Introducing our Iron Ultra-Trail lady Perrine Fages who will join the starting line of Ohrid Ultra-Trail this May 2024. She has worked as a legal counsel in the Middle East for the last 10 years and the Endurance events are her passion. She is a finisher (amongst others) on TOR330 and 450 - Tor de Geants and Tor de Glaciers, UTMB, SwissPeaks 360, numerous Ironmans and by the way she has swam the La Manche. 

Her wish is to also swim Lake Ohrid and we will have the opportunity to discuss and plan that this May. 

OUT: Please introduce yourself to our followers.

Hello, My name is Perrine Fage, I am a French ultra endurance athlete (swim-bike-run) and adventurer. I am a legal counsel, I have been working and living in the Middle East for 10 years.

OUT: How long have you been running/trail running? (why do you run)

I started running in 2014. I wanted to be more fit for mountaineering and my goal was  to complete a marathon. Few months after I completed my first marathon, I started training for Ironman.

I started trail running in 2018, after I decided to pause with Triathlon after completing Ironman Hawaii, and I decided to focus more on ultra endurance cycling and trail running.

OUT: What do you enjoy most about trail running?

Definitely the scenery and the connection with nature, the elements and the mountains.

OUT: Do you have a memorable running experience/story to share with us? (or your biggest achievement)

I have so many, as I am doing a lot of very long distance (more than 100 miles), so many things happened because of sleep deprivation. A lot of hallucinations. One time during Tor des Glaciers, I was in a sort of “cave” below some rocks, talking in Italian to a stone (I don’t speak Italian, and this stone in my mind was a doll representing a famous ultra endurance runner) . Then I realized that I was talking to a rock, and I went outside these rocks and found my way.

OUT: How do you stay motivated when the going gets tough?

I think about two things : nothing is permanent and that it is tough for everyone ! That helps 🙂

OUT: What are your top three "little things" that you do to prevent injury? 

Pretty basic things, eat well, sleep well, and listen to your body. And if you get injured: accept it, it's not a weakness (healing will be faster if you admit it).

OUT: If you could give a single piece of advice to less experienced trail runners what would it be?

Be patient, trail running is a roller coaster, you will be very very down, but if you stop, eat , rest, then you will be able to feel better again. Nothing is permanent. Don’t give up just because you think you cannot continue anymore. Wait a bit, and you should feel better at some point.