A Dialog With Hans Troyer – iRunFar

“It’s difficult,” laughs Hans Troyer when requested about his relationship with the Black Canyon 100k.

When he strains up for the 2026 occasion this weekend, it received’t be like in 2024 when he was a beginner to ultrarunning with a self-admittedly inflated ego. And it received’t be like in 2025 when he was chasing a Western States 100 Golden Ticket, got here down with the flu the day earlier than, and couldn’t begin. This 12 months, with an automated entry to this 12 months’s Western States 100 already in hand, Troyer says, “I’m simply so excited to race the Black Canyon 100k as a result of I’ve no motive to be in it.”

Whether or not he likes it or not, Troyer’s 2024 Black Canyon run will probably at all times be one thing he’s recognized for, no matter what he goes on to do together with his operating profession. He went out quick with Hayden Hawks and held on for almost 50 miles earlier than dropping again and ending tenth. A couple of days later, he was admitted into the hospital with rhabdomyolysis, a situation attributable to the shutdown of the kidneys on account of muscle fiber breakdown and dehydration. He was severely sick and needed to keep 12 days to get well. Nevertheless tough it was, this very public expertise of flying too near the solar so early in his elite operating journey has clearly modified Troyer’s method to operating and, arguably, the trajectory of his profession.

In what looks like a really temporary time within the sport — simply over two years — Troyer has now collected a wealth of profitable operating expertise. From attempting to stroll away from operating in 2023 after a profitable collegiate operating profession to discovering success in ultras to having a well-liked documentary created about his quest for a Western States Golden Ticket in 2025 to profitable the 2025 JFK 50 Mile to signing with Hoka in 2026, Troyer has been on the quick observe to the highest and has no intention of slowing down.

And thru all of it, he’s discovered a strategy to keep true to himself, his method to operating, and his objectives.

Hans Troyer profitable the 2025 JFK 50 Mile. Photograph: Greg Holder/H3 Images

Rising Up Outdoors

Troyer grew up the center youngster of three brothers in Newnan, Georgia, a spot that he calls “cozy and enjoyable.” The trio of brothers had pretty free rein to roam their mother and father’ 35-acre property so long as they stayed out of bother. Based on Troyer, “I’ve the kind of mother and father who stated, ‘We’re going to belief you till you give us a motive to not.’” The children spent plenty of time exterior using mountain bikes and filth bikes, going to the lake, leaping off bridges, and simply being within the woods — for probably the most half, making good choices.

Whereas Troyer’s father had run cross nation and observe in highschool, Troyer picked up the game as a child to remain in form for soccer. He says, “I received sooner for soccer, however I ended up loving observe.” He continues, “It was sort of a love-at-first-sight factor the place I used to be getting sooner, making associates, and simply having a dang good time doing it.”

As soon as he found the enjoyment of doing lengthy runs within the woods exterior of follow, solely final frisbee may compete for his consideration. When it got here time to resolve what to do after ending highschool, Troyer says, “My two faculty choices have been both to go to Kennesaw State College and play on their membership final frisbee staff or to go to Augusta College and run.” Operating received out.

A younger Troyer initially had hopes of being a soccer participant. Photographs courtesy of Hans Troyer.

Troyer obtained a small scholarship for his first 12 months at Augusta College, a Division 2 (D-II) college in Augusta, Georgia. To pay for that first 12 months of college, he supplemented the scholarship with a scholar mortgage. However constant operating earned him scholarship will increase, and by his junior 12 months, his operating scholarship lined his tuition. By the top of his collegiate operating — which spanned 5 years in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic — he was capable of pay again his preliminary scholar mortgage and pocket a bit of cash, along with what he was incomes working on the native operating store. He says, “I didn’t begin off as something particular, however I wish to take the management position. So by the top of my 5 years, I might say I used to be the chief on the staff, and I actually preferred doing that.”

Operating for a D-II staff afforded Troyer alternatives he wouldn’t have had at an even bigger college. He says, “In D-II, I received to win some convention championships and go to nationals, and I simply had enjoyable.” The spotlight got here throughout observe convention championships throughout his fifth 12 months, when he says, “I used to be capable of pull off the victory within the 3-kilometer steeplechase and the 10k. It was a crazy-cool double.” The staff did properly, profitable the convention championships 4 instances in a row beginning in his second 12 months and persevering with on after he left the varsity. Troyer remarks sadly, “That streak simply ended. They received seven in a row or one thing. They only misplaced this previous 12 months. So devastating.”

Troyer throughout his years operating for Augusta College. Photographs courtesy of Hans Troyer.

Discovering Distance

Even together with his profitable collegiate operating profession, Troyer didn’t severely think about skilled operating after commencement. “I truly had what I thought-about on the time as a practical perspective once I knew that operating post-college competitively didn’t actually exist for me as a result of I wasn’t that quick.”

As a substitute of chasing operating goals, Troyer determined to see what life was like with out operating. He’d been operating severely for eight years and says, “I didn’t even know what life was like with out coaching on a regular basis. So, I took just about a month off.”

The outcome? “I didn’t prefer it.”

Troyer climbs in the course of the 2025 Western States 100. Photograph: iRunFar/Bryon Powell

With a newfound understanding of what operating meant to him, Troyer did what’s logical for anybody who’s simply taken a month off from the game, moved again residence after faculty, and has not discovered an actual job but. He says, “I wakened on the morning of July 5 in Georgia, so scorching as will be. And I simply ran 50 miles with no coaching.” He fueled with Goldfish, Gatorade, and Mountain Dew, and says, “I keep in mind my legs cramping, and it simply being tremendous tough as a result of I had no concept what I used to be doing.”

However the day ignited one thing in Troyer. “In a time when nothing was seemingly going my manner, I had simply run 50 miles. I discovered it so worthwhile, although it served no actual function. It was simply pure, intrinsic motivation.”

Troyer began coaching once more.

Stepping into Ultras

With little idea of what an extremely truly entailed, Troyer admits to having some misconceptions early on. Studying that the typical tempo for profitable Western States on the time hovered round 8:45 minutes per mile, he says, “I used to be like, ‘That’s not even that onerous.’ I had no concept.” He learn Scott Jurek’s “Eat and Run,” Kilian Jornet’s “Run or Die,” and David Goggins’ “Can’t Damage Me.” He raced the FATS 50k in Georgia, and regardless of affected by leg cramps within the remaining six miles as a result of he “didn’t know something about hydration or vitamin,” he managed to set a course file. Simply over a month later, he set one other course file on the Psychological Well being 50k in his hometown of Newnan.

Troyer says a good friend — who’s now’s agent — instructed him, “These instances are good, however sadly no person actually cares. You’re not getting any eyes on you from stuff like that.” He instructed that Troyer join the Bandera 100k and see what occurred. Troyer says, “It was the primary time I used to be listening to that perhaps I ought to get eyes on what I’m doing.”

Troyer throughout his 2024 Bandera 100k run. Photograph: Jesse Ellis/Let’s Wander Images

Troyer nonetheless thought it will be a extremely aggressive Golden Ticket race, an occasion in Western States’ Golden Ticket sequence the place high finishers earn Western States entries, not realizing it had been faraway from that 12 months’s listing. “I keep in mind standing on the beginning line, terrified as a result of I had by no means run 100k, but additionally trying round and never understanding who was skilled and who wasn’t.” Troyer took it out quick, received the occasion, and for the next three days, believed he’d damaged Jim Walmsley’s course file till the race group circled again and instructed him that the course had modified, so his file would include an asterisk.

Asterisk or not, the operating world took discover, and Troyer was hooked, saying, “After Bandera is once I actually dove into the aggressive facet of issues and have become a real fan of the game.”

A Black Canyon 100k Relationship

Coming off his win on the 2024 Bandera 100k in January of that 12 months, Troyer signed up for the Black Canyon 100k the subsequent month, saying, “I didn’t even know what Black Canyon was once I first signed up. I simply did it as a result of I received the chance to, they usually instructed me it was a Golden Ticket race and there could be plenty of big-time competitors there.” He signed up three weeks earlier than the occasion.

There had been some hype about his run at Bandera, and he says, “I keep in mind considering that I used to be nonetheless being humble, however trying again on it, that small little bit of media consideration I received inflated my ego an excellent bit. And naturally, it solely took one individual to say, ‘This child may very well be the subsequent Jim Walmsley.’” The remark caught in his head. Headed into Black Canyon, he says, “I keep in mind considering, I’m unstoppable. Nobody can beat me. I’m about to go loopy.” Now, with almost two years of hindsight on the occasion, Troyer can snigger on the scenario, “I believed I had some form of particular potential, which now I believe is hilarious. I knew nothing concerning the sport. I had an enormous ego, and that’s most likely what received me into bother.”

Troyer with just a few miles left of the 2025 Western States 100. Photograph: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi

The story of Troyer’s 2024 Black Canyon run is sort of well-known. After operating his coronary heart out for the lead, he fell again late to complete tenth and ended up hospitalized with a extreme case of rhabdomyolysis. His 12-day hospital keep allowed for loads of time for reflection.

A New Strategy to Operating

If the Troyer earlier than the 2024 Black Canyon 100k was somebody who believed, “I’m simply going to coach more durable and run more durable than all people,” then the one which got here out of the hospital was a lot totally different. “After these races and the prolonged hospital keep after which the construct again into operating, I noticed that was tremendous unsustainable. And that pressured me into a unique position the place I’m very element oriented.” Troyer began working with David Roche as his coach, had his sweat price examined, and, maybe most significantly, started dialing in his vitamin and hydration for ultras.

The next 12 months of Troyer’s life is properly documented within the movie “The Child,” which follows him on his quest to return to the 2025 Black Canyon 100k to attempt to earn a Western States Golden Ticket. It’s the last word hero’s journey storyline that couldn’t have been scripted higher. The protagonist, Troyer, is overwhelmed down by the 2024 Black Canyon 100k, solely to return for redemption in 2025, solely to fall sick with the flu the day earlier than the race and may’t begin. Undeterred, he refocuses and indicators up for the Canyons 100k, the final Golden Ticket race of the season, the place he finishes second to earn his coveted entry to Western States. The movie has 1.8 million views on YouTube as of February 2026.

Troyer taking second on the 2025 Canyons by UTMB 100k. Photograph: Jacob Banta

It was a rollercoaster of a spring racing season for Troyer, however with a 12 months’s extra life expertise underneath his belt, together with his brush with rhabdomyolysis, the media consideration after incomes the Golden Ticket didn’t get to him fairly as a lot.

After the Canyons 100k, he returned residence to Georgia to an overgrown garden. it, he says, “I used to be like, You’ve received to be kidding me. And so with my torn-up quads, I mowed the grass one afternoon. I keep in mind simply considering, I don’t know what I anticipated this to be, however I’m nonetheless the very same individual that I used to be every week in the past, earlier than this Golden Ticket.” He developed the mantra, “The grass nonetheless grows, and I nonetheless mow it.”

9 weeks later, Troyer returned to California to race Western States. He completed eighth in his debut on the occasion, securing his spot for the 2026 race, as annually’s top-10 finishers are awarded with entries for the subsequent 12 months.

The Future

Troyer isn’t shy about speaking about his objectives for the long run. He desires to win Western States and UTMB sometime. He desires to do properly on the world’s largest levels. He says, “I think about myself a showman. I actually wish to placed on a present with my racing, and out of doors of racing. It’s enjoyable to me.”

The Black Canyon 100k might not be the most important stage on the planet, and for Troyer, there isn’t even the stress of attempting to earn a Western States Golden Ticket with a high inserting. For Troyer, “It’s private now.”

It’s solely been two years since Troyer’s first try on the race, and loads has modified. He’s established himself as a high runner within the sport. He not too long ago modified shoe sponsors. He works with a coach and is aware of his sweat price. He hydrates and takes in vitamin whereas racing.

Troyer, at all times the showman, waves to followers on the Rucky Chucky river crossing in the course of the 2025 Western States 100. Photograph: iRunFar/Bryon Powell

With greater occasions on the 2026 calendar, together with Western States in June and CCC in September, Troyer is lining up for the Black Canyon 100k with solely intrinsic motivations in thoughts, very similar to when he first ran 50 miles on that scorching day in Georgia, fueled by Goldfish crackers, Gatorade, and Mountain Dew.

He says, “I need to try to win, in fact, however I believe it’s going to be enjoyable to run a few of the later sections of the course and simply snigger at myself once I keep in mind how I felt two years in the past operating it, once I was fairly actually dying and simply operating my coronary heart out.”

“It’s going to be a cool, full-circle second.” Troyer pauses and provides, “Except one thing dangerous occurs.” However even when one thing does go mistaken, Troyer will simply add it to his rising listing of classes discovered within the sport and hold transferring ahead towards his objectives.

Name for Feedback

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