“We’re back now baby!” Hayden Hawks on battling back from serious injury

Hayden Hawks showed with his CCC victory this year just what an emotional rollercoaster it can be dealing with an injury.

The American underwent knee surgery last year and the joy at being able to run at the top level again was evident in his first race back after that when he produced a record-breaking display in the Black Canyon 100K.

And he’s gone from strength to strength since then too – getting on the podium at Western States after an incredible sprint finish, winning the 50k at the KAT100 by UTMB Marathon Trail and now CCC.

‘It’s rough going through stuff like that’

But all the behind-the-scenes work that went into getting into that sort of shape was obvious when he reflected on CCC, which he paced perfectly to win in 10:20:11, four minutes and 20 seconds faster than his previous victory there in 2017.

He was followed seven minutes later by Slovakian Peter Fraňo and American Adam Peterman, who rounded out the podium in 10:28:50.

Still emotional, Hawks said: “I’m very happy to share this podium with Peter, as we have had many great battles over the past few years.

“I can’t say enough about Adam. Me and Adam were both injured last year, like severely injured. And we were texting back and forth, helping each other get through the injury.

“It was tough but Adam helped me a lot and I can’t thank him enough and I’m really grateful for his friendship because it’s rough going through stuff like that – but we’re back now baby!”

Poles apart

Hawks was also in a minority in the race with his decision not to use poles, but to him it was an obvious call.

He explained: “It worked in 2017 without them and then I came back in 2022 and tried poles and it didn’t work. So I was like I might as well go back to what worked. I feel like climbing is a big strength of mine – and being able to run them – so why not utilise that.

“I felt pretty good in this race. I got to Vallorcine and I had legs, I felt really strong and I knew that was a really good sign.

“I felt really, really strong on the climbs especially. Things were clicking, the nutrition was on point and I felt like I finished really, really strong. I couldn’t ask for anything more.”