For Sara Alonso (Donostia, 26 years old), the 7,621 meters that she will have to complete tomorrow in Mintxeta, where a new edition of the always … attractive Juan Muguerza International Cross of Elgoibar, will be another demanding training session in order to prepare for the mountain racing season. The latest winner of the Zegama-Aizkorri, who comes from track athletics, returns to an event in which she will face many of the best Spanish distance runners of the moment and also with, among others, Winfred Yavi, Olympic champion of 3,000 meters steeplechase in Paris 2024. Her goal? “Enjoy and fight.”
– Can I stop the fast circuit?
– I have no doubt. I’m hoping to find a muddy circuit in Elgoibar, although I don’t know… In 2022, when I raced for the last time, there was quite a bit. And I enjoyed it very much. Now I am a better athlete than I was then, I run much longer distances and anything that is more complicated conditions that make the race slower and harder suits me better. I’m a little indignant because I returned to Gipuzkoa this week and the truth is that the weather has been pretty good. That doesn’t favor me.
Last experience
«In 2022 I enjoyed it a lot. If the conditions are tough during the race, I will be delighted.”
– It comes from running the Valencia 10K in 33:00, the second best Gipuzkoa record ever after Trihas Gebre. She is fast and in athlete mode…
– I couldn’t run San Silvestre in San Sebastián because, as I now have a scholarship from the Spanish Athletics Federation after being runner-up in the world trail championship in Canfranc, I cannot participate in races that are not on their calendar. I signed up at the last minute for the 10K in Valencia, taking advantage of the fact that I am now on break in terms of mountain events, and it went very well. I’m trying to do some flat terrain, but where I live (Sant Esteve de Palautordera, Catalonia) I am surrounded by slopes and mountains.
– Did you enjoy the distance? Or was it short?
– It was a bit agony. I ran at all times with the feeling of sprinting. For me, ten kilometers is a very short distance. I think if I prepared for it I could do better, but I also think I have more potential in a half marathon or marathon. Last year, when I ran the 21,097 kilometers in Barcelona and did 1h11, the feeling was better, of enjoying more.
– Will you one day prepare an asphalt marathon?
– I know it won’t be soon, but one day it will come. Now I’m working on the trail, which is where I’m getting good results. Other trail-runners hate running on asphalt. I, on the other hand, have a good time. I like it.
– Let’s go back to Elgoibar. What do you expect from the race?
– I’m not in my best shape, although I’m not bad. It doesn’t hurt at all, which is important. In March I will compete in the Canary Islands, then I will try to repeat in the Zegama, I will do a kind of tour of Asia, in summer I will go to the European trail with the Spanish team… The mountain season will be long. Before I want to enjoy too. I think Elgoibar is a perfect opportunity to do it. There is always a great atmosphere.
– Conservative or brave?
– I plan to go out by all means. I’m going to give everything to last alongside the best Spanish women. I know it’s not going to be easy, but don’t let it be for lack of trying. Muguerza is a tough, hilly cross. It’s short for me, yes. And the positive slope is around 150 meters. That’s nothing on the trail… I know that Irene Sánchez-Escribano returns after becoming a mother and that many of the best Spanish long-distance runners run, but if I go out conservative it won’t be of any use to me either. In a 10K on the road I know that they are much better than me, but with hills things change. And even more so if the conditions are harsh. I will fight.
