Swiss young gun Remi Bonnet comes to Zegama Marathon this year for the first time, and as his partners say, as a favorite for the win on Sunday. In this interview, we chat about his sports background, his ski-mo season, and what he expects for his first marathon.
For more on the race, read our 2016 Zegama Marathon preview.
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Remi Bonnet Pre-2016 Zegama Marathon Interview Transcript
iRunFar: Mauricio Pagliacci of iRunFar here with Remi Bonnet before the 2016 Zegama-Aizkorri Marathon. Remi, how are you?
Remi Bonnet: Yeah, not bad. This sun is quite warm, quite good.
iRunFar: Do you hope it’s like this on Sunday?
Bonnet: Yeah, it will be not like this.
iRunFar: We can hope everything, but it won’t be like this.
Bonnet: Yeah.
iRunFar: How are you feeling? You had a great winter season. It’s your first race, actually, right?
Bonnet: No, I do one two weeks ago in Italy. It was on the circuit of the Sky Running Italy Series. I won the race in front of Tadei Pivk and Ionut Zinca, and it was really a surprise for me to be in good shape, because I was just running for two weeks after the skimo season. My legs were not so good, but I am in good shape, I think, and it will be good on Sunday.
iRunFar: Great. There’s a stacked field. There are some of the best if not the best of our sport is here. How do you see yourself? How do you see the race coming with these guys here?
Bonnet: It’s really exciting to have all the best runners in the same race. I think it will be really hard weather. I prefer it when it’s like this. You have to push really hard to have good form and maybe to win, but I don’t think so.
iRunFar: Is this your first marathon?
Bonnet: Yeah, it’s my first marathon.
iRunFar: And you are actually 20?
Bonnet: 21.
iRunFar: That’s a good start. What are you doing, studying?
Bonnet: No, I’m a professional. It’s my second year of being a professional.
iRunFar: Skimo in winter?
Bonnet: Yes, and trail runner in summer.
iRunFar: Can you tell us a little about your skimo season this year?
Bonnet: Yeah, it was my first year with the elites. I had a great year because I had four or five podiums in the World Cup with the elites. It was really a surprise, but yeah, it gives me a lot of motivation for this summer.
iRunFar: Everybody that I’ve heard, well, we heard Aritz Egea telling that you are the man to beat on Sunday. Is there any pressure for you? How do you feel?
Bonnet: Yeah, for me it’s more motivation that the other guys think this of me. Yeah, I will see on Sunday, but it’s a good motivation.
iRunFar: Perfect. Thank you very much for your time, and let’s go have dinner?
Bonnet: It’s time.
iRunFar: Best of luck on Sunday.
Bonnet: Thank you.
