Ending second, Camille Bruyasof France put collectively a strong run on the 2024 Hardrock 100, her first go on the occasion. On this interview, she talks about working with Courtney Dauwalter and Katharina Hartmuth within the early miles of the occasion, her points with getting meals down whereas out on track, and the way she needed to take an prolonged break at a few help stations so as to eat the energy she wanted to complete.
For extra on how the race performed out, try our in-depth 2024 Hardrock 100 outcomes article.
Camille Bruyas Put up-2024 Hardrock 100 Interview Transcript
iRunFar: Meghan Hicks of iRunfar. I’m with Camille Bruyas. It’s the day after the 2024 Hardrock 100 Endurance Run. You’re the second-place girls’s finisher. How does that really feel, and the way does that sound?
Camille Bruyas: Sure, I noticed simply now as a result of yesterday I used to be so destroyed, and my head was utterly drained. However yeah, as we speak I’m okay.
iRunFar: The awards have simply completed, and so you bought to be honored for that second-place place. Perhaps it’s beginning to sink in a bit of bit? Like how regardless of your difficulties, you had such a very good race. You have been second place.
Bruyas: Yeah, it was exhausting till Maggie to the tip, however yeah, the night time was exhausting. It was chilly. I used to be not sufficient with some garments to be protected. So yeah, it was tremendous exhausting. The toughest race I ever did, for certain. I actually needed to drop at Maggie and say, okay, I wish to cease. However my pacer Marianne [Hogan] stated, “No, no, no. Hold going.”
iRunFar: Let’s backtrack for only a second to the components of the race the place you felt good, the primary half. I feel you felt actually good. You have been working so sturdy, and also you had a giant smile in your face for therefore many miles. Discuss us via the components of the race that you simply felt good. Like, how concerning the first climb, the second climb, the place there have been so many individuals cheering? Inform us about that.
Bruyas: Yeah, the primary climb was, for me, sluggish. And simply begin slowly, however the second climb, it was wonderful as a result of many, many individuals are cheering there.
iRunFar: And likewise cheering there after which watching you go off of Grant Swamp, too.
Bruyas: Yeah, yeah. It was scary as a result of this downhill isn’t tremendous straightforward. And after, I joined Courtney [Dauwalter] on the subsequent downhill, so it was good to share some miles along with her on the subsequent uphill to Kroger’s Canteen, which for me is the perfect place. It’s tremendous good. It’s tremendous lovely, you recognize. After Telluride, I like this half. So, yeah, I used to be tremendous, tremendous good till Telluride. And after, to Ouray it was okay, however after Ouray it was scorching.
iRunFar: So scorching.
Bruyas: Yeah, you begin to have 70 kilometers on the legs. However with Marianne, we hold going till into the night time and Handies Peak. Handies Peak is tremendous exhausting as a result of with the altitude, it’s exhausting to eat, and I feel I begin to eat much less and fewer and fewer till Maggie. So I feel in Maggie I used to be no power, nothing I can eat, nothing. It was chilly. So many issues go fallacious on these factors, however now I perceive why.
iRunFar: The lengthy part earlier than Maggie you see crew at Sherman, and then you definately go into the night time for a protracted, very long time by your self. And also you stated you weren’t consuming sufficient, and also you have been on the market with not sufficient. You need to have had extra garments, you assume?
Bruyas: Yeah.
iRunFar: So that you felt such as you slowed down, you couldn’t generate warmth, and also you couldn’t eat and make power, so was it only a matter of placing your head down and simply going step-by-step?
Bruyas: Yeah, yeah. I simply wish to end, so I feel okay. Step-by-step to this climb, this climb, this climb, this downhill. The downhill was tremendous painful for me as a result of I had stretched quadriceps. But it surely was okay.
iRunFar: So, I used to be at Maggie Gulch while you got here in, and the very first thing that you simply needed to know was the hole to the particular person behind you. The help station gave you an estimate. Two, two and a half miles, one thing like that. After which it was such as you thought you’ll sit down, use a while to get heat, to attempt to eat and drink.
Bruyas: Yeah.
iRunFar: After which not use on a regular basis like between you and that girl, however use a few of the time to maintain your self. Is that what occurred?
Bruyas: Yeah. At Maggie I simply wish to, as a result of when you will have the crew firstly of the race, if you happen to didn’t eat an excessive amount of throughout your working and racing, it’s okay as a result of you will have the crew. And you’ll eat extra what you need. However when after Sherman, you will have a very long time the place you must eat within the help station.
iRunFar: By yourself.
Bruyas: Yeah, by yourself. So, you must handle this factor, and in Pole Creek I didn’t cease so much. Maggie is like, I have to cease as a result of it’s lengthy.
iRunFar: Yeah. I used to be impressed as a result of it was clear you felt dangerous bodily and mentally, however I used to be impressed at how a lot you have been capable of eat. You took quite a lot of soup and a few chips.
Bruyas: Yeah.
iRunFar: Like, you continue to had a abdomen. Lots of people at Maggie didn’t have a abdomen anymore.
Bruyas: Yeah, certain. That’s why I’m saying, okay, you’ll be able to’t eat, you’ll be able to eat. So give attention to this, and hold going.
iRunFar: Yeah. And so in Maggie, you have been in a chair with a blanket and I don’t know, form of determined wanting? After which unexpectedly you shed the blanket and also you marched out of the help station similar to instantly. It wasn’t like, now I’m going to get able to go. It was, you have been gone. You have been nonetheless like, dedicated to the mission.
Bruyas: Yeah. Yeah, as a result of I used to be tremendous chilly. If I keep right here, I’ll keep right here for a very long time.
iRunFar: I cannot go away right here.
Bruyas: Yeah, certain. So, yeah, once I determined to maintain going, it’s like, okay, let’s go.
iRunFar: There’s nonetheless 18 miles or 30 kilometers from Maggie to the end.
Bruyas: Yeah.
iRunFar: It grew to become tougher for you. It bought even tougher.
Bruyas: Yeah, it’s exhausting, the tip, as a result of the final climb tremendous steep, tremendous lengthy. And yeah, the solar come so it was scorching.
iRunFar: Yeah.
Bruyas: So yeah, this race by no means ending.
iRunFar: You stayed for a break in Cunningham Gulch together with your crew to, form of like Maggie, to relaxation and eat some meals, I feel.
Bruyas: Yeah. Yeah, as a result of I couldn’t eat whereas I’m working.
iRunFar: Yeah.
Bruyas: And every thing generally go exterior. So yeah, I stated in Cunningham I have to eat. I can’t go this uphill if I didn’t eat, as a result of it could possibly be tremendous, tremendous exhausting. And you can also make many, many instances on this uphill. In order that’s work. I ate so much in Cunningham so I can end.
iRunFar: Okay. Was there ever some extent earlier than the end line the place you have been capable of, I don’t know, breathe a sigh of reduction and say, okay, I’m going to make it. I can get pleasure from a couple of miles. Or was all enjoyment completed at that time?
Bruyas: Yeah, I used to be tremendous sluggish. I used to be strolling with my associates, so I stated simply earlier than the end, okay, it’s okay. You’ll be able to get pleasure from. You’ll be able to get pleasure from folks, and we will converse. In order that was enjoyable, and it was okay.
iRunFar: Okay.
Bruyas: However in my thoughts, I used to be utterly destroyed and extra detrimental, I feel. However as we speak I perceive extra what I did. However yesterday I used to be simply, I’m tremendous, tremendous shit. I’m tremendous dangerous. I’m tremendous sluggish. However, you recognize, if you find yourself on this temper, it’s exhausting to disconnect while you’re tremendous drained, and also you didn’t sleep.
iRunFar: I feel it’s like our nature to acknowledge the issues that we do poorly, earlier than we acknowledge the issues that we do properly, however to run 29.5 hours at Hardrock with so many difficulties, that’s an excellent time and that’s an excellent efficiency. So, I hope with a while you’ll be able to acknowledge that.
Bruyas: Thanks.
iRunFar: You might have been right here. You got here right here, you probably did Softrock. You adjusted to the altitude. You probably did Hardrock one time. Do you’re feeling like now that you simply’ve realized it, do you’re feeling such as you would possibly wish to come again and take a look at once more and attempt to determine it out?
Bruyas: Yeah, perhaps, and it’s fascinating right here as a result of one yr is in a single aspect and the opposite loop. So yeah, perhaps, why not?
iRunFar: Final query for you. Do you will have different races or plans or adventures for this yr, or are you simply going into relaxation mode now?
Bruyas: Perhaps journey, however no races.
iRunFar: Something enjoyable to speak about?
Bruyas: Yeah. No, not enjoyable, however round home.
iRunFar: Okay.
Bruyas: Yeah, some trails I wish to go, some problem and journey with associates. So yeah, first throughout the summer season might be that. Perhaps one race, however a shorter one for certain, on the finish of the yr. As a result of 100 miles for me, it’s exhausting.
iRunFar: It’s so much.
Bruyas: Yeah, you must get better mentally. And bodily, it’s okay, however mentally you must be again with a robust power.
iRunFar: So perhaps we see you at one thing within the fall.
Bruyas: Yeah.
iRunFar: Relying on the restoration.
Bruyas: Yeah.
iRunFar: Congratulations to you in your first Hardrock end.
Bruyas: Thanks.
iRunFar: And congratulations in your second place.
Bruyas: Thanks, Meghan.