Inés Astrain and her return to Val D'Aran by UTMB: a fifth place, a lot of pride, and the glass always half full.

Inés Astrain crossed the same finish line in Vielha a year later. In 2024, no one coughed at her during the 55-plus kilometers of the Val d'Aran by UTMB race. She was a smash hit. This time it was harder; for two hours, all she wanted to do was throw up and go home. But she didn't give up: she finished fifth, happier and wiser.

It's July 6th, and it's foolish to ask this brilliant Navarrese athlete—already a well-established star of the Spanish trail —where she'll be heading next: a red scarf, lunch with friends, and the opening kickoff. A proper party, then she'll once again divide her life between books and mountains, with several major projects in between: the UTMB in Chamonix and the World Championships in Canfranc await her. And her face lights up.

Well, how's the season going?

I think I've had better results this year than last year. And not so much the results, because in the end, results are just a position, but I think I've run much better and have had much better racing sensations.

When you say you've run better, what do you mean?

If I take stock now, closing out the first part of the season, I've run less than last year, but I've had better sensations, better planning, I think higher-quality training, I've recovered much better, and in the end, the planning has been much better than last year.

Now what's left?

My goals for the second half of the season are big ones: the UTMB World Championships at the end of August and the Canfranc World Championships on September 25.

How will you approach a career as prestigious as OCC?

Well, sometimes I think that the higher the level, the less pressure you have, because you can't focus on this rivalry of competing or saying, "Well, I'm going to try to win." There are so many runners who are going to run very well, so it allows you to focus more on your race. So, for me, OCC will be my first time. I want to prepare for it, I want to run a very intelligent race and enjoy the experience. The truth is, I'm really excited.

Do you already have in mind how you are going to do it?

No, I haven't seen the course. I mean, I only know part of it because I ran the Mont Blanc Marathon three years ago, but I still haven't figured out how I'm going to structure it. And that's where the coach comes in, the one I trust, the one who helps me prepare and organize the race.

Do you always follow it to the letter?

I follow him strictly. With Fran, I've learned that discipline. Because he explains everything to me and makes sense of it. I mean, when it comes to training planning, I'm super disciplined with him. Obviously, if I have to change a workout, it's because there's always a factor that's beyond his control, something he can't control. And that's how you wake up that day. You can wake up with the flu and not be able to complete a two-hour workout. Fran, in that regard, for example, has taught me to listen to my body a lot.

And what did you say during the Val D'Aran by UTMB race?

The day before, when I started doing the activation, wow! I had some brutal feelings. And that was also the case for the first hour of the race. Very good feelings, eager to run, fast. But I think... well, the altitude took its toll on me a bit. Because it was two, three hours. It coincides with that time in the race when we're gaining altitude. That desire I had to run turned into wanting to throw up, and I spent two very, very bad hours. And then, as we were going downhill, I started feeling better. So, I had bad feelings, but I was also able to overcome them. Especially mentally. And when you're going badly, turning things around... damn, it's very important. It often seems like winning and taking first place is a victory, but you also have to consider how many times when we're going badly in a race, you manage to come back and have other goals at that moment and achieve them.

Have you thought about retiring?

Yes, yes. At the Colomers refreshment station. I would have stayed because in those moments when you're feeling so bad, giving up is an option. And often the easiest one. And you think about it many times. But I also tell you that it was about continuing to fight because I knew those bad moments would eventually change. And I had a super positive thought: 'I'm super lucky to be running here. Next week when I'm home, I won't be here; so, Inés, enjoy it.' Bad feelings eventually pass. And indeed, it was a life lesson; everything bad eventually passes. And then it's not as bad as you're experiencing at the time.

Does your optimistic side usually win out over your pessimistic side?

I always, always focus on the positive side. The terrible race I had in Zegama is very fresh in my mind, because it was truly agonizing. Why? I think I was severely dehydrated. I look at the photos and videos of the race and I see myself bloated. And I drank a lot of water. I don't know. But I'm left with some very beautiful moments from the race: seeing my friends at Aizkorri, others who each held my hand and kissed me, and told me they loved me... And I said, damn, I'll remember those moments. Reaching the finish line, being with everyone. In the end, it's the sum of everything we experience, right? Every race teaches you. And it's what I was saying before: when you run easily, when you run fluidly, when everything is going well, running is easier. Right? But when you have difficulties, you have adversities... everything changes. My coach calls them adversities. And overcoming those adversities makes you improve. And seeing yourself capable of overcoming everything gives you a very powerful version of yourself.

And now, on to San Fermín.

Well, look, today I'm going to have a snack and dinner in Pamplona with my friends, and we'll experience the chupinazo. And then at noon in the afternoon I'll head to Burgos to rest and sleep. And on Monday I'll study, because I'm also eager to get back into the routine.