Katharina Hartmuth, of Germany, positioned moment within the 2023 UTMB, her debut on the race, having taken 3rd eventually 12 months’s TDS.
On this interview, she talks about how she attempted to preserve her frame and thoughts for the later a part of the race, opting for to race in the second one part to look what she may just do, and what it used to be like to complete at the podium of probably the most aggressive 100 miler on the planet.
For extra on how the race performed out, learn our in-depth UTMB effects article.
Katharina Hartmuth Submit-2023 UTMB Interview Transcript
iRunFar: Meghan Hicks of iRunFar. I’m with Katharina Hartmuth. It’s the day after the 2023 UTMB, and also you’re the ladies’s second-place finisher. Congratulations, Katharina. How does that really feel?
Katharina Hartmuth: Thanks. It’s nonetheless fantastic. And yeah, it’s simply superb. I will’t consider it myself.
iRunFar: My first query for you, you mentioned prior to the race that you just have been going to be, I don’t know, wary and cautious. That is your first UTMB. Is that this what a wary and cautious Katharina seems like?
Hartmuth: Yeah, in truth, it used to be, till there used to be the second one part, and I noticed that there used to be a race in truth happening, and that I had a possibility to…
iRunFar: Have a podium.
Hartmuth: Precisely, precisely. So, I performed all of it secure and sound, and it used to be my plan to take it simple, or quite simple. And I feel my cut up occasions, they have been in reality just right, which I gave my team prior to.
iRunFar: So like, what you probably did matched your plan.
Hartmuth: Precisely. It matched my plan till perhaps like, closing 40k.
iRunFar: I feel perhaps I anticipated you to head out a teensy bit extra conservatively. However as early as 20k in, you have been proper there with the leaders. You have been inside the best 10, and the ladies’s best 10 used to be condensed inside like, 90 or 120 seconds of one another. So, you have been simply there from the beginning in the long run.
Hartmuth: Sure, I imply, that used to be perhaps some accident.
iRunFar: [laughs] K.
Hartmuth: It unquestionably used to be no longer my function to head arduous from the gun. I imply, you must pass rapid on that first flat phase anyhow, as a result of differently other folks simply run over you.
iRunFar: You wouldn’t be right here with us. [laughs]
Hartmuth: Precisely. So clearly there it used to be perhaps just a little sooner than I wish to do.
iRunFar: K.
Hartmuth: However after that, I imply, I lovely early had the sensation that, yeah, legs are just right. After which it simply can opt for it, or perhaps even push it just a little bit. Yeah, but it surely used to be no longer that I used to be feeling, Oh, that is means too rapid. Or, What am I doing right here? This isn’t just right.
iRunFar: K. Let’s communicate just a little bit in regards to the midnight, like, touring thru type of the prime mountains of France, after which Italy, entering the midway level, of Courmayeur. Had been you similar to, all evening lengthy, simply looking to take care and organize the entire main points of your self? Had been you beginning to take into accounts the ladies round you in any respect? What used to be that like?
Hartmuth: If truth be told, I didn’t in reality idea in regards to the ladies round me till, I don’t know, 100 kilometers.
iRunFar: K.
Hartmuth: So, I simply sought after to get in the course of the evening in just right spirits. And I felt in truth relatively assured, as a result of I educated so much all through the evening within the mountains. I imply, it used to be relatively some wind, clouds on the best, and it used to be just a little tough then to run there within the evening, as a result of actually you couldn’t see the rest. However then I noticed, k. I’m used to this. I will do that. And that helped me so much, as a result of I feel there are lots of other folks had bogged down. So in truth, I were given in the course of the evening really well, till the tip once I advanced some issues of my knee, which used to be no longer delightful in any respect. Yeah.
iRunFar: I noticed you taped up at the knee. Have you ever been taking good care of one thing there for just a little?
Hartmuth: Sure. So, the tape at first it used to be handiest like, precaution.
iRunFar: K. K.
Hartmuth: However then sadly one thing like a runner’s knee began appearing, after which I used to be afraid that it will worsen, and that perhaps I must drop as it used to be too early within the race to have a foul runner’s knee. After which I attempted to tape it up once more at Courmayeur, however then my leg used to be too sweaty so the tape didn’t stick.
iRunFar: It didn’t paintings.
Hartmuth: However thankfully then I discovered to take a look at a special muscle activation in my leg to take the strain off the knee. And that then labored relatively neatly, as a result of I used to be scared of the downhills would develop into a large downside afterwards. And I imply, I had some knee ache during the race, but it surely used to be by no means tremendous dangerous.
iRunFar: It’s very attention-grabbing that you just had the presence of thoughts to take into accounts like, activating your like, muscular tissues otherwise to forestall that in the midst of UTMB.
Hartmuth: I imply, that used to be the one probability to stick within the race. As a result of I had a identical downside at Transgrancanaria previous this 12 months. There it handiest were given worse and worse. And I imply, I made it to the end line, but it surely used to be an excellent painful enjoy, and I didn’t wish to enjoy that one once more.
iRunFar: Yeah. After Courmayeur, after the race’s midway level, you have been in reality throughout the best 5 then. Then again, the ladies’s race for the highest 5 stayed dynamic roughly all over. When did you get started in reality attractive with the ladies’s race and being like, whats up, I’ve a possibility to in reality do one thing right here. I’m going to head for this?
Hartmuth: Yeah, so I feel after 100k I catched up with Manon [Bohard Cailler] who may be on Hoka Workforce. And she or he advised me that she used to be the present fourth place. That’s once I learned, K, wow. I’m now in fourth position. And at that second, I believed, neatly, if I will stay that place. I imply, it used to be nonetheless this type of lengthy technique to pass. That will be the easiest fourth position ever. After which I persisted, after which other folks began telling me that moment and 3rd position have been in truth tremendous shut. Like, inside the subsequent 10 mins forward of me. And that’s once I learned, Wow, k, that’s lovely shut, and there’s nonetheless a couple of hours of race left. And I felt just right. So, I used to be like, K, I can simply see if I catch them naturally through simply going my very own tempo, or what occurs. After which I come what may got here nearer to them with out pushing too arduous. I used to be simply doing my very own factor. After which other folks would inform me. “Oh, they’re handiest 5 mins, handiest two mins.” After which I feel once I catched Blandine [L’Hirondel], I noticed, K, she has now perhaps a susceptible level at the present time. She didn’t really feel neatly, I feel, in that second. And I felt very sturdy once I overtook her. I used to be k, let’s see. Now I’m in 3rd. After which Fu-Zhao [Xiang] used to be prior to me. And I used to be like, k, perhaps I will catch her as neatly. In order that used to be in truth the instant when the race come what may started. When I used to be…
iRunFar: The place used to be that precisely?
Hartmuth: So I catch Blandine. When used to be that? That used to be after Champex-Lac, the primary climb. After which the following climb.
iRunFar: K, so perhaps the overall 40k or 30k of the race is whilst you have been in reality centered in this.
Hartmuth: Precisely. And that used to be, I feel, once I additionally mentally switched from, “I wish to end this.” to “K, I wish to be at the podium if conceivable.”
iRunFar: Yeah, yeah.
Hartmuth: I imply, I noticed that opportunity after which it used to be like, “K, let’s take a look at.”
iRunFar: What used to be it like, or let’s see, to begin with, the place did you cross Fu-Zhao to return into that second-place place? After which what used to be happening on your head then of being like, “Geez, I in reality like, I’m right here. I’ve were given to hold directly to this now.”
Hartmuth: Yeah, neatly, I catched her simply in short after the Trient assist station.
iRunFar: K. K.
Hartmuth: After which after that assist station, there’s a climb which is solely tremendous steep. And I knew that my energy is energy mountain climbing. So, I knew that if I may just push just a little on that climb, perhaps I may just no longer even, no longer handiest overtake her, but additionally like, put an opening between the 2 folks.
iRunFar: Put time on. Yeah.
Hartmuth: Precisely. And I feel that labored. And I used to be in moment. However then I right away were given afraid that that used to be just a little an excessive amount of.
iRunFar: [laughs] Such as you did an excessive amount of in that second?
Hartmuth: Precisely as a result of at the at the earlier hill I additionally did the similar to Blandine, so I driven just a little greater than I might have accomplished perhaps with out this transfer. And I feel at the very closing hill as much as L. a. Flégère, there I in reality used to be afraid that I driven an excessive amount of.
iRunFar: It’s essential really feel it then.
Hartmuth: Precisely. I used to be utterly empty there, and in truth there I used to be afraid that either one of them will catch me once more. [laughs]
iRunFar: K.
Hartmuth: Yeah. In order that used to be tricky then. Additionally, within the closing downhill they advised me, “Hi there, Blandine, she did in reality neatly at the climb. She’s handiest 5 mins in the back of you.” And I used to be like, Now I’ve to race till the end line. Yeah, I simply gave it the whole lot and fortunately may just protected that moment position. And I feel, I imply prior to the race clearly I might were pleased with any best 5 place.
iRunFar: [laughs] However as soon as you end up in moment,
Hartmuth: While you’re moment, handiest 5 kilometers from the end line, you’re like, “No, I wish to keep in moment now.”
iRunFar: I’m no longer giving that again.
Hartmuth: Yeah, precisely. So yeah. Perhaps in spite of everything it used to be just a little of a raffle to race that tough with the 2 women. And in reality on that closing climb I in truth requested myself the query, if I might make it to the end line in any respect. As a result of I felt so, so empty. Yeah.
iRunFar: The glance to your face used to be in reality a laugh on the end line. It used to be type of like, a combination between utter happiness and utter surprise. Perhaps like a disbelief that you just have been there at the podium of UTMB. Have you ever began to consider that that’s what came about the day before today?
Hartmuth: Now not but, in truth.
iRunFar: K. K.
Hartmuth: It feels bizarre additionally that now persons are bobbing up and congratulating me. Additionally, my telephone is rather like, humming always.
iRunFar: Sorry about that. [laughs]
Hartmuth: I don’t in reality wish to have a look at it. It’s nonetheless, yeah, I nonetheless can’t in reality consider it. And likewise, after those lengthy races you want, regardless of which place you find yourself, you want only a few time to digest the race, as it’s this type of very long time that you just’re available in the market. After which now with this end result, it’s even more difficult, as a result of now everyone needs one thing from me and I’m like, whats up, can I please for, I imply, loosen up, and feature like, just a little recap.
iRunFar: Yeah, yeah. Two primary moment puts on your 2023 12 months. A moment position on the Path Global Championship 80k, a moment position right here at UTMB. Your trajectory with the game used to be already at the up, however we will safely say that it is a large ascendancy. What’s an individual such as you going to do subsequent now that that came about this 12 months?
Hartmuth: If truth be told, that’s relatively a tough query. It’s all the time a tough query the day after a race. However I feel as of late it’s particularly arduous, as a result of like the day before today I had this humorous idea. I used to be, k perhaps I wish to forestall now. Since you ran so neatly, I will’t best that.
iRunFar: Yeah. I imply, that’s an actual factor is like, the place, what’s the best? Is that this the highest? Is the highest nonetheless relatively additional? Like, that’s the large query for you at this time.
Hartmuth: Precisely. I’ve a couple of races in thoughts that I wish to do one day. I imply, I haven’t any concrete plans but. I imply, the one concrete plan now could be that it’s nearly the tip of the season, so.
iRunFar: Your concrete plan is your sofa perhaps just a little bit?
Hartmuth: Precisely. Yeah, I’ll similar to, digest the whole lot and in the end begin to leisure, and loosen up, and acquire some concepts for subsequent 12 months. So no concrete plans for subsequent 12 months but. However, yeah, it’s difficult as a result of then other folks the day before today advised me, “Hi there, will you come subsequent 12 months and take a look at to head for the win?” I used to be like, I don’t know. That’s perhaps just a little an excessive amount of. And I, yeah, it’s, I don’t know. It’s difficult. However yeah, it’s bizarre, as a result of I believe like subsequent 12 months can, it’s arduous to best this 12 months. So, I don’t understand how to enter subsequent 12 months, as a result of I’m afraid that it’s handiest getting worse now. [laughs]
iRunFar: Or it’s nonetheless getting higher.
Hartmuth: Yeah, however , now additionally expectancies are upper. So yeah, it’s other unquestionably from going into this 12 months the place no one in reality anticipated one thing.
iRunFar: Right here we’re after you having positioned moment at UTMB this weekend.
Hartmuth: Sure, we’re. So, let’s see what comes subsequent. Yeah, however for now, I simply, to begin with, attempt to revel in the whole lot that’s nonetheless happening right here, and take a look at to comprehend what came about. Yeah, I’m positive that I’ve sufficient concepts and targets of what I wish to do subsequent. However yeah, at this time I feel I don’t have this something the place I’m like, “K, that is subsequent, and I’ve to achieve a function.” It’s no longer. And I feel for now I’m in truth pleased with that.
iRunFar: Yeah.
Hartmuth: As a result of during the 12 months, you all the time have your time table of races.
iRunFar: The following factor. The following factor.
Hartmuth: And particularly with UTMB, on the finish of the, nearly the tip of the season. All the way through the 12 months is that this giant function. And now? Smartly, I’ve reached like, greater than my function.
iRunFar: Yeah.
Hartmuth: And I feel now perhaps it will no longer be a good suggestion to already search for the following large function.
iRunFar: Yeah. It seems like perhaps like just a little little bit of mental leisure and respite is what you’re in search of.
Hartmuth: Yeah, completely. I imply, needless to say. And autumn, particularly if it’s great with the elements as it’s now, I can unquestionably pass out within the mountains once more and take a look at to do as a lot path operating as I will prior to the snow arrives.
iRunFar: Yeah, yeah.
Hartmuth: As a result of I can dearly omit it during the wintertime. However when it comes to races, I feel from now I’m unquestionably happy for this 12 months. So yeah, let’s see what occurs subsequent 12 months.
iRunFar: Smartly, congratulations to your second-place end on the 2023 UTMB. Yours used to be an exhilarating efficiency to look at.
Hartmuth: Thanks.
