The 2025 Hardrock 100 is the primary time France’s Manon Bohard Cailler is lining up for the occasion, and she or he says that the course holds lots of the parts that French mountain runners search for. Within the following interview, Manon talks about getting acclimated to the world and the way the excessive elevation makes pacing difficult, her intentions for consuming and consuming all through the run, and attending to have her dad, Patrick Bohard, as her pacer.
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Manon Bohard Cailler Pre-2025 Hardrock 100 Interview Transcript
iRunFar: Meghan Hicks of iRunFar. I’m with Manon Bohard Cailler. It’s a few days earlier than the 2025 Hardrock 100. Hello, Manon.
Manon Bohard Cailler: Good day, Meghan.
iRunFar: I suppose I received your title sort of proper.
Bohard Cailler: It’s okay. Manon Bohard Cailler. It’s it.
iRunFar: Very good to satisfy you. Welcome to Silverton. That is my house and that is iRunFar’s headquarters.
Bohard Cailler: Me too. Actually superb to complete your first Hardrock, there may be one on two right here, I believe, right here for you.
iRunFar: Yeah, a few Hardrocks for me.
Bohard Cailler: I hope I might be one other finisher for this yr. Sure.
iRunFar: You can be.
Bohard Cailler: I hope. I’ve been right here for 2 weeks. So the altitude, the acclimatization is sweet, the physique is nice. So, I’ve ready my thoughts, and mentally to participate on this unbelievable journey.
iRunFar: Proper. So that you’ve been right here for 2 weeks, you mentioned you’ve been acclimating to the altitude. Discuss that altitude for a bit of bit as a result of a lot of this race takes place at 4,000 meters, which in case you had been within the Alps, you’ll be unable to run. You’d be on glaciers or climbing. Discuss what it’s like so that you can come right here and be operating at these excessive altitudes.
Bohard Cailler: I’m actually positively shocked by my capability to have a very good feeling in altitude. However sure, while you climb at 4,000 meters, it’s sophisticated. The tempo doesn’t actually up, however the feeling, it’s extremely tough. Possibly take breaks, possibly air flow rather a lot, drink rather a lot right here, and eat extra as a result of we’ve extra wants, energetic wants in altitude.
So, I believe I’ve all of the parameters to be nice in the course of the race. However I’m scared in regards to the one, two, three, I believe 15 or 16 climbs, and eight tops with—
iRunFar: 4,000 meters.
Bohard Cailler: 4,000 meters. It’s unbelievable. So, I simply need to be on my tempo, on my race, and have a very gradual begin to assimilate all of the tops, and all of the parameters, consuming, altitude. And it’s an extremely, so it’s, for the physique, it’s so—
iRunFar: Lengthy…
Bohard Cailler: Lengthy and with variability, cardiac variability, muscle. Possibly while you run in excessive altitudes, possibly you protect your muscle tissue. So possibly I’ve a very good shock after 100 kilometers. I don’t know. However I’m excited and I’m shocked. Then curiosity about my physique, and need to make the race in good talents.
iRunFar: Wonderful.
Bohard Cailler: Sure.
iRunFar: You should have faith although, as a result of you’ve a lot expertise at massive mountainous races. You had been the Diagonal des Fous winner final yr. You may have received Madeira [Island Ultra-Trail], you’ve received TDS. Additionally, your loved ones, your father is well-known for his mountain operating and you’ve got been operating with him because you had been a toddler. So you will need to have faith bringing all that have, though there are new issues right here.
Bohard Cailler: I don’t know if I’ve a variety of expertise as a result of in extremely path, 100 miles, it’s simply my third. So I’m, once more, an novice, I believe. However sure, my feeling about this sort of endurance. It’s unbelievable. I adore it. I’ve actually good capability when there’s a arduous climb and lengthy down. So I believe it’s my profile, however with altitude, with all the parameters I inform about simply earlier than, I don’t know. However I believe it’s a first expertise and I hope possibly if there may be one other risk, to produce other experiences of this sort of run. Sure.
iRunFar: I’m at all times very as a result of French mountain runners and extremely mountain runners love Hardrock. They join the lottery after which they arrive right here. The French extremely athletes appear to have a lot curiosity. Are you able to assist to clarify a bit of bit, in France, how do individuals take into consideration Hardrock? Why is there this draw for individuals such as you to return to right here?
Bohard Cailler: Possibly in France and in Europe, the path takes an enormous exponential [growth.] Even when feminine, we’re not sufficient at first of the extremely, possibly it’ll be modified, I hope. However in France we like this sort of environment, with wild and, austere?
iRunFar: Austere?
Bohard Cailler: Austere environments. Once you, after two, three, 4, 5 hours, while you return to civilization with atmosphere, good emotions, optimistic emotions, like right here while you go to Silverton, it’s a metropolis. However for a very long time you’re alone with the character, with wild, and your thoughts, and your self. I believe we seek for this sort of journey. We take this race like an journey.
In France, we need to participate at American races, American desires, like Hardrock or Western [States]. We comply with a variety of this sort of race for lot of issues. We love this Hardrock. My buddy is absolutely jealous, my buddy, my household actually. We study this in my household. My father [entered the lottery], a variety of [times]. So sure, it’s actually a privilege to be right here for this, for operating this race. Sure.
iRunFar: You talked about your father, Patrick Bohard. He’s a well-known icon of French path operating. He has utilized for the Hardrock many instances himself. He’s right here to tempo you.
Bohard Cailler: Sure, as a result of I advised him, put [in] the ticket, a variety of [times]. We went to Colorado once I was younger as a household to go mountain climbing and uncover the nation. So it’s regular and it’s a likelihood, fortunate for me to have my father tempo me, comply with me, assist me throughout this race along with his expertise as a result of I’m constructing my expertise. However he has a variety of expertise about this, from Tor des Géants. It’s possibly it’s feeling, it’s like the identical…
iRunFar: Comparable emotions.
Bohard Cailler: Comparable emotions and comparable world. So I believe it’s a good assist, mentally and bodily, and the journey, with out him, it’s not the identical. My husband made the crew. So it’s a household journey for me throughout this vacation and race. We uncover tradition, sport, uncover Durango, uncover all of the locations round Silverton. It’s necessary for us too.
iRunFar: I adore it. Better of luck making your first lap within the Hardrock 100 and benefit from the household journey.
Bohard Cailler: Yeah, thanks, Meghan. Want me a bit of little bit of luck as a result of I believe luck, it’s necessary for extremely. There is part of luck.
iRunFar: Some confidence and a bit of little bit of luck.
Bohard Cailler: Okay, cool.
iRunFar: Thanks.
