Jon Albon (U.Okay., residing in Norway) is ready to place himself out of his consolation zone with the warmth, altitude, and sometimes overgrown trails in lining up for his first Western States 100. On this interview, he talks about how his best-laid plans for a remaining coaching block in America have been derailed by COVID-19, how he plans on dealing with the altitude early on within the race, and what he expects to be his largest challenges.

To be taught extra about who’s racing, try our males’s and girls’s previews and observe our stay race protection on race day.

Jon Albon Pre-2024 Western States 100 Interview Transcript

iRunFar: Meghan Hicks of iRunFar. I’m with Jon Albon. It’s the day earlier than the 2024 Western States 100. Jon, hello. How are you?

Jon Albon: Good. How are you?

iRunFar: Good. We have been simply speaking off digital camera that you’ve got been to Olympic Valley earlier than to compete within the Spartan World Championships, in what yr was that?

Albon: It was 4 or 5 years in a row, so a couple of occasions.

iRunFar: Okay. Welcome again.

Albon: Extra within the autumn, so it’s been good to return within the spring really, to see the snow soften, and kind of expertise extra the paths. As a result of after I’ve come earlier than, it’s been extra kind of smash and seize, whereas now I’ve been right here for a couple of weeks. I’ve gotten to truly get round and see just a little bit.

iRunFar: First issues first. I feel, that is your first 100-mile race, and you’ve got chosen one which, not less than from my perspective, is a wee bit completely different from the races you usually select. It is a flat, quick, 100-mile race. How do you react to these ideas?

Albon: I feel, it’s not my first time operating 100 miles, as a result of I’ve carried out an impediment race, which was 24 hours.

iRunFar: Proper. Sure.

Albon: In [Las] Vegas, carrying a wetsuit, doing obstacles. We ran 105 miles, me and Ryan Atkins.

iRunFar: So that is going to be simpler.

Albon: [laughs]

iRunFar: You’ve already carried out 100 miles with obstacles.

Albon: [laughs] No, no. There’s by no means a simple race, since you simply find yourself attempting to go sooner.

iRunFar: Okay.

Albon: So generally I’m torn. What’s extra painful, 400 meters on a observe as quick you’ll be able to go, or 100 miles? I feel it’s only a completely different kind of ache. This one’s going to be so much kind of extra dragged out, however much less, much less intense, I assume. So no, it’s all the time going to be a problem. And yeah, it’s not just like the kind of race I’m used to. I’ve by no means actually carried out a path race within the States. It’s going to be far hotter than I’m used to, web downhill, extra like a operating stride all through. So all these items are just a little bit new to me. However I imply, it’s a problem, isn’t it? I didn’t actually select to return right here. Somebody stated you gained a Golden Ticket. So, do you wish to? So I stated yeah.

iRunFar: They selected you.

Albon: Just about.

iRunFar: [laughs]

Albon: Why not? Generally it’s good to go away as much as the fates, and the fates selected this yr for me, and I’m excited. It must be attention-grabbing.

iRunFar: Air quotes attention-grabbing. I feel that’s an effective way to say that. Let’s backtrack in your operating yr just a little bit. You’re on a reasonably sizzling streak on the subject of path ultras. We’ve a win at Transvulcania a few months in the past.

Albon: Yep.

iRunFar: A win at CCC final yr, after which squeeze in between {that a} win at Les Templiers. Are you on, is that this formally a successful streak proper now for path ultras?

Albon: I don’t know. I assume so. I imply, each time I run, I attempt to do as greatest I can. Generally which means I can win. And I do really feel like I’ve realized a hell of so much prior to now 12 months, and a few of these wins haven’t been the best, and I haven’t been within the form I’ve wished to be in, however I’ve managed to drag different issues out the bag. So I really do assume that that’s going to be, that is going to be in a kind of comparable kind of path to the others, so we’ll see the way it goes. However I imply, it’s been enjoyable. I feel ever since I had the foot operation round Covid time, I’ve actually been, kind of like, laying one block on high of the opposite, and kind of going locations. It’s been plenty of enjoyable. Let’s simply hope I can proceed having by having a strong race right here.

iRunFar: The final couple of weeks you’ve been in America with the hopes of coming, acclimating to the warmth and the altitude. I feel America may need had different plans for you. What occurred?

Albon: Yeah, so the way in which I schedule my coaching very a lot is I’m increase my coaching, and I’m attempting to do essentially the most coaching just some weeks earlier than. And that was the plan. To reach within the States, have the final coaching block on the course, within the warmth, get some altitude. Nevertheless it was simply two days after touchdown that I examined optimistic for COVID-19. In order that’s like, by no means one thing that an athlete actually needs to get at one of the best of occasions, not to mention simply earlier than an enormous race. Nevertheless it might have been worse. I imply, I might have gotten it a pair days in the past, however then, to be trustworthy, I in all probability wouldn’t have raced. So it was, it occurred at that magical time the place you’re form of thrown into little bit of a disarray. And also you don’t actually understand how a lot time it is best to spend resting, how a lot time it is best to spend attempting to get again to coaching. After which additionally there was the with COVID coming as much as 2,000 meters above sea stage, which for me is excessive. I stay at sea stage. And in addition it was fairly sizzling that week as nicely. So that you’ve out of the blue acquired the post-COVID, the warmth, and the altitude. All these items it’s important to cope with. Then attempt to work out how a lot coaching try to be doing. So.

iRunFar: Mom Nature of every kind was coming at you that week.

Albon: So it’s been a little bit of a balancing act. It’s definitely not been the best run right into a race, however I’ve carried out one of the best with what I had, and I really feel like I’ve acquired myself into not less than a wholesome state the place I really feel prefer it’s not going to be harmful for me to race. Nevertheless it’s not precisely the preparation I might have preferred to have had going into it. However nonetheless, precise Transvulcania, and the entire preparation to Transvulcania, that was actually good. So I felt like I used to be in a extremely good place earlier than coming to the States, which leaves me a bit upset with how I’m now. However then it does present that there’s type in there, and who is aware of, on the day, and there’s plenty of different items of the puzzle, slightly than simply how match you might be. So, let’s simply see if I can cobble collectively among the different ones.

iRunFar: Yeah. So let’s speak about this race for a minute. This race is one thing the place there’s every kind of historical past to look again by way of, like, what works for individuals, what doesn’t work for individuals. You’re an individual who like, I like to think about as, like, a really intellectual-type runner.

Albon: [laughs] Thanks.

iRunFar: Like, you’ll be able to inform you’re a examine of tempo and energy. Hello guys.

[A dog runs over.]

Albon: Animals! Simply what I would like.

iRunFar: This isn’t the primary interview that we have now had canine.

Albon: I feel among the greatest races I’ve had is when somebody’s introduced a canine within the week earlier than. It all the time takes away the nerves, and the nervousness, . Nothing like a very good assist animal to see you thru.

iRunFar: So, I consider you as like, yeah, like a racer who races as a lot with their thoughts as with their physique, and it is a race that there’s no in need of info available, of like, what works and what doesn’t work. You stated earlier within the interview, you’ve been interested by what you’ll be able to pull out of your bag of tips for this race. What’s happening in your head by way of like, these are the issues that I really want to give attention to as my strengths or perhaps my weaknesses?

Albon: Yeah, I feel it’s robust, as a result of usually all of that may come from expertise. And I’ve not skilled this race earlier than. I feel most individuals say you don’t actually have a very good Western your first race. You need to expertise it to then know find out how to practice, and find out how to put together, what ways to make use of going into it. There’s plenty of info on the market. I’ve carried out some analysis. Henrietta has carried out her analysis. We’ve tried to place collectively a strong vitamin plan. Attempting to get the electrolytes, ensuring I’m going to be ingesting sufficient, understanding like, what I would like and when, and having a couple of backup plans.

However I feel the primary factor I spotted I’m going to be needing is the absolute best ice plan and cooling plan identified to man. So the final three days has been simply me stitching and stapling race vests like completely full of ice. Race ice bandanas, hats I’ve been customizing right here the entrance and middle to strive and ensure I can preserve myself as cool as potential. As a result of I’m not used to the warmth. I can’t function as nicely within the warmth as different individuals. So I’m going to wish to perhaps use a few of my impediment racing. I can carry some additional weight abilities and simply carry a few kilos of ice with me just about wherever I can on the course.

iRunFar: Properly, Western States has all the time a reasonably implausible style present with individuals’s improvements on find out how to keep cool, so I’m wanting ahead to yours.

Albon: It’s going to be attention-grabbing to see what works and what doesn’t. I’ve had some assist from sponsors as nicely, the place they’ve tried to assist out with assist out with some kind of new ideas for gear and what we will do. Like, I’ve acquired a very nice, skinny white high with some pockets sewn in, so I can throw ice in these, or get given ice baggage. After which the race vest is stuffed filled with ice with all my vitamin within the belt. The race vest is simply ice.

iRunFar: Simply ice.

Albon: Then I can dump that and seize one other one on the subsequent assist stain. There’s plenty of assist stations on this course, which I’m additionally not very used to. So it’ll be attention-grabbing. We’ll see the way it goes. Clearly, one of the best made plans usually all the time fail when it’s important to roll with the punches. And I’m simply wanting ahead to stepping into that second half, when every little thing sucks, and seeing if I’ve acquired what it takes on that dayto grind, grind it out. I don’t just like the beginnings of races while you’re ready to be drained. I simply need everybody to have proven their playing cards. Everybody to be destroyed. Can we discover out who’s acquired the guts to maintain pushing by means of?

iRunFar: Who’s going to grind the toughest and one of the best?

Albon: We will see.

iRunFar: Let’s speak about among the guys you’ll be grinding alongside the course with tomorrow.

Albon: Doesn’t sound one of the best. [laughs]

iRunFar: Let’s speak about among the guys who you’ll be operating with tomorrow. What’s attention-grabbing for me is that we have now the boys’s course file holder, Jim Walmsley, who’s a infamous entrance runner. After which we have now Tyler Inexperienced, who’s a two-time second-place finisher….

…We’ve this very nice canine who needs to affix us once more…

[The dog runs up again.]

…Who’s, like, a infamous, like, goes out form of exhausting, however likes to kind of sit and watch and are available by means of and like, , take names within the second half of race. Have you ever thought in any respect about how you intend to deal with these 100 miles, or who you may end up operating with tomorrow?

Albon: I feel it’s positively me versus the course. And with CCC, particularly, I’ve by no means been capable of begin being at just a little little bit of altitude and maintain with the entrance runners. It is a little bit additional than these races, so  perhaps it’ll go off a bit slower, and I’ll discover myself comfortably on the entrance, however actually, I should be comfy at the start with the elevation. So I must run my very own race.

And to be trustworthy I’m actually glad that it appears to me a extremely deep subject of fellows particularly. I imply, clearly having Jim right here is nice, since you wish to measure your self in opposition to one of the best particular person on the course, and it’s going to be actually attention-grabbing to see the place everybody pans out, each for the mens race and the females race. So assume it must be a enjoyable one to observe. I imply, I’m right here to hopefully give Jim a race. That’s what I wish to do, and I’d be upset if I couldn’t. No less than I do know that if I can’t, there’s a couple of different individuals to present him a very good race, too.

iRunFar: Properly, I feel that assume in that assertion can also be a little bit of a touch on how you plan to race tomorrow.

Albon: For certain, I wish to execute in addition to I can. That’ll be the primary objective. And so long as I execute nicely, and I be taught so much, I must be proud of coming anyplace within the high 10, to be trustworthy, as a result of it’s a deep subject. And I feel it’s simply nice path operating, extremely path operating, particularly, is getting there. As a result of, I imply, in years passed by, it is likely to be that you would win by 25 minutes, half an hour, however I simply don’t assume that’ll be the case this yr. Hopefully it makes for an important spectacle for everybody to observe.

iRunFar: Yeah, I personally am wanting ahead to some dash finishes on the observe tomorrow evening from the boys and the ladies.

Albon: I’ve already carried out one observe session this week.

iRunFar: [laughs]

Albon: Really this yr, sorry, which was really final week. I’m hopefully not going to be having a dash end on the observe as a result of I don’t assume I’m in one of the best of observe form in the mean time.

iRunFar: Jon Albon, greatest to luck to you in your first Western States 100.

Albon: Thanks very a lot.