Laurindo Nunes runs the oldest ultramarathon in the world with an eye on the top 10 – 09/06/2023 – Na Corrida

If the marathon is for the few, the ultramarathon is for almost nobody. Athletes who face running at a high level at distances that can exceed 100 km are rare.

One of these athletes is Laurindo Nunes Neto. This Sunday (11), he participates for the second year in a row in Comrades, the largest and oldest ultramarathon in the world.

Comrades began to be disputed in 1921 and in the more than one hundred years of existence it has gone through only two periods of interruption: from 1941 to 1945, due to the Second World War, and in the biennium 2020-2021 due to the pandemic. The race is 89 kilometers long and runs a route between the cities of Durban and Pietermaritzburg, alternating direction each year.

As Pietermaritzburg is at an altitude of 670 meters, and Durban is at sea level, the race starting from Durban is known as the “Up Run”, while the race starting from Pietermaritzburg is nicknamed the “Down Run”.

Last year, Laurindo Nunes Neto came in 17th place in Comrades. He did the “Down Run” in 5h56min50s, being the first Brazilian to complete the race under 6h.

Laurindo told the blog On the run A little bit about your expectations for the test. Below are excerpts from the email interview.

How was your preparation for this year?
My preparation was super productive, we covered 3300 kilometers in these 6 months of preparation.

What was different from last year’s cycle?
My body reacted very well to the gain in volume and intensity compared to last year, this gives us a lot of confidence for a good result.

What are your expectations for the test?
The expectation is to be able to deliver a great race and improve compared to last year. That is, I want to be in the top 10.

After being the best Brazilian in history, what goal are you aiming for this year?
In addition to reaching the top 10, I hope to improve my time compared to last year.

What lessons do you take away from last year’s test that you carry over to this year?
Mostly trust. Preparing for Comrades gave me confidence, we endured a good level of intensity and volume of training that I didn’t believe I could achieve. This will have an impact beyond the race, as it will reflect a lot on the continuity of my career as an ultramarathoner.

What part of the test worries you the most? Why?
The descent from Winston Park is a steep descent, which punishes the muscles that are already tired from many climbs and descents. In addition, the stretch is at the end of the race, just before the last big climb of the race.

It was supposed to be an “Up Run” race, but it won’t be…
Well, the organization will repeat the “Down Run” this year as part of the planning to carry out the 100th edition in a race that ends in Durban. For this reason, the organization chose to repeat the route in 2222 and 2223. So in the centenary year, in 2027, the race will end in Durban, which is a bigger city and can better handle a big party.

Do you think it’s possible to do the “Up Run” circuit in less than 6 hours?
I believe so, it is possible.

PRESENT LINK: Did you like this text? Subscriber can release five free hits of any link per day. Just click the blue F below.