#10 TROY | Anthony Costales & Blandine L'Hirondel

hey everybody happy New Year Dylan Bowman here from free Trail and in the first 10 days of 2024 we're going to be rolling out our Trail Runner of the Year award this is our favorite time of year to celebrate all the great athletes and performances that made 2023 a year to remember in trail running and this year we're super happy to have partnered with Ketone IQ to help bring the award to life make sure you check this product out super Cutting Edge futuristic endurance sport nutrition product Ketone supplement guaranteed to give you better focused and help you rip out on the trails we have exclusive discount code that you can take advantage of here hmn.com slf freet tr30 that link is also in the description here on YouTube enjoy these interviews with some of the best athletes in the world and thanks for helping us celebrate 2023 Anthony Cales welcome back to the program buddy good to see you congratulations 10th Place Trail Runner of the year how are you feeling feeling good thanks Debo for having me on it's a pleasure so uh at least a trio of spectacular podiums this year maybe before we get into the details and have you reminisce for our listening audience here how are you feeling about the the season in context here as we approach the end of the year uh I mean yeah it was one of those things where 2021 was okay it was like a solid solid year but um it's cool to or not 2021 sorry 2022 and you know like yeah I think it's a really cool spot I'm in on having a good season and um it's cool to kind of jump shift back to running good again I guess yeah yeah I mean this is this is the your best season sort of as a trail athlete does it feel that way to you now like as you look back at the season that was does it feel like this was the year that Anthony costales had his breakthrough um I mean I feel like I've had a lot of breakthrough races I just uh I was telling this someone the other day like I just felt like every one I kind of had did really well this year was very high media attenion pretty good competition so it kind of just shows a lot more than maybe just a really good performance that is at maybe a little bit more lowkey of an event yeah yeah it's interesting well congratulations so let's let's start uh talking about those things in particular in specific and maybe we let's start with the the most recent running because it's probably freshest in your memory your awesome third place finished to close the season at Ultra Trail Cape Town just a couple of weeks ago brought yeah like I said brought home a solid third place when you just uh tell the tell the listeners about it how do how did it feel and how did the race uh put a you know an exclamation point on the season man uh Cape Town that's the that's the place to go if anybody's looking for some oversee race like I can't say there's so many good things we could say about it it's such a long list uh starting with steu the race director just is really just like betweenity Community Driven and like when he talks about really trying to make it a world class race for the elites he's like he's making it happen not just asking for it asking for it to happen and um yeah it was just such a cool experience amazing scenery um throughout the whole day I mean the hardest thing was just getting my butt kicked by Dimitri and um but in a good way it was fun uh being right behind my buddy Caleb Olson uh who snagged up second place as well did you feel good about the performance was it was it solid or did you feel like you left them on the table it was solid I just like I started to have a pretty hard date like cape Town's rough it's uh it's it's Canyon and that like you look at the course profile and you're like ah you know like this can't be that tough and then I think it just chews people up yeah I think I we all know it's like Technical and there's like some scrambling parts and the scrambling Parts is what isn't the hard part of the race it's just it's like it's technicality just never stop stops there's never like oh sweet we got like five miles to just like Smooth run and it's like you're always needing to be focused on like a little bit of technical train like the whole day and um yeah it was just it just was a hard it's just a hard race in general and um yeah it was a definitely I think like uh not the worst out of the three races you you're going to mention but um it was still good performance and kind of got it through like a hard day from pretty early on out yeah you just mentioned your buddy Caleb Maybe say a few words about him or more generally what you guys have going on in Salt Lake City right now because it feels like you guys are each pushing pushing each other to new heights in your careers yeah g galeb a super good guy um yeah we trained like a fair amount together and uh before this race we actually got in like quite a few one quite a few uh bigger um runs together um yeah he's just starting to break out a little bit more himself again I think like he's been a pretty good runner for a while but he's hidden some on a a little bit more media coverage yeah um big races like grindstone and Lea this uh past year and um I was like just really excited at the end like you kind of watch like the clip of me coming in the finish uh like it wasn't so much because of my performance it was because of his I was like he nailed it at the world stage like no one's goingon to not think he's like a big player now and I was just stoked for him yeah I don't think I saw the clip but I saw a couple of photographs of you guys in a big Embrace and it was like that's what it's all about man teamwork being happy for your buddy even when he beats You by a little bit down there Andi down it's awesome stuff and yeah I want to get Caleb on the show here soon but awesome season from him too all right so let's rewind the clock D clock dude because this is the time of year when people just like their short-term memory kicks in they can't quite remember remember what happened in Black Canyon but dude you absolutely slayed it there one of the performances of the year at least in North America for sure and hilariously and iconically you did it wearing a Chico State singlet from your college days is an unsponsored Runner with some perspective how are you feeling about that performance um I mean yeah that was one of those days that like everything was just kind of click in you kind of know it you know the course already um everything that's in your mind on how you want things to go is going that way going in your favor and uh yeah just took advantage of it that day um just had a great one out there with uh Tom where he just never let up and kind of made me run scared all the way to the Finish um and yeah it was just a really special day uh just being out there and uh yeah the not sponsor thing was kind of funny um I think every already act like I was not a sponsored athlete for like ever but it it was like really I was only not sponsored for about a month two months so it was kind of funny how that part blew up um I think that Chico State jersey yeah definitely uh just made it that more noticeable than anything it was so funny dude and it's funny mostly because those of us who know you and know your prowess and know your capabilities know that you on any given day you can beat any person in the world and so you know to have you at one of North America's biggest races where in aico state track sing kind of funny but we'll get around to coming coming around to talking about you know how that changed later on in the season but before we get to it the important event that happened in between Your resp sponsorship in that Black Canyon race was an amazing Podium performance at Western States 1509 man you absolutely slay it I think that's like 12th or 13th fastest time in the history of the race and I remember at the track the day after the race you told me something like you know I'm just happy like it makes me feel that I you know no matter the distance no matter the type of race I can finish on the podium so maybe if there's anything you want to expand on there or anything you want to say about finishing on the podium at Western States I'm sure you view that as one of the highlights not only of the season but of your career yeah I think like I guess like what I was saying to you that day um was kind of like what I was saying in the beginning of this episode was you know I feel like I've done some pretty good races or pretty raw performances but it just doesn't quite get the attention and I feel like it it could have if it was at like a race like Western so yeah I was pretty like fortunate to go to Western the first time and kind of hit it pretty well because um as we all know that's not the the case for most people um sometimes it's a little bit more of a learning experience and um yeah uh there was so many ups and downs I didn't know if it was going to go as well it was about halfway through and uh um by about I don't know mile 90 I kind of knew I kind of had a good feeling third was in the bag and um yeah it was just a a big day out there with a bunch of college friends college coach my wife family and yeah it was a it it lived up to all the hype that West Western is we hear about so did it feel like you proved something to yourself or like you proved something more broadly right because to me my interpretation was it was like you feeling like to yourself like man yeah I can do this you know like there's no reason why I shouldn't put everything into it you know honestly it was more broadly I kind of felt like I could get that performance like maybe some years ago and maybe after Canyons 2021 I feel like that could have happened I also could have blew up like so many other people did that day um but you know I didn't get that chance I got injured and uh that happened a couple a lot of times I got like had a chance that some of these like bigger races injuries has gotten in front of me um probably from like 2019 to 2021 so it was just finally nice to get to a big stage one feeling fresh feeling like I'm ready to go having nothing in the back of my mind like oh like something feels tweaked like how's this really going to go and um being able to perform uh on the day awesome so you also told me there the track that you had engaged an agent and I think he had been working on your behalf already at that point there were some iron to the fire but it took a while until the announcement came that you had signed with Nike Trail so maybe talk about that process and what about you know this opportunity felt like it was the right Next Step for your career um yeah Nike uh it took a lot the it was like more the contract signing thing took quite a bit like I think like after Western like the deal was done like probably within like 30 days of there it's just uh there was a bunch of just legal department stuff like that to just kind of just kept going and going and going which it wasn't it wasn't too big of a deal my next big race wasn't for a while anyways um but no we were in talks a little like Lucy and I um my athlete manager Nike uh we actually talked a little bit before Black Canyon um she showed a little bit of Interest like we didn't have anything formal um but it was cool that there was already interest before kind of the that performance even happened um and then kind of just kind of kept quiet and I was kind of at the point where around I'd say March April where I kind of didn't want a sponsorship going into Western like I was like it just didn't feel right like switching into something right into a big event it almost felt like I'd be getting bought for it yeah I really want to get bought for the big race like I'd rather get bought for the performance after the race is like kind of what it was I can get behind that philosophy yeah yeah so um that's just kind of how I felt during that process and the agent part uh Josh Cox was my agent and um just the way he goes about it I I talked to the two agents and the way he kind of proposed how works I just kind of like this philosophy um and it was just nice like that whole time from Black Canyon all the way till I got signed like I'd have questions and ask him but I wasn't ever really stressed about the whole process yeah I wasn't worried about fing up on emails of athlete managers that told me something and then something didn't fall through over and over which is kind of a common occurrence um so it's kind of cool just having it all in his hands and being able to just train be with my family and concentrate on work as well it strikes me as a really mature thing to do you know your teacher your dad your family man your great athlete it's like let the professional take care of the negotiation like you know if he's if he's good at his job it'll be worth it for me too so interesting think about yeah I'm just like not a great negotiator and I don't know I feel like you and I are a little bit in the same boat like we've been around this stuff so long that like you I know what it feels like like free shoes was like the thing like you know 10 years ago and and like unless like you were like the top Premier person in the world not so much drill but like even roads like it wasn't more than just shoes and maybe like a little bit of travel and things have evolved so much nowadays like I didn't really understand like really what I was even worth that's why I kind of wanted to get a professional in there as well interesting so then bringing things full circle you just mentioned that you knew you didn't have another big race for a little while after Western States and I wanted to ask you about that like to what extent waiting until December to race again was intentional with at Ultra Trail Cape Town or did you pull something out in between how did that play out um it was pretty intentional because I mean Nike wasn't guaranteed um until you know like probably mid-september um so honestly I didn't have the I just couldn't like financially just want to keep going to more and more races is awesome as sh many could maybe sound of this year like um there's a financial cost of all this um and alra Trail Cape Town and cim was kind of the idea I didn't know which one at the time um and then it after just a little bit of time I just kind of seemed like Cape Town I had the chance of it once Nike started to develop um was funded for it uh my Thanksgiving break lined up with it it just seemed like the right move to make um the only thing I did pull out of was uh oh I did pull it so Mammoth was I did have a knee little knee thing after Andre or after Western and it wasn't going away in time so I pulled out of that I was ready to go for um the the other one in California uh Big Bear the Kodiak yeah I was gonna do the Kodiak 50k just for fun I just knew it was a sacked race everybody was trying to get their like ocation yeah I didn't really care about that at all I just saw like a I just knew a good list was there so I was like that sounds fun and again it was it was on my fall break but um I actually took a big fall that week um leading into it and like um messed up my wrist and my knee was kind of flared up so I just kind of decided to step back and pull the plug on it yeah well yeah I was just curious about that I mean it felt to me just looking at your season with that opening 50k at arches and then that huge course record w at Black Canyon and the podium at Western stays he deserved a little rest and it you know it it struck me as potentially a smart mature move to then take a little bit of a break before teeing up another one at the end of the year and yeah I I I didn't want to go to MTH Trail Fest not 100% I I don't need no Remy Bon you don't need yeah I don't I don't need it that much um so maybe starting to wind down here I'm to the extent you feel comfortable sharing any uh goals that you have for 2024 I'm sure there's going to be a lot of new Anthony Cales fans out there after such an amazing season where can people expect to see you racing next year um I'm GNA do a few races I've done before I'm gonna try to do a a way too cool Chuck nut um 50k double which they're two weeks apart two similar races and they're they're just pretty fun so I'm G to as long as uh I'm feeling okay after way too cool I'm going to try to double back on chucking up two weeks later um which are two great races uh and then I'm gonna try try to go out to Lum a 50 mile um I've had that one in plans for quite a while and it's thought about or was going to do it wasn't going to do it been injured Co all the types of stuff um it's kind of fortunate this year I don't need any kind of coal ification um to get into a race I want to get into so kind of taking advantage of that part right now and then um yeah after Lake Sonoma uh signed up for Western States again um didn't think I was going to do that but just a little tickle of me just like felt like I got a little bit of it wrong and I want to get it right so gonna go go try it one more time and um yeah the last thing if if everything's going well after that like CCC is kind of the other idea I'm kind of floating towards the end of the year makes a lot of sense what an awesome calendar I've been asking everybody the same closing question here Anthony and that is just to give kudos or some sort of you know recognition to an individual in your life who exists behind the scenes who has a significant impact on the successes that you experience this year um I always say it it's uh my wife Katie she like kind of helps me do this uh um day in and day out she's a kind of that crew Captain as well um um and she does a great job on just keeping me calm through the whole race and getting me through has got me through every single race she's ever um helped me out with um so yeah she's the one behind the scenes uh making me a little bit better always making sure I don't get sick Always by feeding me vitamins and good foods and things I don't want to eat so um yeah she's that person behind the scenes that makes the big difference does Piper understand that dad's a big rock star now uh she's starting to understand like finishing and stuff like that a little bit more um definitely more than the first time you guys saw her in h 2021 yeah but yeah it's kind of getting funny like she'll she'll see a finish she raise me like d d i win like not not always but definitely lesson that's a good K yeah well Anthony congrats on an awesome season buddy it's been awesome to watch your rise in the sport it's awesome to see you get the support of Nike and I can't wait to see what you do next year all right thanks youo for having me on I really appreciate it blandine leand Del bour happy New Year congratulations on being number 10 Trail Runner of the Year hey hello uh Happy New Year yes it's h in two days but uh uh we can we can say that before and thank you very much for I'm very uh very happy to be the the 10th um Ultra trailer under a thank you very much yes how are you feeling at the end of the season are you in offseason mode and how are you feeling about your performances this year well I'm feeling good better than uh than uh two than two months ago because uh as you know uh I had an injury of uh in my in my foot so I need to to get to to stop training during uh one month and uh uh it's uh one month I I begin again with a bicycle and uh today it was my first uh skiing so well I I'm I'm happy to to have a a little training it's good for for the mental health and and physic physical health so I'm good good good so tell me a little bit more about your injury the thing that I'm I'm interested in is that you posted that tibo graivier was your doctor and is in some way supporting your recovery from this injury tibo gy of course another great French Trail Runner so tell us about your guys's relationship and whether it's helpful to have his support in the recovery process yes TI find injury because it was a uh um a bones uh foot injury and it was difficult to to diagnostic it and fortunately is very very good uh doctor a radiologist uh I'm I'm Doctor too but I am gynecologist so it's it doesn't help for for traumatism and uh and uh and sports injury and uh I I ever uh been uh because we are both Med doctors and I have been in a French team during championships uh I know I know tibo uh I appreciate it's a very great person as a doctor but as a athlet and uh yes it's uh it's a chance for me to be very well um for um having advice good advice as as tibo and uh it's yes I think it's it's a chance we have a proximity and I I can um ask him a lot of things and he's always here for answers so it's good very good very good so one of the things that I think makes you unique is your range and this season you were top five at zag Gama and also at the podium of UTMB I know you like to race cross country also so I'd love to hear you talk about the just the diversity of your running and where you see your strengths at this moment in time and if that changed at all here in 2023 as you uh stepped up to the 100 mile distance for the first time yes I I always have um difficult for the choice and I love running but I love running fast I live and I love running longer so of the beginning of the years the best uh training uh I'm I think uh to work on the velocity the the speed uh it's a great training for all the season so I did um I did training for being faster and uh uh I be I began with the cross country uh it was a a success so I was very happy and after Zama it was a great and amazing race uh and during the season I um I did some longer training and longer race as a UTMB and uh I uh I had a lot of pleasure and uh on Ultra Trail too so it's difficult for me to to Cho to to choice and I think uh it's effectively my uh strength uh but um it's not uh always um uh better and uh as you know athlet life it's not always on the top and unfortunately because I I run a lot this years I think I had my my stress fracture stress fracture at the end of the season because because of it of this so I think this years I will not prepare me I will not uh doing uh faster and uh uh races uh as a um as cross country or Marathon I think I will um I I will focus on ultr trail or european championships uh as a 60 kilometers uh and I and I will do this uh uh during this winter more than bicycle or skiing to preserve me a little bit yeah great so tell us a little bit about your first 100 mile experience at UTMB obviously it's the biggest most important 100 mile race in the world and you finished third place in your first try how do you feel about that yeah it was a real uh um surprise uh when I begin began it I didn't have a uh I didn't have expect it I didn't have um goals I just uh would like to finish it uh and uh the third place was uh yes a real surprise and um another surprise it's I I liked it I didn't before racing I didn't know if I like Ultra TR it's particular everybody told me you will you you will have a uh up and down and the down could be very very long so you you must be PR prepared and um for me it was I love the down I love the up I had pleasure not during all the 24 hours and 20 minutes but I love this experience um so yes that's so funny so funny that you were just surprised that you loved it surprised that you enjoyed it and of course it's not always enjoyable not every kilometer is going to be positive but in totality what a powerful experience and what a great performance for you you're one of very few people now who've been on the finals or on the podium of all three of the UTMB finals of course You've Won OCCC CCC now you were third at UTMB has that been a goal for you well no it wasn't the goal for uh uh yes the better things was to win OCC and TCC and after win UTMB no it's a joke because winning UTMB is very very difficult but uh it wasn't a a goal but as I said very great surprise and I'm very proud of it yeah amazing so we can start winding down now blandine but I'd love to hear what your goals are for the future you said that you may focus on the European championships and maybe do mostly longer races next year what does your season look like yeah so for for do to the European championships I need to be a um seel selection selection uh on the team on the French team so before it I need to do the the national championships the French championships uh the seven of April and uh if I am on the two first I can U uh be part of the of the French uh Team for the European championships and as I said as I love the UTMB and I am I have the chance to be selection U um thanks to my third place I would like to to do a UTMB next year okay so maybe you'll be one of the small group of people who wins all three but that that will be determined at a later date blending thank you so much for your time and congratulations I've been asking everybody the same closing question and that is just to give thanks or recognition to somebody on your team who doesn't get enough credit but who is very important to your success as an athlete yes I would like to uh to recognize and to thanks my um my boyfriend's uh boyfriend's husband his name is ma Berard everybody who know me in French know him because he's always here is things Beginnings very very implicated in uh in this I think it's him um he he make me uh discover Sports because uh before I met him I didn't practice sports and him uh practice a lot and I I began Sports things to him and thinks uh this uh the this beginning he's always uh uh with me always uh uh um give me advice and help me for uh the partner on the the social media Etc so uh I and would like to to thanks him because he he don't have the the great places and the shadow and me and the light and uh I think it's not easy every day so thanks to him that is amazing so he introduced you to Sport and now you're a world champion and you won OCC and CCC yeah wow what a what a great story well congratulations to you both uh I know it is a team effort but you've had an amazing career you had another great season congratulations on everything that you've achieved good luck in the recovery from your injury and we'll hope thank you and and of course I would like to to thanks my team keep woman team uh the the rainning um uh the reing uh brand of deat it's a it's a big group big French group and yes it's a woman team and they are always here for me and there is a very very good uh Ambiance and uh so I would like to thanks them too yeah a very strong women's team I'm glad you brought that up all right blandine well again congrat ulations I hope the recovery from injury goes smoothly and I look forward to seeing even more success in 2024 yeah thank you very much