Jasmin Nunige is having a heckuva racing season, including her second place at the 2015 Les Templiers over the weekend. In the following interview, Jasmin talks about how her training went between her UltraVasan win in August and now, which women she raced against during the race, and how Les Templiers went much better for her this year as compared to 2014.
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Jasmin Nunige Post-2015 Les Templiers Interview Transcript
iRunFar: Bryon Powell of iRunFar here with Jasmin Nunige after her second-place finish at the 2015 Les Templiers. Congratulations, Jasmin!
Jasmin Nunige: Thank you very much.
iRunFar: We didn’t have a chance to speak on camera before the race, but how has your training gone since your win at UltraVasan?
Nunige: After UltraVasan, I had some rest to recover. I continued to train up in the mountains and a lot of downhill parts because I knew it’s really difficult in the downhill parts here. So I tried to prepare for this race.
iRunFar: The race went out very fast. Were you prepared for that?
Nunige: Yes, I felt also really good in the beginning. I just ran my race. My husband told me I was in third place. I was, “Oh, I didn’t think I was starting so fast.” I ran miles with Maud Gobert. Early, she was just behind me or a little bit before me. That’s why we pushed each other. That’s why it was a fast race at the end.
iRunFar: You and Ellie [Greenwood] had what seemed like a great battle for quite awhile in the race. Did you guys keep passing each other?
Nunige: Yes, sometimes I just catch up to her in the uphill parts, and then she was faster in the downhill parts. She saw me halfway. It was really nice. It was a nice battle.
iRunFar: Did you ever get a chance to talk at all, or were you guys just so focused?
Nunige: We just talked sometimes two or three times just a little bit—just “good job” and how we wanted to make a victory for the Europe team—otherwise, we were focused on the race.
iRunFar: When did she finally pull ahead?
Nunige: After about the last water station, it’s a really steep uphill part, and she got more than three minutes. I had a little bit difficulties, just tired.
iRunFar: Difficulties but not horrible?
Nunige: Not really difficulties, just a little bit tired. Then I was nearly sure that unless she fell or had something else, it would be really difficult to catch her. She did a great job today.
iRunFar: Last year you didn’t have such a good run at Les Templiers. What happened last year?
Nunige: Yes, last season it was really difficult season for me. I couldn’t run during the whole summer. It was just to begin again my racing. That’s why I came here, to recover, but I wasn’t really prepared. It’s not the best race when you’re not prepared.
iRunFar: Your performance maybe matched your fitness last year. So it wasn’t that anything went wrong; you just weren’t fit.
Nunige: Yes.
iRunFar: This year, you’ve shown you were very fit. Is this the end of your season?
Nunige: Yes, I think so. I spoke to my husband and my coach. Normally I have to stop now. It was a long season and a really good season. But after this… perhaps… who knows?
iRunFar: What might cross your mind to run? Anything interest you later?
Nunige: Yes, I talked to an American guy for JFK 50 Mile or [TNF 50] San Francisco, but I don’t know. It’s a lot of traveling. I have to just…
iRunFar: But you’re tempted?
Nunige: Yes, I’m tempted.
iRunFar: If you don’t race those races, is there anything that you definitely want to run in 2016?
Nunige: Yes, there are some races. I want to go back to UltraVasan and perhaps to Les Templiers again. There are some nice races to discover also, but I don’t know really.
iRunFar: Do you ever think of running the 100k on the road or Comrades?
Nunige: Comrades, it’s really also a nice race. It’s really one of the oldest ultra races. I don’t know. I’m really tempted to do it, but the road is really difficult to prepare. I don’t know exactly.
iRunFar: You prefer to be on the trails?
Nunige: Yes, exactly.
iRunFar: Congratulations on a great season on the trails, Jasmin. I hope to see you again soon.
Nunige: Thank you very much. Thank you.
