Hayden Hawks is the top-returning man on the 2023 Western States 100, after taking second final 12 months. Within the following interview, Hayden talks concerning the incremental enhancements he’s made in his first two Western States races, how he’s making an attempt to enhance but once more at this third try, and if he thinks he may win this 12 months’s race.
For extra on who’s racing, try our in-depth males’s and ladies’s previews. Observe together with our WS 100 dwell race protection on Saturday.
Hayden Hawks Pre-2023 Western States 100 Interview Transcript
iRunFar: Meghan Hicks of iRunFar. I’m with Hayden Hawks. It’s a few days earlier than the 2023 Western States 100. Good morning, Hayden. How are you?
Hayden Hawks: Doing effectively. I simply obtained again from a run. Went as much as Excessive Camp and simply testing out the snow. Seeing what it’s like. Excited to race.
iRunFar: That is now your third time at this race. Simply as a fast recap, you got here right here for the primary time in 2021. Obtained your self inside the highest 10 with an eighth-place end. Got here again final 12 months and improved by an enormous quantity, secondplace. I feel it was round two hours sooner. Is that proper?
Hawks: I feel round two hours sooner. Positively an enchancment from the 12 months earlier than.
iRunFar: Final 12 months was hotter, however you skilled a warmth stress sort factor a pair years in the past, proper?
Hawks: Yeah,I feel it was extra of like a diet and hydration factor.
iRunFar: Okay.
Hawks: Yeah, combined with the warmth, after all. As a result of , the warmer it’s and if you happen to’re dehydrated, you’re not hydrating correctly. After all, the warmth goes to have an effect on you extra. And, so, I feel that was most likely extra of what it was, coping with some diet issues. I hope I’ve obtained that dialed in now so.
iRunFar: Nicely, I’ve to ask, an individual who takes second place, and who has a end time that has a 15 in it, these are actually sturdy issues for Western States. So, there are causes, very particular causes, an individual such as you would come again after a end like that. Why are you right here once more?
Hawks: I wish to win this race. That’s been the objective for the reason that begin, . I wish to win each race that I enter. I felt like I hadn’t actually nailed it. I made so many errors the primary 12 months, and the second 12 months. And this 12 months, I really feel like I’ve actually targeted rather a lot on getting higher and never making these errors. And I really feel like I’ve actually dialed in a variety of issues that I must do. I used to be actually completely satisfied working 15 hours, taking second place, however I wasn’t content material as a result of I knew that I didn’t run the race that I wished to run. It wasn’t an ideal race. It’s by no means going to be an ideal race. However it wasn’t even a superb race for me, as a result of there have been so many errors that I made. And I really feel like, for me, it’s at all times been about enhancing myself. I do care however I don’t 100% care [about] the putting. Like what I place or what my time is. It’s extra of do I be ok with that efficiency, personally? Do I really feel like I nailed issues? Did I do what I may do, ? And I really feel like I didn’t.
iRunFar: Okay. You walked away with that feeling of like being drawn again for extra?
Hawks: Yeah, I felt like I wanted to, I wished to enhance on all these errors that I made and I actually wished to nail it for myself, and for the folks round me. As a result of I’ve so many individuals in my nook, so many individuals supporting me. And I really feel prefer it simply didn’t nail it like I wished to. And I wished to return again and enhance.
iRunFar: So, from the skin wanting in, and I suppose possibly evaluating it to your prior 12 months, it seemed like a reasonably clear run for you final 12 months. However as you stated, 100 miles is rarely an ideal race. What’s an instance of a factor that you simply actually took away of after I’m coming again, I wish to do that higher this time?
Hawks: Yeah, I feel the most important factor once more was my diet and my hydration. It was horrible final 12 months.
iRunFar:Additionally final 12 months. Despite the fact that you ran so effectively.
Hawks: Yeah. It was an enchancment on the 12 months earlier than. I’ve by no means actually been that good at diet and hydration. I believed I used to be, however then I began working with my coach, my new coach a pair years in the past Robbie Britton. And we began, I began getting some work with Precision Hydration, my new diet sponsor.
iRunFar: Okay.
Hawks: And we simply actually began breaking it down and being like, Hayden, what are you doing? And so they have been like, man, this isn’t good diet. This isn’t good hydration. We want to repair this. And so, I labored rather a lot on that over the past 12 months. I used to be within the lab. I used to be doing an entire bunch of issues to check issues out. I’ve been coaching my intestine. I’ve been utilizing diet and hydration on each long term and exercise, and it’s simply so significantly better than it was up to now. And so, I feel that’s been a giant profit for me, and I hope that it’s going to assist me on this race.
iRunFar: Cool. Let’s discuss kind of your season lead as much as this. You began off 2023 with a go to to New Zealand.
Hawks: Yeah, I went right down to New Zealand. My buddy Dan Jones, who’s additionally working Western States. He got here out and visited me final 12 months in Utah. We did some coaching collectively, he invited me to return down. And I used to be like, hey, I would as effectively get away from the winter. And it was a tough winter this 12 months, so it was really good to be down there, and spent a New Zealand summer season. And so, we had a good time down in Australia and New Zealand.
iRunFar: You stayed for some time, didn’t you?
Hawks: Yeah, we have been down there for 3 months. Met a variety of…
iRunFar: Used all of your visa. A few of it.
Hawks: Yeah, effectively, yeah, a month in Australia, and two months in New Zealand. And so, it was simply a tremendous place. Wonderful folks. I obtained the chance to run the Kosciuszko 100k, after which Tarawera 100k.
iRunFar: I forgot you ran in Australia, too.
Hawks: Yeah. I ran a race in Australia in December. After which I ran the Tarawera race in February, and yeah, the one in Australia.
iRunFar: What was the gap on that one?
Hawks: 100k.
iRunFar: So two 100ks.
Hawks: Yeah, two 100ks within the area of like eight weeks. Which is pretty shut, however they each went rather well for me, and it felt actually sturdy and we wished to actually attempt to nail a few of these issues that we have been engaged on with the diet/hydration. They have been each effectively, as a result of the Kosciuszko race was purported to be sizzling, but it surely didn’t find yourself being sizzling. It ended up being actually chilly.
iRunFar: Is the cool climate following you this 12 months? As a result of we’re right here carrying sweatshirts at Western States.
Hawks: Yeah, I feel so. However it’s alright, proper? I grew up within the desert. Grew up in St. George, [Utah], so I do like the warmth. However for some motive it’s simply been chilly all 12 months.
iRunFar: After which a pair months in the past you performed on the Western States neighborhood trails, down by the end line in Auburn. You ran Canyons 50k, proper?
Hawks: Yeah, I ran the 50k down in Canyons, simply as a superb tune up. Sort of wished to see the place my health was. I feel the 50k distance is a good distance to check this general health. See how match you’re. It’s not 100% relevant to the 100-mile distance, as a result of it’s fully completely different. However I feel it helps you nail that health, and see the place that’s at, see what you may work on. And then you definately carry all these 100-mile points in, and then you definately will be like Okay. I’m able to go. And so, it was a giant confidence builder. And truthfully I witnessed that my health is at an all-time excessive proper now. I really feel very assured about that. I really feel assured about , all the opposite little points I’ve labored on. I imply, all I can do is go on the market and execute on race day, and hope that it really works out.
iRunFar: See what occurs. You got here out for the Memorial camp coaching weekend.
Hawks: No, I didn’t.
iRunFar: Oh, you didn’t. Sorry. You have been right here for Canyons then.
Hawks: Yeah. I went to Canyons after which I did really my very own coaching camp. Me and Dan and Tom Evans.
iRunFar: Right here?
Hawks: No, within the Grand Canyon.
iRunFar: Okay, okay.
Hawks: So, we did this week-long coaching camp within the Grand Canyon. I ran Tom Evans on the market, Dan Jones. We had an ideal coaching camp. Was capable of do some good warmth coaching and within the canyon. Some lengthy climbs, lengthy descents. The Canyon’s, after all, a particular place.
iRunFar: Yeah.
Hawks: I actually loved that.
iRunFar: Cool. Final query for you. The boys’s race, so thrilling. So many returning high 10s. After which all these completely different gents who’re actually going to combine it up. Distinctive circumstances this 12 months, too. Like pretty cool climate. It’ll nonetheless really feel sizzling, however cool by Western States requirements. Some mess, a little bit of messy miles. How do you see this goingbetween circumstances and competitors?
Hawks: Yeah, it’s arduous to say. And I’d really say the ladies’s race is extra aggressive and extra thrilling, personally.
iRunFar: Good reply. [laughs] You win.
Hawks: I actually consider that. I do assume the lads’s race goes to be fairly thrilling as effectively. There’s a variety of actually good competitors. After all, we misplaced some guys like Adam [Peterman] and stuff, which might have been nice to race him once more. I used to be actually wanting ahead to that. However on the identical time, it’s deep. Western States is absolutely deep this 12 months. It’s thrilling. I don’t know. I actually haven’t been taking a look at anyone’s coaching, or actually caring about anyone else within the race. I do know who’s within the race, after all, and I do know they’re actually, actually good. However I’ve been so targeted on simply myself, and what I must do, and what I must nail and attain on this race. I feel if I run the race that I consider that I can run on race day, I’m going to be arduous to beat. I do consider that every one I can do is give attention to that. And if that’s sufficient, then that’s sufficient. If it’s not, then good on the opposite guys. I imply, that they had an ideal day, proper? So, I’m simply actually targeted on that.
I feel the race itself, the course, it’s going to be a problem, however I like challenges. It’ll be completely different than the final two years that I’ve ran. However I’m really actually wanting ahead to that. As a result of I feel it’s cool to have this new expertise, proper? And to see what occurs. I’m actually wanting ahead to that final 20 miles, as a result of I feel it’s going to be quick. And I feel it’s going to be thrilling. And I feel we’re going to placed on a present. And I’m actually excited for that.
iRunFar: Cool. Better of luck to you in your third journey between Olympic Valley and Placer Excessive College. It’ll be enjoyable to see the present.
Hawks: Thanks. Thanks a lot. Yeah, excited to be on the market.
