Final 12 months’s champion, Ludovic Pommeretreturns to the 2025 Arduous rock 100 hoping to have one other excellent day. Within the following interview, Ludovic talks concerning the race final 12 months, his coaching main as much as this 12 months’s occasion, his ideas on among the different prime males within the area, and what he hopes for throughout this lap across the San Juans. Additionally, a bonus query about dwelling out of his automotive together with his spouse throughout his time in America.
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Ludovic Pommeret Pre-2025 Hardrock 100 Interview Transcript
iRunFar: Bryon Powell of iRunFar, right here with Ludovic Pommeret earlier than the 2025 Hardrock 100. How are you, Ludo?
Ludovic Pommeret: Hello, Bryon. Hello, everybody.
IranFar: You’re nicely?
The Pomer: I’m not so unhealthy. Yeah. Simply climbing to the shrine, it was a bit exhausting, however yeah. I feel it’s okay. It’s like stairs. You already know?
IranFar: Yeah.
The Pomer: You might be by no means prepared. You climb stairs, and also you say, Oh no, I’m not prepared. I’m respiratory too exhausting.
IranFar: Good factor Hardrock is a really gradual course.
The Pomer: Most half.
IranFar: So, you’ve been right here, nicely, let me return to final 12 months. It’s been a 12 months because you ran and gained Hardrock in, in fact, file time. Do you’ve got any ideas on {that a} 12 months later, what that accomplishment means to you?
The Pomer: I’m undecided I’ve caught the which means. One 12 months after, what’s the which means?
IranFar: Yeah, your Hardrock win.
The Pomer: Yeah, it was the right day. So, what’s to say? I’ve so as to add nothing. Yeah, I’m simply questioning if I ought to come once more as a result of when you’ve got an ideal day, there’s an enormous likelihood that it’s, once more, an ideal day.
IranFar: It’s a raffle. It’s a danger.
The Pomer: Sure, it’s a danger.
IranFar: As a result of proper now you’ve got the right picture of excellent race.
The Pomer: Yeah, however because the bibs are actually exhausting to get, so when you’ve got one free, you’ve got one.
IranFar: You could have one?
The Pomer: You’ll be able to’t refuse. In order that’s why I’m right here and we’ll see. And I don’t know if it’s you or another person that instructed me that to be an actual Hardrocker, you must do each instructions.
IranFar: That’s sort of the old-fashioned legend of it. Yeah. You’re a Hardrocker after each finishes.
The Pomer: Each finishes or each instructions?
IranFar: Nicely, each instructions. Yeah.
The Pomer: Each instructions.
IranFar: Each instructions. Nicely, you’re again right here. Since Hardrock final 12 months, you completed fifth at UTMB and it’s only a lengthy string of accomplishments for you. Goes to and operating these races within the mountain nonetheless play? Is it work? What’s the coaching to you? Do you take pleasure in it so much?
The Pomer: Yeah, I take pleasure in it to be right here for the coaching first. For the journey additionally as a result of we arrived fairly early, even sooner than final 12 months. And we loved some components in Colorado, to the Nice Dune Sands.
IranFar: The Nice Sand Dunes Nationwide Park, yeah.
The Pomer: Nice Sand Dunes, okay, not so as.
IranFar: No, it’s okay.
The Pomer: And I simply go to Leadville to see why Courtney is so robust, perhaps due to altitude. Not solely.
IranFar: Not solely, yeah.
The Pomer: So, it was nice to have a little bit of a street journey after which I frolicked right here in Silverton for Softrock and simply hike a bit round.
IranFar: So, you’ve been in the USA for nearly a month now? Greater than a month?
The Pomer: Multiple month, yeah, 4th of June.
IranFar: Exterior of operating, are there any finest adventures or favourite reminiscences of that point to date?
The Pomer: I don’t know. The bear on Crimson Mountain Move that was simply consuming a deer 5 meters from us. So yeah, that was good.
IranFar: You had been driving over the street?
The Pomer: We had been on the grass, so it was okay. After which the marmot at Kendall Mountain was enjoyable additionally. Not enjoyable, however…
IranFar: What occurred?
The Pomer: She tried to eat the wires of the automotive. And we simply awakened as a result of we had been sleeping there and so they simply get up at half previous 6, in order that’s good however…
IranFar: Yeah, that’s an issue right here. The marmots can get into the vehicles.
The Pomer: Yeah, they might injury the vehicles, in order that’s why we needed to chase it.
IranFar: And so, you’ve got been additionally operating fairly a bit right here within the U.S. So, you’ve executed a minimum of two Softrocks. You’ve executed a bunch of different coaching on the course. I feel you’ve run extra on the course than anyone this 12 months. What have you ever loved on the course to date?
The Pomer: There’s totally different components, however I wish to know the path. I can’t have to put my navigation even when I’ve one. However no, I like some components and I’ve executed Softrock, the primary Softrock with the backpacking and tent and so forth with Celine so it’s…
IranFar: Your spouse?
The Pomer: Yeah, it’s one other journey. And yeah, I actually like this path. Some components are troublesome. I’ve not executed solely the Hardrock path. I’ve executed a number of additionally 14ers like Redcloud, Sunshine, Sneffel. Uncompahgre, I by no means might by no means pronounce it.
IranFar: Uncompahgre.
The Pomer: Uncompahgre.
IranFar: Excellent.
The Pomer: Wetterhorn, a difficult one.
IranFar: Wetterhorn, yeah.
The Pomer: In order that evening I used to be additionally on (San Juan) Solstice 50 (Mile) for cheering a bit.
IranFar: The San Juan Solstice? Yeah, nice. Did you do your second Softrock with Mathieu Blanchard for a few of it or no?
The Pomer: Yeah, a younger man in path operating, he’s fairly promising.
IranFar: I don’t know if he can maintain up with the previous guys, although.
The Pomer: You must take care, take care additionally, as a result of I feel I heard that he’s consuming American quads, so you must take care. I’m French so I’m secure.
IranFar: Perhaps Mathieu will share. So you’re again right here at Hardrock and also you had the right race final time. What are you able to hope to get from this race?
The Pomer: Why not have an ideal second race?
IranFar: Why not? I prefer it.
The Pomer: I waited 25 years to get an ideal day. Why not twice in two years? I don’t know.
IranFar: Okay. I prefer it. And do you’re feeling your health is as robust as final 12 months or comparable?
The Pomer: It’s nonetheless troublesome to say. As I say, simply to climb the shrine was troublesome, but it surely’s okay. I’ve not massive accidents. I nonetheless have some small, however if you find yourself previous you at all times have accidents, so you must take care of them.
IranFar: Certainly.
The Pomer: And no, nothing is pink.
IranFar: Good.
The Pomer: We’ve got most of inexperienced, small orange, however that’s okay.
IranFar: And also you’ll relaxation for 2 days, and it’ll be okay.
The Pomer: Yeah, I’ve two days of relaxation. So lot of time to get well.
IranFar: Excellent. Nicely, better of luck, Ludo. I hope you’ve got one other excellent day on the market.
The Pomer: Thanks. I hope so.
IranFar: And a bonus query for you, Ludo.
The Pomer: Okay.
IranFar: For a lot of the time you’ve been in the USA, you had been tenting in your rental automotive together with your spouse. That’s a dream to be the dirtbag path runner in a single’s 20s or 30s. But it surely’s sort of a problem as we get near 50. Do you’ve got any ideas for conserving it enjoyable?
The Pomer: Yeah, we received actually fairly a giant automotive, seven seats, so we are able to have fairly area within the again to put down with, not an actual mattress, however a minimum of in inflatable one and with an actual pillow. So, no, it’s good. Simply the river are fairly chilly for the tub, however by likelihood we are able to take generally sizzling showers in Silverton or Lake Metropolis.
IranFar: Good. It’s good to listen to that.
