Morocco’s Elhousine Elazzaoui has risen via the ranks of sub-ultra distance path working since turning skilled in 2018, and has change into the person to beat on the worldwide Golden Path World Collection circuit. This yr, he reset the course report on the long-lasting Marathon du Mont Blanc, and have become the primary African man to win the Golden Path World Collection. We caught up with him to listen to about what this implies to him, and to be taught extra about his journey so far.
Elhousine Elazzaoui, the 2024 Golden Path World Collection Finals males’s Ultimate winner. Picture: Golden Path World Collection/Grand Finals/@risingstory_@colinolivero
Elazzaoui grew up within the desert of Southern Morocco, as a part of a nomadic household. His mother and father ran a small tourism company and offered camel trekking excursions of the desert, often known as camel caravanning, and it was in serving to with this that Elazzaoui discovered his toes as a runner. He mentioned, “I’d inform my dad I wished to go fetch the camels, after which I’d run after them. I began a very long time in the past at age 12, and gained my first race in 2006.”
Afterward, Elazzaoui labored within the household enterprise, guiding teams within the mountains and desert, one thing he nonetheless does within the low season to today. He mentioned, “In the present day I’m an official information in Morocco, licensed by the Moroccan Ministry of Tourism.”
Whereas the younger Elazzaoui started working as a solo interest round his native desert, his expertise was rapidly seen by the guests introduced in by the household’s enterprise. He mentioned, “The individuals who got here to my place would see me working and encourage me. They introduced me sportswear and sneakers. As soon as I had a little bit of means for garments and sneakers, I began collaborating in nationwide competitions, and I used to be additionally invited to compete within the African championships, and I’ve gained a number of races in Morocco and in federal and nationwide competitions.”
Regardless of some success at street working — with a 10-kilometer private greatest at 29 minutes — Elazzaoui’s ardour and power has at all times been in off-road working. He mentioned, “Though I’m an athlete, it’s robust on the street and I discover my pleasure in mountain working.” He dabbled in a large number of distances, successful the 2018 Morocco Race 80k and inserting second within the 2019 Ultrabericus Path 66k in Italy, earlier than honing in on sub-ultra, circa 30- to 40-kilometer races. He mentioned, “I at all times favored the shorter distances, ranging from 30k.”
Elhousine Elazzaoui on the way in which to successful the 2024 Golden Path World Collection Finals. Picture: NNormal/Toni Perelló (@toni_perello)
In 2018, Elazzaoui moved to Switzerland to take the subsequent step in his blossoming working profession. He mentioned, “I left my residence to take part in Europe in 2018, to develop my expertise and to realize quite a lot of expertise in path working and to take part in worldwide occasions.” About that vast life change, he mentioned: “In fact, there are variations in seeing one other tradition, one other lifestyle, however I’m fortunate. I discovered good individuals who love sports activities, they usually helped me develop my expertise, and due to this sport, which brings cultures nearer collectively.”
In 2019, he gained the Swiss Golden Path Nationwide Collection, and first participated within the Golden Path World Collection. He had blended outcomes, inserting third within the 21k Dolomyths Run, working down the sphere in thirty first at Sierre-Zinal, and struggling a DNF (didn’t end) in his first Marathon du Mont Blanc.
Elazzaoui’s 2019 nationwide sequence win secured him a spot within the 2020 Golden Path World Collection Finals, the place he positioned fourth amongst the most effective on the earth. The championships concerned finishing a 111k stage race, which Elazzaoui mentioned was one of many hardest races of his life, on moist terrain far outdoors of his consolation zone. The outcome cemented his perception and want to compete on the highest stage. He mentioned, “For me, I actually just like the Golden Path circuit, it looks like household. It’s knowledgeable occasion, the group is ideal, there are at all times the world’s greatest athletes to problem.”
In his 2021 season, he once more had blended outcomes. On a very good day, he gained the 2021 Swissalpine Davos 43k, however once more failed to complete the Marathon du Mont Blanc.
As he accrued expertise, Elazzaoui discovered from his errors and regularly began to attain extra constant outcomes. He positioned fourth within the iconic Zegama Marathon in 2022, and improved to second in 2023, a outcome which he repeated in 2024, ending behind 11-time winner Kilian Jornet. He mentioned of the long-lasting Spanish race, “Zegama is Zegama. I at all times get pleasure from collaborating on this race, and this yr I’m proud of second place as a result of there I met my new staff, and in addition Kilian, and we had been like a household, and I actually like this race. The occasion is a world occasion like no different on the earth. The spectators and the folks alongside the course cheer you on all through the race.”
The highest 5 males of the 2024 Zegama Marathon (l-to-r): 4. Luca Del Pero, 2. Elhousine Elazzaoui, 1. Kilian Jornet, 3. Bartłomiej Przedwojewski, and 5. Manuel Merillas (together with his canine Zar). Picture: Zegama Marathon/Roger Salanova
Elazzaoui runs for Jornet’s model NNormal, a model and a staff that he finds becoming due to its concern for the atmosphere, and in addition due to the power of his teammates — he strives to encompass himself with, and compete towards, the most effective athletes.
The Marathon du Mont Blanc, too, would go on to be a defining race in Elazzaoui’s profession, and one by which he has measured his progress. He once more failed to complete it in 2021, moved as much as fourth place in 2022, earlier than ultimately successful the 2024 version. He mentioned, “In previous years, I by no means completed this race effectively, however this yr, I returned renewed with new expertise and a brand new staff, and I simply gained the Mont Blanc Marathon.” Within the 2024 version of the race, Elazzaoui traded locations with Switzerland’s Rémi Bonnet, however due to his astounding downhill pace, managed to drag away earlier than the end and safe victory in a course report time of three:30:10.
A smiling Elhousine Elazzaoui on the end of the 2024 Marathon du Mont Blanc. Picture: NNormal/Toni Perelló (@toni_perello)
Because the Golden Path World Collection traveled to the U.S. in September 2024, he secured back-to-back wins within the Headlands 27k and the Mammoth Path Fest 27k.
Some 4 months after the Marathon du Mont Blanc, Elazzaoui and Bonnet did battle once more, on the Grand Ultimate of the Golden Path World Collection, held in Switzerland in October, and Elazzaoui once more emerged victorious — with that, additionally claiming the general sequence win. He mentioned afterwards: “I’m so completely happy, that is my dream come true! I’ve been desirous to win the sequence for 5 years, and this yr I introduced that I used to be actually going to do it, so I used to be beneath a little bit of strain. However I did it! I used to be actually assured within the downhill and I knew I may go for victory. I’d prefer to thank all of the spectators who urged me on and gave me their full help.”
Elazzaoui took delight in successful the sequence, not only for himself, however for his residence continent of Africa, as but underrepresented in path working. He mentioned, “It’s with delight that I’m the primary African who has gained this sequence, that’s a giant story. Lately, I’ve impressed many younger folks in Africa and world wide with my persistence and resilience to attain this dream. However this victory didn’t come alone. There was the NNormal staff that helped me, there was coaching, and there have been a coach and associates to whom this victory is owed.”
Though he works with a coach, Elazzaoui’s coaching varies week-on-week, and he doesn’t observe a structured coaching plan. Regardless of the strategy, it certainly appears to be working, and when requested about plans for subsequent yr he merely mentioned; “I’m satisfied that it will likely be the most effective, and I’m simply getting began.”
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