Catriona Graves wins Highland Cross 2024

Transcript

00:00Well Katrina, second year in a row that you're the Highland Cross champion, is it getting easier?

00:06No, I think it gets harder. I think the run was, I felt better on the run this time but it was

00:11definitely harder I think. That last section just goes on for a very long time. What was your winning

00:16time? I don't know, just under four hours anyway, it's definitely faster than last year. Excellent,

00:20so faster than last year. Yeah, I'm pretty sure it was. Got to be pleased with your performance.

00:23Yeah, no definitely, definitely, yeah. Were you a bit able to prepare more since you won it last

00:28year? I've kind of just done the same. I think I've done a lot of cycling because I've not been

00:33working as much, so I've done a lot of cycle touring. So that gets you fit for the bike and

00:37then I've just done quite a few long hill races as well recently. And in terms of the race,

00:42how did you approach it? Were you out from the front at the start or did you start in a group?

00:45I started at the front and then a girl overtook me and then I wheeled her back in again and then

00:49I led from then. So that was probably three quarters of the way through the run I was

00:53probably in the head. Have you much experience in duathlons before or is that just a once a year

00:57thing? Just a once a year thing. Really? I'd like to get into more, there's just not that

01:00many around. I'm not a triathlete, I can't swim that well, so yeah. Would you say you're more of

01:06a cyclist or an uprunner? More of a runner for sure, more of a hill runner. Yes, I'm used to

01:10the sort of three four hour hill races, which gets you fit for this. So you must have enjoyed

01:15the 20 mile run more than the cycling or was that in part of it? I think the cycling is a bit

01:20different for me because I'm not used to it in that way it kind of has that, I don't know what's

01:24the word, it's just different appeals. The run is quite flat, it's too flat for me, I'm better at

01:29the sort of steep parts. So you're creating a bit of a legacy for yourself for the second year in

01:35a row. Is this an event you plan to keep coming back to every year? Hopefully, yeah, I'm staying

01:42in the area so it's good to do the local race isn't it? It's so well organised, it's a great event.

01:47So you're already planning for next year? Hopefully, yeah. I'm moving GP practice,

01:51get a viable GP team on the go. Well congratulations, fantastic.