After a DNF final 12 months, France’s Vincent Bouillard returned to the 2026 Western States 100 and ran away with an enormous course document. Within the following interview, Vincent discusses his race preparation for the warmth and excessive altitude, his conservative racing strategy till after midway at Foresthill, and the way an impressively aggressive area made a quicker race for everybody.
For extra on how the race performed out, learn our in-depth 2026 Western States 100 outcomes article.
[Editor’s Note: If you are unable to see the video above, click here to watch it.]
Vincent Bouillard, 2026 Western States 100 Champion, Interview Transcript
iRunFar: Meghan Hicks of iRunFar. I’m with Vincent Bouillard. It’s the day after the 2026 Western States Endurance Run. You’re the lads’s champion, Vincent. Congratulations.
Vincent Bouillard: Yeah, thanks.
iRunFar: How does that sound? How is that settling in?
Bouillard: It’s going to take some time. I believe you put together to attempt your hardest and race at your greatest, however not less than I don’t… I imply, the aim of a race will not be solely amongst others to win, however it’s going to take some time to sink in really.
iRunFar: This race is a little bit of a time coming for you. You have been right here final 12 months. You certified with a golden ticket final spring. That is your second effort on the race. Does it really feel like, okay, we’ve climbed this hill and we’ve gotten to the place we need to be with Western?
Bouillard: Yeah, I believe final 12 months positively left me with a way of unfinished enterprise. I had plenty of well being points associated to my intestine and abdomen, they usually have been bothering me throughout coaching block. They have been bothering me actually the nice half of the 12 months, and Western States was a tragic realization that there was no means I might do 100 mile in these circumstances. Yeah, the undertaking of attempting to race Western comes from the will to, I assume, problem myself outdoors of a consolation zone. I believe this has been a race that I’ve admired and checked out it like that is loopy quick, and I’ve a lot respect for the runners and possibly sooner or later I’ll dare to toe the beginning line. Yeah, it’s wonderful to have the sense of closing the loop and ending off what wasn’t completed final 12 months.
iRunFar: I’d love to speak about that unfamiliarity or uncommon facet of it. For us right here in America, Western States is like one of many solely issues we all know by way of 100 milers. It’s runnable, it’s quick, it’s sizzling, it’s dusty, however an uncommon race setup for Europeans.
Bouillard: Yeah. Humorous sufficient, one among my first experiences on an extremely was a [The North Face] 50 miler within the Bay in west –
iRunFar: , I forgot that. Yeah. Type of identical factor.
Bouillard: 2017. I’ll ceaselessly keep in mind I used to be kitted out the stereotypical European path runner with my vest and every little thing.
iRunFar: Compression.
Bouillard: Yeah, not compression. Come on. I’m kidding. However at first line, everybody or most runners had cotton tees and shorts and a plastic bottle within the hand and I used to be like, “What am I doing? Are we doing the identical sport? Are you actual going for 50 miles?” I believe I’ve been simply admiring or studying from that strategy of, I believe, completely different mindset in Europe, particularly I grew up in Annecy within the Alps, there’s extra of a, I assume, mountain heritage somewhat bit that influenced the game lots.
The terrain additionally explains, like we have now steeper climbs and longer climbs and descents. Yeah, it’s not the identical self-discipline to should run everything of 100 miles versus if we take a course like UTMB, there’s nearly like breaks in your muscle groups, as a result of whenever you’re climbing with poles, it’s not the identical as like operating on some…
iRunFar: Operating nonstop on.
Bouillard: Yeah. Not the identical.
iRunFar: The Western States scene, it’s a race of specificity. In fact, it’s a protracted operating race, however there are such a lot of distinctive variables to it. Relying on the place you reside, it may be arduous to organize for that. Given you had final 12 months’s expertise, you have been having a few of your individual bodily points, however you bought right here, you noticed precisely what the specificity entailed. How’d you put together? How’d you tailor for this 12 months so nicely?
Bouillard: Yeah. Though I’m French and dwell in France, I’ve lived in California for a couple of years and Oregon for 2 years really additionally, and we have now household right here in Sacramento. My spouse grew up in California.
iRunFar: Oh, you’re linked to Sacramento too.
Bouillard: Yeah. This isn’t utterly unfamiliar terrain. We’ve come and visited, and I’ve skilled the warmth that… I imply, Sacramento will get sizzling. Even in comparison with the canyons, it’s sizzling. We’re shut pals with Jess Brazeau and Jim Walmsley and have been capable of take part in crewing one 12 months at Western. So it was not utterly new, in order that helped in sort of framing what I wanted to coach for. This 12 months, we determined… We’re a household of three now. We’ve got a six-month previous daughter.
iRunFar: Congratulations.
Bouillard: Thanks. My spouse continues to be on go away from work, so we determined to make an enormous journey out of it and are available 5 weeks forward of the race. We spent most of that point in southern California in Santa Barbara the place I’ve my work workplace and we have now plenty of pals. It’s not fairly the terrain right here, however the backcountry provides a very nice path community with good warmth publicity.
iRunFar: Excessive mud, runnable singletrack.
Bouillard: Yeah. Some runnable stuff, some extra technical issues, some very runnable fireplace roads, quite a lot of issues.
iRunFar: Cool. In all, you discovered most likely nearly precisely the specificity you wanted.
Bouillard: Yeah. I actually put the trouble on all the warmth coaching this 12 months, so I believe it benefited me regardless.
iRunFar: You constructed some purple blood cells.
Bouillard: Precisely. It helps as a result of actually the primary third of Western State is at altitude, and I dwell at sea stage. I believe cranking up the warmth coaching helped to hopefully convey some adaptation. Then we have been in Olympic Valley two weeks forward of the race as nicely. That was additionally good to taper at altitude and hopefully get somewhat little bit of adaptation from that.
iRunFar: You have been hyper prepped then.
Bouillard: We tried to optimize. Yeah, having a child offers us a whole lot of extra holidays on the day after day, however on the identical time with my part-time job, I’ve some flexibility for the place I work from and with Camilla being on go away, we had somewhat bit extra freedom on the schedule.
iRunFar: Yesterday, the lads’s race was simply hyper dynamic for a protracted, very long time. Tremendous thrilling to observe the push-pull, completely different strikes and covers. What was that like residing that from the within out? It ran to me extra like a 50 mile or 100k.
Bouillard: Yeah, it was loopy as a result of final 12 months was quick, however final 12 months it felt prefer it was an enormous pack and we have been nonetheless chit-chatting. It was a quick tempo however nonetheless very sustainable within the excessive nation. This 12 months felt like there was a second begin on the prime of the Escarpment after which it was like, “Oh my gosh, what is occurring? Did they alter the end to Robinson Flat or like what?” As a result of it was actually quick and kudos to Hans [Troyer] for daring to place himself on the market and pushing the tempo like he did. I believe it was a sport of daring to attempt, whereas for me the technique was to attempt to not burn too many matches too early, particularly due to the altitude publicity and the truth that though it runs quicker, it’s nonetheless 100 miles. It’s nonetheless a protracted approach to go to Auburn.
iRunFar: Regardless of the new paces that Hans was setting and others have been attempting to cowl, you have been all the time proper there although, like near contact, in touch. It’s not like there was a big hole to you.
Bouillard: Yeah. I believe I used to be actually attempting to focus by myself effort stage and never overly give attention to what others have been doing, particularly within the center part with the canyons as a result of issues can go very otherwise for everybody in that part, and I knew that it’s actually arduous what occurred to Jim, ultimately. However for instance, I do know that his engine going uphill is like, “I can’t match that. I can’t sustain with him.” Most likely Francesco [Puppi], identical factor. If he’s nonetheless contemporary, he can climb quicker than me. However I used to be okay with this as a result of it’s like, “Effectively, even as soon as we get out of the canyon, there’s nonetheless a really lengthy approach to go.” I used to be attempting not too match each transfer and being somewhat okay with some gaps making it.
iRunFar: It appeared wish to us you got here in touch with the lead or started getting shut there, proper round midway. Was it between Michigan Bluff and Foresthill?
Bouillard: I believe I used to be attempting to essentially preserve that extra conservative mindset till Foresthill after which we’re drained already, so it’s arduous to say like, now we go. However I believe I had one thing like this occur when Ryan [Montgomery] caught me on Cal Road, as a result of he’s such a tremendous athlete and somebody who I love. I used to be so stoked to see him coming in.
iRunFar: But in addition you’re like, “Shit.”
Bouillard: Effectively, yeah, somewhat bit, however I believe sure and no, as a result of I knew the paces we have been operating. In fact, the aim is to win, however I used to be like, if we proceed at these paces, we’re all going to be beneath 14 hours. Nice, better of us will win, however we’re all going to have an excellent day. I believe that gave me confidence to maintain pushing it doesn’t matter what the end result would have been. Ryan and I ended up serving to somewhat little bit of one another, I believe, by… Yeah, I used to be nonetheless in touch, after which took over after which he ended up having a tremendous finish of race as nicely.
iRunFar: I believe you each mentioned on the end line final night time that having the 2 of you form of pushing one another allowed each of you to maneuver quicker.
Bouillard: Yeah. I believe that’s what occurred with the aggressive area. Sure, after all the climate circumstances have been exceptionally cool for Western States and that explains a whole lot of the quick occasions. The opposite issue that introduced these occasions is the competitors. We push one another, and yeah we’re speaking about Hans, however others there to maintain up and push and push and see what occurs.
iRunFar: It appeared such as you took over the last word lead someplace between the mile 85 and 90 support stations, after which your time, your cut up to the end was a extremely fast one. Did you similar to take the brakes off and also you’re like, “No matter’s left in me, I’m going to let it rip.”?
Bouillard: Yeah, sort of. I believe whenever you’re in the midst of it, you don’t have all the data of the dwell stream and stuff. Once you go and take the lead at mile nearly 90, it’s like, “Effectively, I can’t let anybody come again now. That is too shut. I’ve to convey it house.” Yeah, I actually tried and gave all of it, and I believe everybody’s hurting at this level, so it’s a sport of who can maintain the ache.
iRunFar: Your profession, placing the tick mark of a win of Western States in your resume following a win of UTMB two years in the past, these are profession aspirations. That’s what the issues {of professional} runners lately dream about, and that’s now your resume. What does an individual such as you assume on a day like this? What’s left to do?
Bouillard: Oh, there’s plenty of issues I’ve to do. That’s not the issue, however I believe the very first thing that involves thoughts is simply to take pleasure in and never let it sink in, not fear an excessive amount of about what’s going to be subsequent. Additionally, sure, after all it provides a line to a resume and it’s essential, however whether or not it’s victories and course data, it’s all meant to vary 12 months over 12 months. So many different runners had wonderful races yesterday. Francesco was deserving of victory, like inside minutes it might have been him, I might have had an issue on the finish. I believe that’s what’s enjoyable is to take part within the steady development of the game and assist one another push ourselves ahead and hopefully proceed and convey thrilling races to take part into and to observe.
iRunFar: Effectively, that was tremendous thrilling to observe.
Bouillard: Glad to listen to.
iRunFar: Nice present.
Bouillard: Thanks.
iRunFar: Vincent Bouillard, congratulations in your win of the 2026 Western States Endurance Run.
Bouillard: Thanks very a lot. Yeah.
iRunFar: You’ve gotten a pleasant little little bit of sofa sitting and child cuddling forward of you.
Bouillard: Sure. Undoubtedly so.