rehearsing the help station. So there’s this duality of working on vibes, however then actually refining on the small print.
Dower: Mm-hmm.
iRunFar: Simply speak about that as a result of it’s so fascinating to me.
Dower: Yeah. I believe that’s simply form of my persona, I’m very element oriented, and I do have an quantity of hysteria. So I really feel just like the anxious aspect of me is the one who needs to follow and rehearse and ensure the whole lot is laid out for the crew. I additionally wish to make it straightforward for the crew, I don’t need them to be questioning or be nervous they’re not doing one thing proper. So I lay the whole lot out, I believe that’s the place the anxious aspect of me comes from. However then I additionally acquired into mountain races and identical to racing basically, ultramarathon racing, as a result of it was enjoyable and since I wished to see if I used to be able to working 100 miles.
After I did the Mountains‑to‑Sea Path, that was my first endurance factor ever, I had beat Diane Van Deren’s file who was a hundred-mile North Face athlete. And I used to be like, “She runs 100 miles. If I beat her file, then I ought to be capable to run 100 miles.” Proper? So it was identical to, “Properly, I’ll see if I can do it.”So it’s identical to difficult myself always. However I acquired into racing as a result of it was a pastime and it was pleasant, and now it’s simply a lot extra intense. I additionally assume the detail-oriented aspect of me form of works nicely with how the game goes proper now. There’s a variety of science in it, it’s very meticulous, there’s a variety of small issues which can be simply getting added to make it extra environment friendly, razor extra environment friendly, all the way down to Ryan Montgomery with the buckles on their ice bandana. It’s identical to that simply is a small factor you possibly can add to make it that a lot better. And I ponder concerning the folks I’m racing towards, and the way we match into society, and what sort of… If we acquired in an enormous group of individuals and we had a bit group of racers, how would we be considered? As a result of I believe we’re all simply form of anxious, element oriented, and we’re all simply form of stoked to be right here.
iRunFar: Yeah.
Dower: Yeah, and it would throw a variety of these folks off in society. It’d throw a variety of these folks off.
iRunFar: It’s enjoyable to look at. Such as you stated, as the game develops and all people’s in it as a result of the mountains are attractive and this free feeling if you’re out coaching and stuff. However yeah, to be aggressive, you additionally need to preserve refining and preserve bettering and watch the science. And so it’s this fascinating place the place folks such as you within the sport are proper now.
Dower: Yeah, I believe there’s a variety of burnout that presumably occurs in case you’re not out right here on the core of it for enjoyment. So I believe that’s undoubtedly an important place to be, however the element oriented can be straight on for Western states. Hardrock too, I believe much less so for Hardrock, nevertheless it’s altering a lot. It’s thrilling to see. It’s an thrilling time to be within the sport.
iRunFar: An thrilling time for additionally us to be followers.
Dower: Yeah.I all the time say this. I’ve been saying this for the final yr. I’m like, as a fan of the game, I’m stoked and impressed, and “Go ladies,” and “Go racing,” basically. However then as a competitor on this sport, I’m like-
iRunFar: Scared crapless.
Dower: … “That is terrifying. I’m working a lot quicker now, it’s getting a lot tougher, as a result of I’m working a lot quicker.” Recovering after Javelina [100 Mile] was so exhausting, and it was like, yeah, as a result of it’s a lot quicker now. It’s not such as you’re simply working round. You’re working quick.
iRunFar: You’re working round. Yeah.
Dower: Yeah, you’re working actually quick.
iRunFar: Properly, Tara Dower, better of luck to you in your second lap of Hardrock, and better of luck in your double.
Dower: Thanks. Admire it.
