The submit Doubling Up: Tara Dower’s Pre-2026 Hardrock 100 Interview appeared first on iRunFar.
Simply 13 days after ending sixth on the 2026 Western States 100, Tara Dower traces up for the 2026 Hardrock 100 for her second lap across the course. Within the following interview, Tara talks about her race at Western States, among the restoration strategies she’s utilized in between the 2 races, her first time at Hardrock in 2024, and the way she’s strategizing this weekend’s race.
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Tara Dower Pre-2026 Hardrock 100 Interview Transcript
iRunFar: Megan Hicks of iRunFar. I’m with Tara Dower. It’s the day earlier than the 2026 Hardrock Hundred Endurance Run. We’re right here to do Hardrock once more.
Tara Dower: Yay. Woohoo.
iRunFar: Woohoo. It was simply 12 days in the past that you just had been doing this different hundred mile race a pair states over. How are you doing?
Dower: I’m doing nice. It’s arduous to imagine that was 12 days in the past.
iRunFar: Actually?
Dower: I imply, it seems like a month in the past, truthfully. It’s identical to restoration has been my job, and so I’ve simply been working actually arduous to get better as quick as potential. The race in between the races was the race restoration.
iRunFar: So it’s actually like three races. There’s Western States [100].
Dower: It’s three races. Yeah.
iRunFar: There’s get better as fast as you possibly can, after which there’s this mountain race.
Dower: Yeah, we had a protocol. Me and the staff had a protocol arrange for the three races.
iRunFar: Let’s discuss race one, first if we are able to. Simply 12 days in the past you ran 16:16 for sixth place at Western States.
Dower: 13.
iRunFar: 16:13.
Dower: 16:13. I don’t normally keep in mind my occasions, however for some cause that one’s sticking with me.
iRunFar: These are three important minutes.
Dower: Properly, the explanation I believe I do know that’s as a result of 16:15 was my purpose time and I had simply skirted beneath.
iRunFar: So 16:16 would’ve been unacceptable.
Dower: Yeah. It’s one minute too lengthy.
iRunFar: Inform us somewhat bit about your day.
Dower: The day went very well. I imply, I used to be so pleased to be on the market feeling like 100%, operating with the rivals. I believe the issues I took from the race is inspiration and simply information for subsequent 12 months. So inspiration, the ladies that I race towards are so intense, relentless, relentless racers. Going into races, I sort of really feel like I might outlast lots of people, particularly the hundred-mile distance, however that is just like the Tremendous Bowl of 100s and everybody out there’s simply fully relentless, intense, going forwards and backwards with folks, linking up with sure folks to catch others. After which simply the results of how everybody got here in, I believe for me, the 2 most inspiring performances was Jenn [Lichter]’s, after which clearly everybody within the prime 10, however I believe Caitlin Fielder as nicely who had an unimaginable race. After which simply information too. I realized a lot, I realized a lot for coaching for subsequent 12 months. I believe there’s much more I might do to be higher ready for Western States. After which I additionally realized easy methods to really race the race, as a result of Caitlin, simply watching her splits, taking a look at her splits, it was unimaginable.
iRunFar: That’s the stuff to faucet into for subsequent 12 months, is easy methods to make Foresthill ahead as stable as she did, hey?
Dower: Yeah, it takes such a stage of confidence and self-assurance to race the way in which she did.
iRunFar: You had been at Western States the 12 months prior.
Dower: Mm-hmm.
iRunFar: You needed to drop halfway since you had been sick. And then you definitely got here again this 12 months, took sixth, ran an extremely quick time amongst probably the most aggressive ladies’s subject that that race has but seen. Do you’re feeling such as you avenged 2025 at Western? Or are you continue to tremendous hungry?
Dower: I’m tremendous hungry nonetheless. I believe with the sure issues that I might have completed higher, like there was only a couple issues that I felt that I might have completed higher. And clearly with 100s, it’s by no means going to be excellent, it’s by no means going to be excellent. However I believe it’s simply the hunt to be as excellent, make an ideal race as potential. And I believe that’s why I all the time puzzled why folks saved going again to Western States, they saved looking the golden tickets, and now I sort of get it. It’s addicting. It’s positively addicting to go to Western.
iRunFar: Wish to suppose, “Okay, I did this proper, however right here’s the place I might have gotten a couple of minutes. Right here’s what I might do subsequent time. Oh, I’ve this concept I wish to strive.”
Dower: Yeah. It’s form of like Black Canyon [100k] for me. It’s such as you wish to excellent the race, and the way can I try this higher subsequent 12 months.
iRunFar: So I suppose that solutions the query on that, F6 bib goes to be put to make use of.
Dower: Yeah. Properly, after I first completed the race, all of us, all the highest six had been within the medical tent, getting drug examined. All of us simply seemed so tough. And I turned to my accomplice Scott and I used to be like, “I don’t wish to…” As a result of my voice was like after races it’s identical to, can’t speak. Like, “I don’t wish to do that race once more. I can’t. I can’t do it.” After which perhaps two hours later I used to be all clear and I used to be like, “I obtained to return.”
iRunFar: Yeah, in fact.
Dower: “I wish to return. In fact I do. I wish to return.”
iRunFar: I do wish to discuss the way you had been feeling on the finish of the race, since you’re infamous for going deep contained in the darkness of the nicely, and the tales popping out of the drug testing tent had been that you just had been deeper in than everyone else there. However then the following day we noticed you and also you had been sort of again to your regular self. Are you able to describe, as a result of lots of people have that have sooner or later, but it surely takes them some time to return again, however you go there, then the following day you’re Tara once more.
Dower: Yeah. And I’m wondering if I’m simply allergic to racing ultimately, as a result of the primary half-hour I’m high quality, however then half-hour after, for half-hour to 2, three hours after, I’m simply wrecked, throwing up, the whole lot’s taking place to me, my physique is so indignant, and issues are popping out of my physique that’s bizarre colours, and-
iRunFar: Inappropriate conditions.
Dower: Yeah. And it’s actual tough. Yeah, I hate that I obtained that. Jenn seemed actually unhealthy, however she wasn’t throwing up, I suppose. She did end 45 minutes in entrance of me, so perhaps she was throwing up earlier than that.
iRunFar: Yeah, perhaps you didn’t see her worst moments, proper?
Dower: Yeah. Man.
iRunFar: I really feel prefer it’s sort of aspirational in that group of individuals although to have taken it that far and made it that far.
Dower: Properly, yeah, Caitlin seemed high quality, she was laughing and carrying on, and sitting up. It’s was like, “What? You simply ran so quick from Foresthill.”
iRunFar: So transferring on to race quantity two, the race to restoration. You talked about that you just had been simply going to make that your job and also you had a complete sequence of stuff you had been going to occupy your time with. Inform us what the final 12 days has seemed like for you.
Dower: I imply, two and a half days after the race, it was actually arduous to wrap my head round doing Hardrock.
iRunFar: Actually?
Dower: I sort of wasn’t even excited about it in any respect. It simply was like, I used to be so bone drained. I felt so exhausted and my physique felt so exhausted, I used to be limping. Simply the physique is so sore. Anybody who’s completed Western, it’s simply a lot downhill, and it’s identical to, I used to be so sore, and I couldn’t even give it some thought. And it sort of match completely as a result of Megan [Roche], my coach, she was like, “What we wish to do is in that 48 hours after the race, we wish to have a good time the race, Western States. We don’t wish to simply transfer proper on and, that would trigger it….”
iRunFar: We will let that sink in.
Dower: Yeah, let it’s once more, like, “We don’t wish to trigger any extra psychological fatigue, simply get pleasure from what you probably did at Western.” And that sort of was good as a result of I wasn’t even pondering Hardrock. I simply couldn’t even… Someone would point out Hardrock, I believe after I completed, any individual was asserting stuff and so they had been speaking about Hardrock. I used to be like, “I can’t even wrap my head round that.”
However yeah, once we obtained again, I’m actually grateful for my accomplice Scott. He simply moved in and he’s actually completed the whole lot for me. He’s cooked for me. I lived alone earlier than, earlier than he moved in, earlier than Western States, and typically it may be troublesome to prepare dinner wholesome meals for your self after which simply reside life, get better. And he’s cooked the whole lot and he’s helped quite a bit, so I’m actually grateful for him.
I’m actually grateful for my mates who’ve additionally helped, like Robyn [Lesh] and Reese and Raskal, who all reside in Durango as nicely. It’s identical to it takes a neighborhood for most of these issues. I believe anybody would agree for ultrarunning typically, it takes a neighborhood, but in addition for the restoration afterwards, it positively takes a village.
And so I’ve simply centered on sleeping a bunch, simply a lot sleep, consuming loads of carbs, I do loads of protein shakes, I did L-glutamine to assist restore the intestine lining. After which simply after I’m able to run, it’s simply actually easy runs. I did two eight milers over the weekend after which I’ve completed a pair strides, a pair velocity stuff simply to get up the legs. After which it sort of obtained up to now, I believe it was Tuesday, I posted a reel about it, however I used to be on this run with Robyn and Scott and I used to be like, “I really feel so good. My physique feels so good.” And clearly that is in Durango, we’re not up right here in Silverton, however I simply felt so good, and that was so assuring that my physique was recovering nicely. Clearly, we’ll see going into the race, but when something, it is likely to be useful to begin the race out somewhat chiller, after which perhaps hopefully damaging cut up.
iRunFar: Properly, that was going to be my query, is should you’re… you recognize? Strategically, you’re going into this race, so that you’re simply going to go from the gun, push it, do a sort of Tara fashion, or as a result of you may have that inference of the previous of you simply ran Western States, you struggled with staying together with your diet all by means of the race final time. Are you altering the Tara strategy this time?
Dower: I used to be speaking to Maggie [Guterl]… when did we hang around? Was it over the weekend? We did one thing collectively, however I used to be like, “Maggie, I’m going to ship it. I’m simply going to run as quick as I can.” And he or she’s like, “That’s the precise reverse I used to be going to recommend for you.”
iRunFar: That’s actually precisely what she would say.
Dower: And I thought of it extra and I used to be like, “Yeah, I don’t wish to dig myself right into a gap.” Hardrock is a tough race to excellent. You’ll be able to excellent 100 miler, however I believe Hardrock, I don’t know if… I’m unsure in regards to the males’s, however simply wanting on the ladies’s race for therefore a few years, I don’t suppose anybody’s totally fully perfected the race. There’s all the time one thing that occurs, if it’s nutritionally, if there’s a bonk, or if there’s only a low level. Clearly, there’s some unimaginable occasions on this course. I really don’t know the place I used to be going with that.
iRunFar: Oh.
Dower: New Technique. Yeah, technique.
iRunFar: Yeah.
Dower: So I believe it could most likely be not good to get myself right into a gap so early within the race. In 2024, I obtained an early low at Chapman. And I-
iRunFar: Like about mile 18 or one thing.
Dower: I threw up at that help station, and-
iRunFar: Oh, no.
Dower: … it didn’t cease throwing up till Burrows the place my pacer Devin was like, “We’re going to sit down for an hour. You’re going to eat one thing, you’re going to take a nap and we’re going to let that meals settle.” So I used to be throwing up that complete time. I just-
iRunFar: Wow.
Dower: … couldn’t hold something down. And I used to be like, I actually don’t wish to repeat that, it is likely to be good to only have a race that I’m comfy with and proud of and never push it too early. And I even have seemed, I imply, you have a look at these splits, I’ve checked out some splits, it’s identical to folks can damaging cut up this race, they’ll ease into the race for the primary half, after which they cross so many individuals within the subsequent half of the race. So I used to be actually impressed by taking a look at loads of these splits, so I believe the technique is rather like, we’re going to really feel out the physique, if one thing pops up, I’m going to must determine it out on the fly. After which we’re simply going to circulation with no matter my physique provides me on that day. And simply drawing inspiration from different individuals who have completed the double, like Courtney [Dauwalter]. And simply seeing her race, I used to be on the town when she was doing Hardrock. I used to be in Ouray, watching her run by means of, and he or she was gaining on first place. And simply watching her, simply… In my thoughts, I don’t know if she would say this as a result of she stated she must excellent the race, but it surely’s a dominance. A dominance at Western and Hardrock and UTMB, and it’s simply drawing inspiration from that and never making an attempt to suppose an excessive amount of about what I did 12 days earlier than, or 13 days earlier than tomorrow, and simply making an attempt to neglect that and simply be impressed and making an attempt to get probably the most out of my physique.
iRunFar: Vitamin is the factor that so many individuals battle with at Hardrock. I imply, that’s form of like 100 milers typically, however actually everyone after Hardrock talks about their diet woes. You, such as you stated, struggled fairly arduous final time, however you had been capable of rally and actually end arduous. So classes from that that you just’re taking to this, and I’m positive you may have a completely completely different diet plan.
Dower: Yeah, I do. Oh my gosh. I had no thought what I used to be doing nutritionally in 2024. I ate two ice cream sandwiches at Telluride.
iRunFar: Bless.
Dower: And my crew gave me a mound of potatoes and I’m like, “I can’t eat this.”
iRunFar: Okay.
Dower: After which proper after Telluride, on schedule I used to be throwing up after-
iRunFar: On schedule.
Dower: Throw up after Telluride, like perhaps that wasn’t the very best thought. I had Coke proper after the ice cream sandwiches too. Simply not a good suggestion. So nutritionally I really feel assured that I’ve somewhat higher of a plan. Simply actually easy carbs if I’m consuming any actual meals at help stations, actually easy, like a plain rice. After which I’ve been utilizing these gels that really feel… Knock on wooden, I’m very superstitious.
iRunFar: Pertaining to wooden for that.
Dower: They’ve labored so nicely in my system, I’ve by no means had points with these gels, so I’m taking a look at utilizing these gels all through, and simply decreasing the carb rely, what I might usually do. And I’ve two emergency gels on me, so if I really feel like I might use extra carbs or my physique would settle for it, I’m going to eat these emergency gels.
iRunFar: And as a refresh to the tip of your 2024 race, I believe you had been in seventh place as late as mile 87, one thing like that. And also you handed three ladies and ended up in fourth. And all of these ladies have tales in regards to the Tara Dower rage. So there have been issues from the final race that you just wish to enhance on, however that’s additionally one thing that different ladies are like, “Whoa, Tara’s obtained this closing capability right here.” Do you consider these moments too the place you had been capable of simply form of be your self?
Dower: Yeah. I’ve struggled quite a bit with my during the last… Simply to be fully 100% actual, it’s like during the last 12 months I’ve struggled with my self-assurance in my racing and being assured in the way in which that I race. However I do draw inspiration from 2024 and the way resilient my physique will be. As a result of I stated this within the ladies’s panel, however I used to be consuming a melon an hour. You already know they’ve the cubed melons on the help station. My pacer was like, “Simply might you eat one melon, please?”
iRunFar: Simply strive somewhat melon.
Dower: I used to be like… Yeah. And I’m like, “Tara, your physique’s unimaginable. For the final, from Burrows to the end, should you might eat that little and have the ability to shut that onerous, your physique can do unimaginable issues.” And simply making an attempt to remain within the second, I believe the primary half of the race is all the time sort of heightened. It’s simply so heightened, however then you definitely sort of get into the depths and that’s sort of the purpose I sit up for probably the most, is when it’s actually arduous, and simply pushing by means of that. And I believe that depth that lots of people had noticed was me within the depths of ache and grunting, and simply wanting it to be over.
iRunFar: The feral aspect of you.
Dower: Yeah.
iRunFar: One of many issues that I’m inquisitive about with you, that as I get to know you higher and see you race extra, you may have this duality to you that you just’re about vibes and also you’re about form of like operating by coronary heart, and also you simply form of put on your reality in your physique, but in addition there’s this gorgeous analytical aspect to you. Your crews have very particular issues they’re presupposed to do, Maggie Guterl, who was in your crew for Western States, talked about rehearsing the help station. So there’s this duality of operating on vibes, however then actually refining on the small print.
Dower: Mm-hmm.
iRunFar: Simply discuss that as a result of it’s so fascinating to me.
Dower: Yeah. I believe that’s simply sort of my character, I’m very element oriented, and I do have an quantity of tension. So I really feel just like the anxious aspect of me is the one who desires to follow and rehearse and ensure the whole lot is laid out for the crew. I additionally prefer to make it simple for the crew, I don’t need them to be questioning or be nervous they’re not doing one thing proper. So I lay the whole lot out, I believe that’s the place the anxious aspect of me comes from. However then I additionally obtained into mountain races and identical to racing typically, ultramarathon racing, as a result of it was enjoyable and since I wished to see if I used to be able to operating 100 miles.
After I did the Mountains‑to‑Sea Path, that was my first endurance factor ever, I had beat Diane Van Deren’s report who was a hundred-mile North Face athlete. And I used to be like, “She runs 100 miles. If I beat her report, then I ought to have the ability to run 100 miles.” Proper? So it was identical to, “Properly, I’ll see if I can do it.”So it’s identical to difficult myself always. However I obtained into racing as a result of it was a interest and it was fulfilling, and now it’s simply a lot extra intense. I additionally suppose the detail-oriented aspect of me sort of works nicely with how the game goes proper now. There’s loads of science in it, it’s very meticulous, there’s loads of small issues which might be simply getting added to make it extra environment friendly, razor extra environment friendly, right down to Ryan Montgomery with the buckles on their ice bandana. It’s identical to that simply is a small factor you possibly can add to make it that a lot better. And I’m wondering in regards to the folks I’m racing towards, and the way we match into society, and how much… If we obtained in a giant group of individuals and we had somewhat group of racers, how would we be considered? As a result of I believe we’re all simply sort of anxious, element oriented, and we’re all simply sort of stoked to be right here.
iRunFar: Yeah.
Dower: Yeah, and it’d throw loads of these folks off in society. It’d throw loads of these folks off.
iRunFar: It’s enjoyable to observe. Such as you stated, as the game develops and everyone’s in it as a result of the mountains are beautiful and this free feeling whenever you’re out coaching and stuff. However yeah, to be aggressive, you additionally must hold refining and hold bettering and watch the science. And so it’s this fascinating place the place folks such as you within the sport are proper now.
Dower: Yeah, I believe there’s loads of burnout that probably occurs should you’re not out right here on the core of it for enjoyment. So I believe that’s positively an amazing place to be, however the element oriented can be straight on for Western states. Hardrock too, I believe much less so for Hardrock, but it surely’s altering a lot. It’s thrilling to see. It’s an thrilling time to be within the sport.
iRunFar: An thrilling time for additionally us to be followers.
Dower: Yeah.I all the time say this. I’ve been saying this for the final 12 months. I’m like, as a fan of the game, I’m stoked and impressed, and “Go ladies,” and “Go racing,” typically. However then as a competitor on this sport, I’m like-
iRunFar: Scared crapless.
Dower: … “That is terrifying. I’m operating a lot quicker now, it’s getting a lot tougher, as a result of I’m operating a lot quicker.” Recovering after Javelina [100 Mile] was so arduous, and it was like, yeah, as a result of it’s a lot quicker now. It’s not such as you’re simply operating round. You’re operating quick.
iRunFar: You’re operating round. Yeah.
Dower: Yeah, you’re operating actually quick.
iRunFar: Properly, Tara Dower, better of luck to you in your second lap of Hardrock, and better of luck in your double.
Dower: Thanks. Admire it.
Doubling Up: Tara Dower’s Pre-2026 Hardrock 100 Interview by Meghan Hicks.
