Race Media

Kasie Enman

Race Director & Course Designer Michael Maddess with Kasie on coming to Hong Kong.

I am excited to kick off the 2015 SkyRunning Season with the MSIG Sai Kung 50.  I finished up my 2014 racing season mid-September with a 2nd place overall ranking in the SkyRunning Ultra Series, then took a couple months of down time in my training and racing to recuperate and enjoy time with my family at home in Vermont (Northeast USA, near the Canadian border).  I am excited to have the opportunity to come to Hong Kong to see the trails and meet the trail runners here.  It will be my first time visiting and running in Asia.


1.    Any idea on number of marathons you have run over the distance of 42k?
I've raced 6 marathons on the roads and at least 8 times between 42k and 50k in the mountains.

2.    What got you into running?
I started as a young child following my father to road races, continued with cross country and track racing in school, and have kept going ever since.

3.    What is your definition of trail running.
Trail running to me is a change of rhythm when my focus leaves myself and is absorbed by the terrain.  The trails where I live have lots of roots and rocks and changes in direction so they take your complete attention.

4.    Where was your first trail running race?
I think the first true trail running race I did was as part of a multi-sport relay when I ran the “hiking” leg up Tuckermans Ravine on Mt. Washington in New Hampshire (USA).

5.    Favorite trail running course and distance?
That is hard, but I probably have to say my own race that I designed and direct on my home trails in Vermont, the Sleepy Hollow Mountain Race.  I love being able to travel and see trails all over the world, but when it comes down to it I love where I live.  As for favorite distance, I like everything from 5k-50k.  

6.    Most memorable race?
A surprise win at the 2011 World Mountain Running Championships in Albania.  It was a hot day, a crazy course, and my husband and 1 year old daughter were there at the finish line.  

7.    Favorite training course? (same as #5)

8.    As you do so many big long distance races (and in the mountains!!) how do you prepare to combat the challenges of injury that humble some of the best runners each year?
I am certainly not immune to injury and am always learning!  Running on the trails and in the     mountains is actually one of the ways that I have found helps me combat the repetitive use     injuries that come with road running.  In my old age :) I have also learned how to read my body     better and can catch injuries in their early stages before they become a big problem.  Sometimes     that means doing some yoga or taking a few days off.

9.    What are your personal and/or team goals for the year?
One personal goal is to find a better balance between the different types of running and racing that I like to do.  For Salomon Team, our goal is usually to just have fun together!

10.    What are the biggest differences between racing in Europe compared to racing in North America or Asia?
This will be my first race in Asia, so I can't say yet!  The biggest different between the races I am used to at home and the races in Europe is the scale.  The number of people participating and out in the mountains cheering in the European SkyRaces is huge.  In the Northeast part of the US where I live, most of our trail and mountain races are very small scale with the same tight-knit group of people at each race.  There are pros and cons for both situations.

11.    Have you ever had a running coach and what did you learn from them?    Which teammate or coach has taught you the most over your career?
I have a coach, Jeff Staab, who I started working with at least 12 years ago.  He works as an exercise physiology researcher for the US Army so always has an interesting perspective to share.  Although his experience is much more with road racing – we have both learned a lot as I've gotten more into mountain running!

12.    What is your typical race day routine?  Do you have any prerace superstitions?
I have a pretty basic race day routine.  I wake up about 2 hours before the race start, get dressed, eat some oatmeal around 1 hour before, do some light jogging around, visit the toilets, make sure I know where the starting line is, check that I'm wearing my bib number and go.  I'm not a superstitious person, although I do find that I can often sense how the race is going to turn out before the start.

13.    What is the one moment in your career that you are most proud of?
There isn't one moment, but more the longevity and consistency of it.  I have been through various set-backs and life-changes, including the birth of my two children, and am proud that I have stuck with my long term goal of trying to reach my ultimate potential in this sport.  I think I still have a few good years left in me :)

14.    Personal records?
In the mountains, times are secondary.  On the roads, I have run 2:37:14 in the marathon, 1:15:15 in the half marathon, and 16:54 in the 5000m.

15.    Ever injured? Which kind and how serious?
The injuries that have been the most serious for me are overuse injuries like plantar fasciitis, or other tendon injuries.  I just missed a couple months of training and a goal race this fall because of an inflamed tendon in my ankle.

16.    Hot or cold weather runner?
I prefer running in heat (even though it's cold most of the year where I live).

17.    Morning or evening runs?
Morning.  I like to start my day with a run.  Plus running in the morning doesn't give life a chance to get in the way of my training.

18.    What is your motivation?
I think I just simply love this sport and am curious to see how far I can go with it.  Each day the short-term motivation is a little different – some days I need an emotional outlet or to breath the fresh air, some runs I use to visit with a friend, others to get some time alone.  I know I am much happier when I run then when I don't.

19.    Ever DNF?
Only once in my life in a road race when I injured my foot.  1 mile into the race I couldn't push off my foot at all so I was forced to stop.

20.    Race I'd like to forget:
None.  Even the worst races have a lesson to teach us.

21.    One part of your body that has never seen Body Glide:
Ha ha.  My nose?

22.    Best part of running:
The self-sufficiency and simplicity of it.

23.    If I didn't run I__ ___.
If I didn't run, I would have to find another outlet and it probably wouldn't     be as healthy of an outlet!

24.    I can't run without_________.
I can't run without underwear :)

25.    Favorite gel flavor?
As a maple syrup producer, I'm working on concocting my own maple syrup gel.

26.    How many days after a marathon do you usually start running again?
After a mountain marathon, the next day.  After a road marathon, usually one week.

27.    What is your typical night before the big race meal?
Anything goes.  I've learned to be flexible as I've travelled to more races because I don't always have a choice.

28.    What's the farthest you've ever run at one time?
The three 50k races I've done are the farthest I've run.  In terms of time, the longest was Kima (Italy) this past August.  My time there was 7 hours 53 minutes.  

29.    Any other comments to encourage ultra runners to go the distance?
Well, I'm not sure I can even be considered an ultra-runner, but if you like being out running, why not get out there as long as possible.  The thing I appreciate most about the running longer is the increased potential for getting out into more interesting, lesser traveled places.

We're sure everyone wishes Kasie all the best in her Hong Kong debut at the MSIG Sai Kung 50. Will find out soon if she's doing 28k or 50k as both competitive categories.

 

2014 Skyrunning超馬總排名第二 - Kasie Enman

備戰MSIG 西貢 50 -「亞洲 Skyrunning 冠軍賽」- 首次登陸亞洲

Kasie Enman

比賽設計師兼賽道設計師Michael Maddess 對話 Kasie Enman

Kasie Enman ：MSIG 西貢 50 -「亞洲 Skyrunning 冠軍賽」將成為我2015 Skyrunning系列的首戰賽。

我很興奮也很期待。2014年我在九月中旬結束了我的賽季，並取得了2014 Skyrunning超馬總排名第二的成績。之後的幾個月我主要在調整，在美國佛蒙特家裡享受了一些家庭時間也減少了些訓練量和比賽。這場在香港的比賽將會是我第一次在亞洲參賽，也會是我第一次來亞洲。所以真的很興奮我能有這個機會來香港看看這邊的山路，而且也期待見到在香港的越野跑跑手們。

1.    記得自己跑了多少個42K以上的馬拉松麼？

Kasie Enman ：路跑賽有6個。而42K到50K的越野賽跑了至少8個。

2.    你是怎樣定義越野跑的？你又是怎樣愛上跑步的？
Kasie Enman ：越野跑對我來說是一種節奏的轉變，可以讓我將注意力從自己身上轉移到大自然，我覺得我腳下的土壤能吸收所有的雜念。我家附近的山路有很多的樹根，石頭和很多轉向，所以每次在山路奔跑都需要百分之百的注意力。我最愛那種簡單自立的感覺。我很小就開始跑步了，小時候總是跟著父親參加路跑比賽，之後在學校也繼續參加橫越全國的越野賽以及場地賽，直到現在。

3.    可以談談你記憶最深的比賽嗎？
Kasie Enman ：意想不到的在阿爾巴尼亞，2011年世界越野跑冠軍賽中奪冠。我記得當天天氣非常熱，印象最深的是在跑完的時候看到我的丈夫和女兒一起在終點迎接我的那一刻。

4.    今年你的個人目標和團隊目標是什麼?

Kasie Enman ：我的個人目標是在不同的跑步類型和比賽中找到一個自己得心應手的平衡。而作為Salomon團隊中的一員，我們團隊的目標通常就是一起享受跑步的快樂。

 

5.   很多人都擔心在山上長時間奔跑會容易受傷，你是怎樣準備和看待受傷這件事的？又有什麼想對那些想參加更長距離越野跑但又有些擔心跑步愛好者說？

Kasie Enman ：我自己肯定不是對於受傷這事兒免疫的，我也一直在學習。不過我發現在山上的越野跑其實幫我戰勝了一些因路跑的重複性帶來的傷痛。我年紀也大了 ：），也已經學到了怎麼更好去讀我自己的身體，可以在一些身體問題變嚴重之前就注意到。然後我通常會做一些瑜伽或者休息幾天。關於跑長距離，如果你喜歡在戶外跑步，為什麼不在外面跑的越久越好。我覺得跑較長的越野跑讓我開心的理由之一是，賽道越長就越有可能去到更有趣的地方，更少人去得到的地方。

 

6.  最後一個問題，如果沒有____，你就不能跑步？

Kasie Enman ：如果沒穿內衣，我就不能跑。;)

 

相信每個人都會祝Kasie在香港/亞洲的首場比賽- MSIG 西貢50一切順利。