Italy’s Andreas Reiterer took third in the 80-kilometer race at the 2022 Trail World Championships. In the following interview, Andreas talks about how his race played out, what he thinks of next year’s Trail World Championships being run close to his home, and how his Italian teammates made him buy the beer last night.
For more on how the race played out, check out our 2022 Trail World Championships 80k results article.
Andreas Reiterer Post-2022 Trail World Championships 80k Interview Transcript
iRunFar: Bryon Powell of iRunFar here with Andreas Reiterer after his third-place finish at the 2022 Trail World Championships 80k. How are you, Andreas?
Andreas Reiterer: Hi. I’m very happy now.
iRunFar: Yeah?
Reiterer: Today a bit tired but after a race like this, it’s okay to be tired.
iRunFar: Yeah, it’s also the end of the season so it’s okay to be tired.
Reiterer: Yeah, yeah. Finally end of season. We are all happy.
iRunFar: Does this feel like a good way to end things?
Reiterer: Yeah, that was a great goal for me, not only a medal, but to do a good race and a race that I can give everything. Yeah. And now with the medal it’s better.
iRunFar: Yeah. Talk me through your race, how it went. Did you, how did it start out for you?
Reiterer: Yeah, we, we started slow, not so fast. And then at the end of the first uphill, I tried to go in front with Adam Peterman. And then also Nico Martin. And the next, the loop of 30 [kilometers], we did most of it together.
iRunFar: Okay.
Reiterer: And then I don’t know after 40k or 35k, Adam and Nico started to go away.
iRunFar: Mm-hmm.
Reiterer: I had a little crisis.
iRunFar: What was that? What went wrong?
Reiterer: Well, I don’t know. In the uphill, I was not so good. But then we came to the second aid station, the great aid station and then the big downhill.
iRunFar: So, from 50 to 60 kilometers.
Reiterer: Yeah, yeah. And there I felt very good, and I pushed a lot.
iRunFar: Were you with Aritz [Egea] at the top of that or when did you?
Reiterer: Yeah, were together at the top, and Nico Martin was 2.5 minutes before, and then in the downhill I catch him, but maybe I went too fast because then in the uphill my legs were dead. [laughs]
iRunFar: I think Ida Nilsson in the women’s race kind of made a similar attempt to go very fast on that section.
Reiterer: Yeah, yeah.
iRunFar: Maybe pay for it a little bit. But you have to try, yeah?
Reiterer: Yeah. I, I like these roads where you can run fast. And then, yeah. But it’s very hard because you run down, and you are in the heat. And then it’s like a VK [vertical kilometer].
iRunFar: Yeah. Just straight up.
Reiterer: So steep, yeah.
iRunFar: And in the jungle it’s hot, it’s humid, and you just worked hard descending.
Reiterer: I had the poles and that was very good for me. Yeah. Because I know Adam Peterman has no poles but he was very, too strong in the uphills. Yeah.
iRunFar: So in those last 20 kilometers, did you, were you thinking more about trying to catch maybe Nico or about Aritz or the other runners behind you?
Reiterer: Yeah, I was angry.
iRunFar: Scared?
Reiterer: Scared that the fourth will pass me. And so, the whole last downhill I turned around, but I pushed always. And the last two k[ilometer]s were terrible.
iRunFar: On the road?
Reiterer: On the flat.
iRunFar: But you like the fast. [laughs]
Reiterer: Yeah, but then you are dead.
iRunFar: Yeah. So it’s interesting because I think of, so a lot of the Italian good trail runners is very much loving the more technical. But you, you like the speed.
Reiterer: Yeah. I like also the technical but when we have on the road, and you can run fast.
iRunFar: It’s an advantage for you? So you like both.
Reiterer: I like both. One day I will maybe try to do the Western States 100.
iRunFar: That kind of race would suit you well?
Reiterer: Maybe.
iRunFar: What other races in Europe maybe have you done similar to that more runnable trail style?
Reiterer: Lavaredo Ultra Trail by UTMB. It’s also very runnable.
iRunFar: It’s not technical. Yeah, yeah.
Reiterer: And also CCC a bit but not so much.
iRunFar: How did you, how did you do with the heat? If you’re thinking about the Western States 100 someday, how was the heat for you?
Reiterer: Yeah, because we came here 11 or 12 days ago, and then it was not so great a problem for me.
iRunFar: Yeah.
Reiterer: I think when you arrive two days … when we arrived two days ago, it’s not possible to perform well.
iRunFar: Yeah. So next June, the Trail World Championships come to Tyrol.
Reiterer: Yeah.
iRunFar: Is that exciting for you?
Reiterer: Yeah, very exciting because it’s only one hour from my home.
iRunFar: Yeah?
Reiterer: Yeah. We will see.
iRunFar: It’s a little early to plan schedules but are you thinking about that?
Reiterer: Yeah. Now I haven’t seen the course, nothing, but I wanted to do this race and then I will now rest. And then we’ll think about it.
iRunFar: But maybe.
Reiterer: Yeah.
iRunFar: Would it be fun to run at home? More or less?
Reiterer: Yeah.
iRunFar: A big advantage.
Reiterer: Advantage and all the people will come to cheer us.
iRunFar: Your family, your friends.
Reiterer: Friends.
iRunFar: That’s cool. Well, congratulations on a great run here and hope to see you again soon.
Reiterer: Thank you. Thank you.
Bonus Question
iRunFar: And one quick bonus question for you, Andreas. I was out last night trying to catch some dinner and I see you and all the Italian team enjoying some beers. Did they make you pay for all the beer last night? [laughs]
Reiterer: [laughs] Yeah, I had to pay a lot. Now I’m going home without money. [laughs] But that’s okay.
iRunFar: Hope you had a good time.
Reiterer: Yeah, we had a good time.
