Oh, Jonas Buud. He’s really taking this second-place thing a little too far, as this weekend he took second place at an IAU 100k World Championships for a fourth time. In the following interview, Jonas talks about whether he stuck to his race plan, what he thinks about finishing second so often, how he’ll spend his off-season, and why his racing schedule for next year may look very similar to this year’s.
For more on the 2014 IAU 100k World Championships, check out our results article.
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Jonas Buud Post-2014 IAU 100k World Championships Interview Transcript
iRunFar: Bryon Powell of iRunFar here with Jonas Buud after his second-place finish at the 2014 IAU 100k World Championships. I say second place and you laugh, Jonas. Why is that?
Jonas Buud: Always second place. First loser for the fourth time.
iRunFar: This is your fourth time here placing second to go with your Comrades and UTMB seconds. It’s a bad habit to have, Jonas.
Buud: I try to change it, but it’s hard.
iRunFar: You ran a really good race yesterday.
Buud: Yes, I followed my plan. It went almost the same as the plan the whole way. So it was a good race for me anyway, but of course I want to win. Someone was faster.
iRunFar: You went out, a couple people went off the front—two runners maybe—and you ran with a large pack.
Buud: Yes.
iRunFar: How long were you running with the group?
‘Buud: I think it was about 55k, I think. Then [Max] King started to increase the speed and the group disappeared.
iRunFar: But you were still running with [Alberico] Di Cecco and [Hideo] Nojo?
Buud: Yes, for 10 or 15k more. Then I went by myself.
iRunFar: Did you think you sped up or did you just keep nailing your splits?
Buud: I saw my split times and I think, Oh, this is a good pace. It will be a 6:30 anyway. They can run faster if they want to be 6:20, I can’t run so fast. I think I followed my plan even if someone was running faster.
iRunFar: Did you ever have any low points during the race?
Buud: Not really, I had almost the same speed. I lost some minutes at the last 5k, but otherwise it was almost the same speed.
iRunFar: Otherwise before that you actually were closing in on Max King.
Buud: Yes, I think he had a little bit of a depression there.
iRunFar: Do you have any idea how close your splits were for the first half of the race compared to the second half because it must have been very close?
Buud: No, I don’t know.
iRunFar: Maybe two or three minutes slower the second half?
Buud: Yes, I think so.
iRunFar: Are you always that consistent? That’s amazing!
Buud: I try to. That’s my type of races. I’m not a fast runner, but I can continue the same speed for a very long time.
iRunFar: You know your ability very well.
Buud: Yes.
iRunFar: Did you run as good of a race as you thought you could beforehand?
Buud: Maybe a little bit better for this course which is really tough. It has really sharp turns. It’s really heavy and tough. I think it was maybe a few minutes faster than expected.
iRunFar: There was a lot of talk about heat and humidity before the race, but…?
Buud: For me it was not so big problem. I used to run good in the heat. I performed well at Comrades in very hot conditions. I don’t think it bothers me.
iRunFar: The heat doesn’t bother you. You ran a fast time. Was that one of your faster time?
Buud: Yes, my second fastest. I have a 6:28 personal best.
iRunFar: Was it 6:31?
Buud: 6:32. It’s okay.
iRunFar: What’s up next for you?
Buud: Now it will be some rest for the rest of the season. In the beginning of the spring, I’ll go to Portugal for a training camp and then Madrid for training camp and then Paris Marathon and then Comrades. It’s almost the same as this year.
iRunFar: You have a routine and you stick to it.
Buud: Yes. Then it will be Swiss Alpine [Marathon] and then UltraVasan—the same.
iRunFar: And then World 100k perhaps?
Buud: Yes.
iRunFar: Can we throw something new in the mix?
Buud: I tried to, but it’s so many races I have to defend all the time.
iRunFar: We know if you’re going to defend you have to have the Swiss Alpine.
Buud: Yes. I must.
iRunFar: And UltraVasan?
Buud: Yes.
iRunFar: I assume you’ll keep coming back to World 100k?
Buud: Yes. I hope so. Now it will be in September next year, I hope.
iRunFar: You’ve run on the Winschoten course in The Netherlands?
Buud: Yes, it was not a good race for me, but I can do better next year.
iRunFar: You’re going to take some rest now. Do you go right back into running or do you ski?
Buud: No, I will run a little bit. We don’t have any snow at home yet. I will do some skiing also this winter I hope.
iRunFar: Do you ski the Vasaloppet?
Buud: Not this year, but I have.
iRunFar: Having done both that and the UltraVasan, how different are they?
Buud: Skiing is more easy. You can go faster by skiing. Running is a bit more tougher I think.
iRunFar: Do you need to carry a weight in the running race as you do in the ski race?
Buud: No.
iRunFar: How did your team do this time around?
Buud: I think we managed to do well. I think we were fourth in the team competition yesterday.
iRunFar: Was that a good result for Sweden?
Buud: Yes, I think so. The second Swedish athlete was 10th which is also good for him.
iRunFar: Was that a surprise for him?
Buud: Yes, I think so.
iRunFar: Congratulations to you and your team, Jonas.
Buud: Thank you.
iRunFar: See you soon.
