What's left? Cocodona 250 with Szilvia Lubics

Szilvia Lubics is an ultra running legend from Hungary. She competed in dozens of ultras in the past 18 years, from Europe to Asia and North America. On trails. On pavement. On the track. On tarmac.

Few weeks ago she was one of the very few Europeans who competed at Cocodona 250: her latest adventure. Juggling between a full-time job as a dentist and a family, she was able to finish one of the toughest races in 4d18h26m, placing 3rd in her category (W50) and 191st overall.

We were able to intercept her after she came back home in Hungary to talk about her experience in the Arizona desert and what brought her there.

You have been in the sport of ultra running for almost 20 years, competing internationally and outside of Europe. How did you see the sport changing from your perspective?

I originally started running ultras on asphalt. After 7 Spartathlon, Badwater 135, Milano-Sanremo, and countless 24-hour races, I no longer felt motivated for those types of events. I turned my focus to multi-day desert races and then to 200-mile distances. For me, understanding these kinds of races is becoming increasingly important. I get to run in amazing places, and every race offers some unique challenge in terms of preparation as well. This is my main motivation now. The field in these races is very young and fast, so I no longer think in terms of placements, but I can still push my own limits.

Image: Miklós Jakabházy

You have been competing in the US often during the past years, with outstanding results. What inspired you to travel that far and compete?

My first American trail race was the Bigfoot 200, which I ended up running almost by accident. That year, I had been preparing for the UltraGobi 400, but two weeks before the start, the organizers decided that foreign runners would not be allowed to participate. Together with two Czech runner friends, we reached out to Candice to ask if we could join the Bigfoot, which happened to start on almost the same day the UltraGobi was supposed to. She said yes, and that’s how I ran my first American 200-miler — an experience that completely drew me in.

What brought you to sign up for Cocodona 250?

I've been following the Cocodona 250 for years. The course is beautiful and tough. After completing the Moab 240 and the Tahoe 200, the time had come for me to sign up for the Cocodona 250.

How did you train in preparation for Cocodona 250 balancing your work and personal life?

I prepared a lot for the Cocodona 250. There are no mountains where I live, so whenever I could, I traveled to places where I could get in more elevation. This wasn’t easy, as I work as a dentist and have three adult sons who are mostly home on weekends — I didn’t like to be away when they came home. I got a treadmill that could be set to a 20% incline, and I did a lot of strength training as well. The six months leading up to the race were tough.

Image: Miklós Jakabházy

How would you describe your race?

I was quite nervous about the first 50 kilometers, but maybe thanks to the cooler weather, it went smoothly, and I really enjoyed it. I may have started a bit too fast, which led to serious stomach issues during the first night. That really slowed me down during the night and into the early part of the second day. Whenever it was allowed, I had a pacer — my husband and a couple of friends ran with me, and it was a joy to share the trail with each of them. I loved how diverse the course was. I couldn’t even say which section was my favorite — I loved them all. The organization was incredibly professional. That really amazed me: everything was clean, aid stations were perfectly run, the sleep stations were calm, and the volunteers were thoughtful and attentive. I had a detailed plan, and we were able to stick to it almost perfectly.

How does the event compare to other events in the US like Moab240 and in Europe like Spartathlon?

It’s hard to compare these races. You can’t really compare them to the Spartathlon, as that’s a 'fast' road course. Here, the challenge lies in the multi-day effort and sleep deprivation, not to mention the terrain — which this year was made even harder by the mud. What stood out the most to me was the organization. At the Cocodona 250, it was truly outstanding.