With a third place in the 2014 The North Face Transgrancanaria, frequent racer Fernanda Maciel adds another strong performance to her quickly growing 2014 resumé. In the following interview, Fernanda talks about running with the other women early in the race, how she felt about finishing just a couple minutes behind Francesca Canepa, and her next big race.
For more on the race, you can read our 2014 TNF Transgrancanaria results article.
[Click here if you can’t see the video above.]
Fernanda Maciel Post-2014 TNF Transgrancanaria Interview Transcript
iRunFar: Bryon Powell of iRunFar here with Fernanda Maciel after her third-place finish here at Transgrancanaria. How was your day yesterday?
Fernanda Maciel: Well, it was a hard day, tough day, because it was a hard race. It was really technical; really difficult on some climbs; really slippery at night; cold for me; with strong runners besides. It was quite the race. I loved it. It was fun.
iRunFar: It was a very dynamic race. Can you tell me how that played out? Did you move around in the women’s field?
Maciel: Yes, in the beginning Francesca Canepa, the Italian, and me, then Núria Picas behind. After one hour and a half, Núria passed us really fast and I couldn’t catch her. After I passed Caroline [Chaverot] the French runner, really good as well. After I passed Caroline, I caught and passed Francesca, the Italian, and I spent almost all the race in second place. But then with 15k to the finish, I started to go slowly because the guys told me, “Oh, she’s only like 40 minutes behind you—35 minutes behind you.” “Okay.” But suddenly she came and she came really fast. I wasn’t running fast. She didn’t stop at the checkpoint, and after that I didn’t see her. She crossed the finish line two minutes before me.
iRF: So maybe if you kept going hard when you thought you had a big lead?
Maciel: Yeah, the problem was that I couldn’t see her. I was in the valley and the finish line was like a dry river. There are many people because there are other runners running, so I couldn’t see her. Maybe if I could have seen her, maybe I could get her.
iRF: Did you have any problems during the race?
Maciel: No, not any problems. I was really enjoying the race. I had good speed. I couldn’t catch Núria. Núria was much stronger, but the run was good.
iRunFar: What was it like racing Núria? Núria for the past two years has been very, very strong. Is it intimidating racing her?
Maciel: Yes. It was my first time racing against her, and yes, she’s really, really strong, very good person, very good runner. I think she has a good mental part and she has experience. So she’s a good, complete runner.
iRunFar: I would think you have raced Francesca before. Many times?
Maciel: Yes, with Francesca, twice.
iRunFar: She has a lot of experience just like you.
Maciel: She has good experience. She runs fast on flat and up a hill and downhill. I have more technical than her but she just went past.
iRunFar: Do you think this race was very technical?
Maciel: Yes, very technical.
iRunFar: Even for you.
Maciel: Even for me, technical. I didn’t train too much uphills. I brought my poles, and I was pushing too much that I broke not the pole but the strap. I broke both. Yes. So it probably was hard climbs as you can see.
iRunFar: Muy duro.
Maciel: Durissimo!
iRunFar: Will you take some time off after this? Will you rest?
Maciel: Yeah, this week I hope to do bike or recovery running and the bike. My next race will be Mt. Fuji [UTMF], TNF 100k Australia, and the [Skyrunning] World Championship in Chamonix , and UTMB.
iRunFar: That’s a good season.
Maciel: Yes, a tough season. I hope I get good recovery fast and healthy.
iRunFar: Great job this weekend and see you around the world.
Maciel: Yes, for sure.
