JAMES BONNETT
Melia Coury: I’m Melia here with Aravaipa Running and James Bonnett, and you just placed 3rd at the Mogllon Monster 2016. Congrats.
James Bonnett: Thanks.
Melia: So what was it about this race that made you want to do it?
James: Just getting a Hardrock qualifier, that’s about it.
M: So what was your training like leading up to the race?
J: Ah, my training. There wasn’t much training leading up to this run. I did a 30 mile run on my birthday, that was August 14th and I did a couple runs leading up to that run on my birthday. And then I ran like 20 miles a week training the middle school and high school as the coach. Yeah, so not much running.
M: So what was your mindset going into the race then?
J: Just start slow and just be able to get to the finish. I started dead last when I started out of the starting gate. I wanted to go as slow as possible for as long as possible. And eventually that slow pace was actually too slow and it was uncomfortable. It was just getting me too fatigued and too tight and then I opened it up a little bit more in the second half. That was pretty much the race strategy.
M: Nice and smooth once you eased into your own pace.
J: The whole reason why I had such a decent second half if Nick didn’t run with me. He just kept telling me, “Just keep slowing down.” And I was like, “You’re right I should go slower.” So we ran, Nick and I ran through mile Pinchoe, what is that? Mile…
M: 78?
J: Not quite there. It was 60 something.
Jamil Coury: (off camera) 62 or 63.
J: So we ran together through 65 and he was falling back a couple times because my pace was different than his and I was starting to get tight that late into a run. At 60 some miles into a run my legs just couldn’t do that short stride anymore and I needed to open it up or else I was going to tighten up. So I just needed to move. My pace was a little different than his. And going into Pinchoe I was a little bit ahead of him then he came back and I waited for him at Pinchoe and he was like, “go.” And I was like nah but then we realized a little after we left there we were in second. And then I was like maybe we should run a little more. And the paces were just different.
M: Was there any parts of the course?
J: I don’t know. It was cool running different part of Hell’s Gate. A different way than Zane Grey. Um, yeah I really liked anything on top of the rim.
M: And then Hardrock is the next big thing for you?
J: Yeah, if I can get in.