Zak Hanna (IRL) embodies a silent resilience and unwavering determination to resolve any obstacle. As we immerse ourselves in this enlightening interview, we have the honor of encountering a gentleman from Northern Ireland whose tranquil façade conceals the profound depth of his resilience and strength. Through this season trials and triumphs, Zak stands as a testament to resilience, showcasing a remarkable ability to navigate adversity with a sense of unwavering composure and determination.

 LET'S TALK MOUNTAIN RUNNING EPISODE 4: ZAK HANNA (IRL)
THE NORTHERN RESILIENCE

The Northern Ireland athlete, Zak Hanna (IRL), stands as an exceptional presence within the mountain running realm due to his perseverance, dedication, and an unwavering passion for the sport. Although the 2023 season might not have unfolded as Zak initially anticipated, a challenging bout of illness hindered his ascent in the rankings. Nonetheless, despite this setback, what the illness didn't thwart was Zak's unwavering determination, showcasing a tenacious athlete brimming with resilience and perseverance.

Zak started the season (just after a bad cold) with the Mountain Running World Championship in Stubai, in June, from where he "jumped" into the USa for the first Golden label Race of the 2023 Valsir mountain Running World Cup, the  Broken Arrow vertical uphill where he finished 4° and  14° the day after in the Broken Arrow Skyrace.

Shortly after, Zak traveled to Portugal for the Montemuro Vertical Race, unfortunately, his health issues began to surface, leading to his inability to complete the second Golden Label race of the Valsir Mountain Running World Cup.

Out of perseverance he run the Montée du Nid d’Aigle followed by a commendable Vertical  Nasego  to finish the season in the Uphill race at the Finlaissima in Gran Canaria and the Finalissima Sky Gran Canaria Classic distance.

Zak is also not new to our website interviews, as you can read in this one from 2020: You can be good in the hills and on the flat.

WHERE ARE YOU FROM, WHAT IS YOUR HOMETOWN AND WHERE DO YOU LIVE NOW?

I come from Northern Ireland, and I live up on the hills outside a small village called Dromara, in County Down. I still live here and with its remoteness, access to the mountains and world class views it is to me one of the best places I could ask for to live and train.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE COMPETING IN THE VALSIR MOUNTAIN RUNNING WORLD CUP 2023?

The 2023 Valsir Mountain Running World Cup was a difficult one for me personally as I struggled to replicate the form I had in 2022 due to never fully recovering from a bad cold I caught before the World Championships. Despite this I was still determined to compete in the World Cup and even though I wasn't where I wanted to be in the overall standings I felt I couldn't miss out on the racing that was taking place; the World Cup plays a huge part in my season and I love competing in it even when I'm not at my best. I hope 2024 will be a lot better and I'll rediscover my form from 2022.

MOUNTAIN RUNNING IS A PHYSICALLY DEMANDING SPORT. COULD YOU SHARE SOME INSIGHTS INTO YOUR TRAINING AND PREPARATION LEADING UP TO THE WORLD CUP? HOW DO YOU TRAIN IN WINTER? DO YOU COMBINE DISCIPLINES SKI, BIKE, RUNNING?

With the World Cup covering all the specialist disciplines within the sport, like the short, steep VK to the classic distance and then onto the longer races like Sierre Zinal, my training tends to never fully focus on the one event but instead covering all the bases so that I am ready to compete in whatever races I decide to do.

It's hard for me to find a 1000m uphill course to train on as the highest mountain in my area is only 850m high, but I'm lucky that where I live I have access to the Mourne Mountains (the inspiration for C.S. Lewis' Narnia in the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe), Tollymore & Castlewellan Forest Parks (where Game of Thrones was filmed) and the flat roads that surround these places so I can pick and choose where I want to train. 

I don't cross train, I used to be a cyclist and have zero interest in getting back on a bike. I love to run and trying to combine it with another sport would be difficult when you're running high mileage every week.

SPONSORSHIP PLAYS A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN AN ATHLETE'S SUCCESS. COULD YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR SPONSORS/TEAM?

I signed a professional contract with New Balance back in March and this was huge for me as it allowed me to continue focusing on running full time in order for me to get the best out of myself. 

Locally I am supported by Mar-Train Heavy Haulage, a company that specialises in the transportation of abnormal loads such as wind turbines, barges and plant machinery all over Europe. They have been with me since I  went full time and I'm forever grateful for the support they have shown me.

VANTRU is another company that sponsors me. Vantru is a leading provider of global corporate services in Ireland and the United Kingdom, offering tax support, administrative support, directorships and licence procurement to both individuals and organisations.

Aluminium & Plastic Systems (APS Group) provides quality aluminium and PVC solutions for use in commercial and residential buildings, and supply to global names such as Lidl, Jaguar, Audi, Tesco and Costa for their facilities throughout the UK & Ireland.

Without the support of these sponsors it would be extremely difficult to continue racing at the elite level of the sport, and being able to travel the world competing in the world's best mountain running races due to their backing means I can give my all whilst also promoting local Northern Ireland businesses all over the world.

WITH 16 RACES IN 8 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, EACH COURSE HAD ITS UNIQUE CHALLENGES. CAN YOU HIGHLIGHT

• THE BEST LANDSCAPE RACE-  For me it has to be the Broken Arrow vertical uphill & Skyrace, it was my first time in America and the fact that the courses where covered in snow meant for magical views from the summits. Accompanied by blue skies, an electric atmosphere and a severe lack of oxygen due to the altitude it stood out for the most for me by far.
• THE FASTEST- Has to be the alternative course for the uphill race at the Finlaissima in Gran Canaria! Flying along the promenade in 30 degree heat with the sun setting at sub 3:00 minute per KM pace was a shock to the legs, combined with a short, steep climb to the finish and finishing in less than 20 minutes it definitely had the recipe for the fastest of the series.
• THE MOST DIFFCIULT/TECHNICAL- Again Broken Arrow vertical uphill & Skyrace due to the altitude and snow. The steps carved out in the snow towards the summits are a lot harder to run in than they look, and descending down a ski slope in ankle deep snow has to be one of the most fun I've ever had in a race. I think I coped well with the altitude but that doesn't mean it wasn't hard. I still felt like I was breathing through a straw even when I wasn't running! A superb race that I hope to return to in the future.

THE COMPETITION IN THE MOUNTAIN RUNNING WORLD CUP IS FIERCE. HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN A COMPETITIVE EDGE AND STAY MOTIVATED THROUGHOUT THE SEASON?

It takes very little to motivate me, I love to race which helps a lot during a long season. 2022 was an example of this as I raced from April to November. Whilst I was mentally tired I was still able to get myself ready to race week after week whilst training, recovering and travelling all inbetween races as well.

The competition is so high right now which benefits the sport so much and I know that it is only going to get better, and we're pretty close community within the World Cup in that we all get along well and always find time to have the craic when we're not racing, and that in itself is provides you with motivation to be able to race amongst friends.

CAN YOU SHARE ANY PRE-RACE RITUALS OR MENTAL TECHNIQUES YOU RELY ON TO KEEP YOUR PERFORMANCE CONSISTENT THROUGHOUT THE WORLD CUP?

I have a playlist on Spotify that I religiously listen to before races, and the final song I listen to before I turn off my phone is always Simply the Best by Tina Turner. It's quite a mix of music such as the Stone Rose, Scooter, Gerry Cinnamon, anything that gets me psyched up really. Even when racing at home this is a tradition, I like upbeat music to get the blood pumping and find that the right music can set you up well for both training and racing. 

FINALLY, WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE RACE/MOMENT DURING THE VALSIR MOUNTAIN RUNNING WORLD CUP, AND WHAT MADE IT SPECIAL TO YOU?

Given it was my first time visiting America I'm going to have to say Broken Arrow. I got to see first hand the Americans in their own back yard and why the mountain running scene is so popular over there, and experiencing the America culture first hand was brilliant, everything is bigger compared to what we have at home-cars, food portion sizes and the price of things! 

They where really welcoming and given I was staying with a fellow Irishman Paddy O'Leary and his fiancee Eleanor in their San Francisco apartment before race weekend, it helped a lot to have their knowledge to keep me right in the big city, it makes Belfast look like a small village!

 More about Zak Hanna (IRL) at the athlete profile in the WMRA or you can follow her Instagram here.

All pictures © WMRA- Marco Gulberti