In our first interview with Lisa Borzani ahead of the 2016 Vibram Hong Kong 100k, we talk with her about how she’s loved running since childhood, her experience racing and finishing third here last year, and how she’s prepared for this early season long race.
To find out who else is racing, check out our 2016 Vibram Hong Kong 100k preview. And be sure to follow our live coverage on race day!
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Lisa Borzani Pre-2016 Vibram Hong Kong 100k Interview Transcript
iRunFar: Bryon Powell of iRunFar here with Lisa Borzani before the 2016 Vibram Hong Kong 100k. How are you, Lisa?
Lisa Borzani: I’m fine, thanks.
iRunFar: What brings you to Hong Kong?
Borzani: I’m here for the race and also to enjoy the town and the people and discover this wonderful town.
iRunFar: You have been here before?
Borzani: Yes, last year.
iRunFar: You were third?
Borzani: I was third, yes.
iRunFar: What did you enjoy on the course last year?
Borzani: I enjoyed lots of things, for example monkeys, but also skyscrapers. They were beautiful.
iRunFar: I was interested to learn a few minutes ago your background for running. You love running.
Borzani: Yes, I love running. I love to run on the roads, upstairs, downhills, and on every kind of path.
iRunFar: How many years have you been running?
Borzani: I’ve run since I was six years old because my father runs, so I ran with him. When I was 18 to 20 years old, I tried to do my best runs, so I run a lot, a lot, a lot. Every year I got a bit faster and longer.
iRunFar: Did you start running on a track in athletics?
Borzani: Yes, I train on a track in athletics.
iRunFar: When you were young did you compete?
Borzani: No, I was 10 years old.
iRunFar: Then you did road marathons?
Borzani: Yes, I ran a road marathon in Venice, Italy. Sometimes I also run out of Italy to Berlin[, Germany] and Stockholm[, Sweden]. Then I tried to do some 100k on flat. After, then 100k on up and down.
iRunFar: Where you live in Italy, is it flat or hilly? What is the terrain?
Borzani: I’m lucky because I live in Paduva near Venice, but not in town, but 50k around town where I run there are hills. They’re not very high, but I can train on up and down and not only flat.
iRunFar: It’s winter back home. Are you able to still train on the hills?
Borzani: Yes, it’s not high where I live, so it’s not difficult to train.
iRunFar: You ran this race last year. What did you learn about preparing for this race? How have you prepared differently and what will you do differently on Saturday?
Borzani: This year, I prepared different than last year because I saw last year there were a lot of steps. So this year for training I did lots of steps up and down. Then I tried to run also on the flat because last year I saw that this is a very speedy race.
iRunFar: The first half is.
Borzani: The first part, yet.
iRunFar: When you do that, do you train some days on the flat and different days on the hills?
Borzani: Yes, someday flat and some days up and down. I think this race has a flat part and a mountain part.
iRunFar: Did you enjoy one part more than the other?
Borzani: Yes, the second part, the mountain part because I remember the Val d’Aosta when I do the second part.
iRunFar: It reminds you of the Tor des Géants? Have you run the Tor des Géants?
Borzani: Yes, I ran the Tor des Géants last year. This year I want to come another time.
iRunFar: Do you have good memories from the Tor des Géants?
Borzani: Yes, wonderful memories. It’s one of the more beautiful races that I’ve run.
iRunFar: Having run such a long race such as Tor des Géants, does running 100k seem fast?
Borzani: Yes, this race seems fast because you didn’t stay out two, three, or four days—only 14 or 15 hours.
iRunFar: Best of luck this weekend. Thank you, Lisa.
Borzani: Thank you.
