Holder of two of the three quickest instances across the Hardrock 100 course and the 2021 champion, François D’Haene of France returns to Silverton, Colorado, for a 3rd lap by means of the San Juan Mountains. Within the following interview, he talks about what brings him again to the race, how he’s been coping with long-term accidents, and a few of his future targets within the mountains.
For extra on who’s racing, take a look at our in-depth 2024 Hardrock 100 preview and observe our reside race protection on race day.
François D’Haene Pre-2024 Hardrock 100 Interview Transcript
iRunFar: Meghan Hicks of iRunFar. I’m with François D’Haene. It’s a pair days earlier than the 2024 Hardrock 100. Right here we’re once more in Silverton. Hello, François.
François D’Haene: Hello, Meghan. Good to see you once more.
iRunFar: So good to see you, too. That is your third time again in Silverton for Hardrock. What brings you again for a 3rd time?
D’Haene: I don’t know why I mustn’t come again, as a result of it was all the time nice recollections right here. To be sincere, it’s the fourth time right here. I used to be there in 2019 however I believe the race was cancelled due to avalanche injury. After which there was COVID, so I’ve to attend a very long time to be on the beginning line. However it will likely be the third time that I’ll race. And sure, I’ve all the time nice recollections right here. It’s a really good race, and a really typical race. I wish to be there. And since I arrived, it’s all the time sunny and exquisite mountains, and good flowers, so I’m very glad to be there.
iRunFar: It’s a brilliant totally different place from a number of the typical 100 milers that we see you at like UTMB, Diagonale des Fous, the place it’s a lot concerning the tradition, and possibly somewhat bit much less concerning the panorama. Right here it’s a lot concerning the panorama, proper?
D’Haene: Yeah, and there’s after all much less folks, so it’s a bit extra snug for us as elite runners.
iRunFar: No person chasing you down the streets of Silverton?
D’Haene: No, nevertheless it’s a part of the sport, and I prefer it, however typically it’s onerous to have UTMB on one aspect, and Hardrock on one different aspect, or venture on one other aspect. It’s completely totally different. And there’s some stress too, after all, however what I like in extremely is to have some adaptation. And right here, sure, with the altitude, with the storm, once you relaxation, it’s extra dry. It’s modified completely for me, even when I’m right here for 10 days, or two weeks earlier than the race. It’s onerous to adapt, and also you by no means know throughout the race what can occur. It could possibly be so heat in Ouray and so chilly as much as Handies and throughout the evening. So, yeah, it’s an actual journey.
iRunFar: You’ve had a lot expertise right here at Hardrock. You’ve been right here twice earlier than. You’ve got gained the race. You’ve got two of the three quickest instances on the course. You’re one in all solely two males to run below 22 hours. That are all simply unbelievable statistics, however for me what’s attention-grabbing about you is once you come right here, you discuss concerning the flowers. You discuss concerning the mountains. You discuss concerning the solar. You speak about different issues in addition to these statistics of doing this race so shortly.
D’Haene: Yeah, however I believe all of the races that I method, I method it with the identical method and yeah, after all, throughout the race I’ll attempt to do my finest, however sure, my important motivation is to not beat this man, or this man, or this man, to beat this time. The primary vital factor is to have the ability to race nearly as good as I can and attempt to carry out after which we’ll see. And yeah.
Much more now since two years the place my physique had some difficulties, it’s an increasing number of and extra vital to have as a lot enjoyable, to be again with pleasure, and a few good emotions on the mountain. If I’m glad to play and simply be drained, or crampy, it’s okay. I simply need to have this sense and recollections, and I simply need to attempt to do the loop as quick as attainable. And yeah, it’s some good statistics, nevertheless it’s just a few statistics, and the recollections and the sensation I believe are extra vital.
iRunFar: You talked about you’ve had some difficulties within the final couple of years. If my reminiscence is appropriate, right here is form of the place these difficulties began. Is that this the place you began to get a foot damage or ankle damage just a few years in the past?
D’Haene: Yeah, I felt not snug two years in the past. I had a ache in my ankle throughout the entire race, nevertheless it’s onerous to say that, and I had such a good time. However yeah, I believe I pushed a bit an excessive amount of on my bone. And yeah, my physique was not nicely balanced by way of the cells that create the bone, and destroy the bone. And proper like two months after it, I nonetheless really feel it. It was unusual, and so I made some examination and so they found a stress fracture. So it was not that good. After which every little thing was worse and worse and worse, and I’ve a small fall, nevertheless it created like an enormous, large, large fracture. Simply because my bone was not superb. The issue was not the autumn, however simply the physique. So it takes a very long time to get better and to get assured in your physique. So final December, I put out all the fabric inside my physique, and I had an excellent winter on skimo.
iRunFar: Okay.
D’Haene: I used to be actually assured to start out once more the operating season. And Hardrock for me was an enormous objective simply to take note of.
iRunFar: To get right here.
D’Haene: Yeah, to get right here. So I used to be actually assured. However to be sincere, after I began operating in April and Could, it was not so good as I hoped. And it’s nonetheless onerous with my ankle, and my physique has some compensation right here, and right here, and right here, so I can’t prepare like I need. So, it’s all the time onerous to say, oh lastly, I’m not like I want to be. After all, you possibly can have surprises. Such as you say, I’ve loads of expertise right here. I’ve loads of expertise in extremely. You may have surprises, however I do know that by way of coaching, I used to be not capable of do what I need. So it’s all the time irritating, however like we mentioned a bit earlier, I’m so glad to be there once more. And I’ve to benefit from the risk to make this good loop. And I’ve many buddies right here, American buddies, and my household will come. So yeah, I’ve to get pleasure from it anyway and take pride. And if even when I can not carry out, there are another subjects and values that I ought to be proud. It’s all the time onerous to have some expectation and eventually say, “Oh. I’d wish to be at this degree of coaching and eventually I’m not there.” So we’ll see.
iRunFar: I personally am somewhat excited that I noticed you spending a pair days on the Nolan’s 14 course within the Sawatch Mountains earlier than coming right here to the San Juans. Ah, you may need curiosity in that route sometime?
D’Haene: Yeah, certain. I’m about that route since a few years. I used to be pondering it could possibly be one thing that I may like, so I need to take a look at it, and I did it. And so I believe I’ll return there in just a few days with my household simply to go to a bit an increasing number of deep, and simply have some small stroll over there. However what I used to be capable of see, it’s simply unbelievable and really wild. And yeah, I used to be impressed after I watched you, or now so many individuals on the Nolan’s. And I stated, wow, it appears an journey, and even Iker Karrera, I don’t know in the event you bear in mind.
iRunFar: Yeah.
D’Haene: I used to be operating with him in lots of races, and he discuss Nolan’s with me, and I used to be pondering it’s a very good factor.
iRunFar: Sometime.
D’Haene: Sometime. And I simply need to plan it. And yeah, if all the celebs or planets are well-aligned, possibly subsequent yr could possibly be an enormous objective for me, however for certain I want to do it one time in my life, even when I can not carry out. Simply strolling or doing the entire in a single time, it’s one thing I believe you possibly can bear in mind on your entire life.
iRunFar: I really like that. Additionally, most likely actually good acclimation being over there for just a few days and preparing for Hardrock, too.
D’Haene: Yeah, that was the objective, however after I was there, I used to be not capable of run. My physique was not well-balanced, and I used to be feeling very, very shit. So I used to be even pondering, okay, possibly I gained’t have the ability to be in the beginning line.
iRunFar: Okay.
D’Haene: So every day could be simply higher. As a result of once you’re on the backside of the mountain, you possibly can simply ascend. So every day is best and higher and higher. And yeah, simply I’ve to adapt my physique, and we’ll see. We’ll see. However the concept was to have a very good acclimation over there, and to vary my thoughts, and to find some new mountains. So I used to be actually anticipating a really good coaching over there. And eventually I used to be simply there to find a bit the street which was good, however by way of coaching, it was not the perfect second of my life.
iRunFar: Okay. Truthful, very reasonable. Simply to form of summarize all that, you’ve been getting back from your foot and ankle damage and surgical procedure, doing a little coaching, after which in your travels right here to America once you arrived right here about two weeks in the past, you stated off-camera that you simply had been simply not feeling nicely, and issues weren’t fairly proper along with your physique. So once you had been first over in Buena Vista and on the Nolan’s course, you didn’t have good emotions in your physique, however as time is progressing, now you’re beginning to really feel higher?
D’Haene: Yeah, yeah, and there’s nonetheless like 4 days to the race?
iRunFar: Yeah.
D’Haene: So, in 4 days every little thing can occur.
iRunFar: That’s so many days nonetheless!
D’Haene: Yeah, I simply need to relaxation. And I used to be feeling very horrible. It’s not typically that I really feel like that, however now it’s higher every single day. And I hope to have the ability to benefit from the journey.
iRunFar: Final query for you. Probably the most distinctive issues about racing in America are pacers, and also you’ve had your share of pacers right here.
D’Haene: I believe I can have some very good pacers.
iRunFar: So who’s your pacing and crewing workforce this yr?
D’Haene: I didn’t need to make plans as a result of after I arrived there, I felt not that good. And once you really feel not good, typically it’s higher to be by your self.
iRunFar: Simply wait.
D’Haene: And simply stroll. And I don’t need to complain with somebody that I like. And so I used to be not pondering of getting pacer, however I’m very shut, like from Jim [Walmsley] or Simon [Gosselin] and even Victor or Anna [Frost] or many individuals right here who’re capable of tempo me. And sure, they’ve good phrases for me, and I believe they know who I’m, and even when I complain, I believe they will perceive. So yeah, possibly I’ll ask them to tempo me. Simon and Jim did Western States like, precisely 10 days in the past. It is going to be two weeks on Friday. So, I don’t need to push them an excessive amount of, as a result of they should get better. However I believe right here you possibly can have pacer for some small sections, so possibly they will help me like on Handies or on Bear Creek or someplace like that.
iRunFar: Cool.
D’Haene: And I don’t know for the final part if I would like somebody. I do know fairly nicely the race now.
iRunFar: Yeah. Yeah.
D’Haene: So I’m much less harassed than the primary yr.
iRunFar: Yeah. Having a pacer now could be extra about sharing it with an individual than serving to you keep on the course.
D’Haene: Precisely. Yeah, I believe in my thoughts it’s not about pushing me extra, and going quicker on the street, it’s extra to share one thing with them. So if I’m not in a very good day, I don’t need to share it. I believe I’m sufficient robust to push myself. It’s not the issue. So it’s simply to share one thing with them, and it’s a particularity that we will have simply on U.S. race. And I believe right here you possibly can extra focus on. In Western [States], it’s extra [labored breathing]. You get quick.
iRunFar: No speaking.
D’Haene: Yeah, it’s a must to focus on, since you go so sluggish due to the altitude.
iRunFar: [laughs] Many hours to cross the time.
D’Haene: And yeah, I believe I met like, deeply. I don’t know if it’s okay, met deeply, or like, very intense.
iRunFar: Yeah.
D’Haene: Like with Dakota Jones the primary yr, and Jim Wamsley. And after the race, it’s not the identical than earlier than the race. Even with Rickey Gates who paced me or Michael, one other man, you create some deep hyperlink. So it’s very attention-grabbing.
iRunFar: Better of luck to you in your third lap across the Hardrock course.
D’Haene: Thanks.
iRunFar: I hope the subsequent 4 days carry higher and higher emotions for you.
D’Haene: Yeah, it should carry some good power, and yeah, it should add up throughout the race. Possibly it’s only a lengthy stroll, and possibly it’s a race.
iRunFar: Better of luck to you.
D’Haene: Thanks.
