Jeff Browning, 2018 Hardrock 100 Champ, Interview

An interview with Jeff Browning following his win at the 2018 Hardrock 100.

[@MattRadford]

Jeff was the first elite ultra runner that really inspired me in the sport. I'm so pumped that he got the win!

[@collystudio74]

Congratulations Jeff. '18 years' doing ultras very inspiring to see you win Hardrock 2018

[@allenconner937]

Great win Jeff!! You make Ultras feel so attainable for the rest of us. I'm working towards my first because of influencers like you man!! Congratulations!

[@RushAustin]

Wll done, Jeff. The States/Hardrock doubles you are laying down are pretty amazing.

[@gypsyhikermonica227]

Great interview! Congratulations!

[@terraflow__bryanburdo4547]

Jeff is my favorite ultra guy, because he is the smartest. The keto/LCHF is a big part of that. Way to go Old Man!

[@jessejamesjohnston]

Love Jeff's attitude. So glad he got the win👊

[@ClareGallagherEarthRaging]

BRONCO IS SUCH A LEGEND!!!!! SO PROUD!!

[@kristinegoodman7534]

Great guy.

[@Pacertravel]

I’m looking forward to racing Jeff at Pinhoti. I just need a 10 hour head start. Congrats Jeff.

[@PolPuigCollderram]

Great interview!!

[@billygoat_bob]

Jeff! you are the man! A great inspiration. Congratulations! Does any one know if he beat his record for THE DOUBLE?

[@burkejones8277]

It was a gift, but you deserved it. Earned it if it is possible to earn a gift.

[@tritondriver1]

Heavy

[@glousse]

It certainly was a gift ! And it is very interesting for the world to see how the ‘community’ reacts.... It raises questions, no?

[@nickdodt2812]

...no! He ran his race and won. Where do you draw the line? Ice? Water? Gels? The rules are there for the integrity of the race and runners. Don't take AID of any sort and there wont be an issue. DId he mean to cheat? I don't think so but...he broke the rules and deserved to be DQ. end of conversation.

[@majortakleef8445]

Geoffroy Lousse Xavier didn’t follow the rules. He got DQed. There was no ambiguity in the rule he broke so there was no chance of giving him the benefit of doubt either. And he is a super experienced and talented ultra runner so he should have known better. Maybe he did it at earlier Hardrocks too but nobody probably noticed so he thought the RD was cool with it.

[@FuckAdds]

To me there is à lot to think and talk on that disqualification of Xavier. Listening to usa people saying "The rule is the rule" embodies a "blind legalism" that is rarely seen. But so commonly used to end discussion in the Usa. Let me sum up the points: - The RD and everybody agrees it's not intentional (equals "malicius" right?). - Everyone is ok to admit à few sip is nothing of à benefit especially out of an aid station. Taking from creeks is allowed (tacit?), helping each other among runner is allowed and many have superb crew+pacer to support them throughout the race. (does pacer can carry water for both ?). So there is no advantage, and even less unfair advantage. Xavier had made such à Gap it did not change anything. So innshort they decided the exclusion of the expected winer just because of one error of no concequence on equity. To open the perspective to à frenchy one. Aid in english is "ravitaillement" wich consist of food+drink. Beside we have "water point" with only water and of course we pick water anywhere under our responsibility. So to me the aid=aidstation=food (includong water) is very distinc from water access through the race: The public or hikers (trails angels) creek, fountains of farms etc... So it May be clear for usa prople maybe you are only allowed water refil at aid stations ? So to à french man à glass of water from à friend or the public is not "AID" and very common to eat great food from hutts/public and sheperds. In Europe our similar rule targets only organized full support of victory contenders that started to développ. This décision took time to take because of reasons one being that the rule did not set the punishment. Breaking unintentionaly a rule with no reduced fairness car lead to sanctions like hour of penality. So there was other way to go less excessive to "protect fairness". Concerning faireness on Hr100 one can see plenty of way to improve it all in use in europe: -Limiting vrew support access to 1 in the aid station so no full pickup and bed withsox drying. -Not allowing pacer thank to reliable marking. HR100 is the only one where so many loose trail. In europ we "flag" every off trail section so short we can see the 2 next. And of course the antidoping actionnthat requires Check on top 10 and "health passport" along year. Where are we on this ? There is à long way to fairness ! So in this contexte it is totally out of proportion to décidé exclusion for "potential yet insignifiant unfairness of few more sip". To punish the infringement their is less harsh penalty. It really looks like "we delibetately ignore the actual impact of error because it allows to kick him out wich lets us show muscles and blabla for the comunity". Here in Europe the rules preventing aid outside aid station are strict for victory contender and detailed as well as sanction that do not consider only the ban. The "community" shows here very little espect to the runner's investment by threating of exclusion for any minor infraction with no considération of the impact on fairness/security/environment. Loïc From France and super disapointed by Hr100, I don't sign in 100 to feel forbiden of exclusion for any minor error. This is totally out of proportion ! This vidéo is a shame to me as it sounds to me that they avoid even the name of xavier unlike usual use of names in such interview !

[@glousse]

Interesting? I play no judgment, I was not there! Just observing, and maybe learning to see how I would have reacted and how thing evolve, or not. A winner that sais it’s a “A bitter sweet victory” and a “gift”, somehow does not feel right. I REALY hope I-run far interview Xavier as they did before the race. I hope there is no rule against that. ;-)

[@austinshields8627]

Elevation* you can't run altitude unless you're on a plane

[@iRunFarMedia]

You can in common parlance. ;-) - Bryon

[@austinshields8627]

iRunFarMedia haha! I work in aviation so this is one of my biggest pet peeves!

[@wigleboy]

He just said that he gets aid “water” out of an aid station and other people say they do; what’s the difference. It seems to still break the rule. Dipping in a creek is ok. But if someone dipped water and haded it to someone, it would be a DQ? The rules are not clear.

[@iRunFarMedia]

I have personally raced in dozens of trail races in the U.S. and in at least eight countries abroad and I've never seen a rule disallowing runners from drinking from natural water sources during a race. There is no rule of this sort at Hardrock, either. Natural water sources are available equally to all runners, and this is quite different from specific crew providing specific runners extraordinary aid that the rest of the field doesn't get at areas where crewing is disallowed. -Meghan

[@wigleboy]

iRunFarMedia My point is about the precision and interpretation of HR100’s rules. The first says “no whining.” What does that mean? I have seen many people whining about thunder storms. See rule #5; what exactly does that mean? Then read the Western States rules for runners, pacers and crew - it should be that precise.

[@Cruellabane]

They are VERY clear. You even just explained the difference.

[@potatoes5699]

Xavier Thevenard deserved better...

[@austinshields8627]

How would you have handled the situation? I agree the punishment was harsh, but you HAVE to follow the rules. I'm torn.

[@majortakleef8445]

Xavier didn’t follow the rules. He got DQed. There was no ambiguity in the rule he broke so there was no chance of giving him the benefit of doubt either. And he is a super experienced and talented ultra runner so he should have known better. Maybe he did it at earlier Hardrocks too but nobody probably noticed so he thought the RD was cool with it.

[@ColtonCarter]

Could've been a max time limit finish

[@wigleboy]

And Jeff just said he gets water from creeks - what is the differences.

[@ljrogers62]

Difference is there was no outside entity helping Jeff. Like drinking off your own bottle vs someone giving you an ice filled bottle outside the zone.