Sports
Manuela Vilaseca: From Trail Origins to 200-Mile Podiums
A trail pioneer reflects on ultramarathon evolution, life in Europe, and her historic 3rd-place finish at Tor des Géants.
In a conversation with Sidney Togumi on Stemma Na Trilha, Manuela Vilaseca revisits her decade-long career in international trail running. The athlete shares her journey from classic races to 200-mile ultras and the behind-the-scenes reality of her greatest achievements.
With over a decade dedicated to mountain endurance, Manuela Vilaseca has built a career intertwined with the modern history of Brazilian trail running. In a conversation with Sidney Togumi on Stemma Na Trilha, the athlete looked back on everything from her start in adventure racing to triumphing in extreme 200-mile ultramarathons, offering insights into the behind-the-scenes reality, physical demands, and high-performance lifestyle.
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Manuela Vilaseca's journey and beginnings in trail running
With a degree in industrial design, Manuela started in multisport through adventure racing, triathlons, and mountain biking. Her definitive transition to trail running came in 2011, when she decided to join her brother at the La Misión ultramarathon in Argentine Patagonia. Winning in her debut race earned her a first major sponsorship with The North Face, paving the way for her rise on the competitive circuit.
The evolution of trail running over the past 15 years
Comparing her early days to today's landscape, Manu highlights the rapid professionalization of the sport as a major turning point. Advances in sports nutrition, customized hydration, and footwear technology have turned 100-mile races into high-speed showdowns decided by the fine details at every aid station, replacing the rustic, self-supported style of the past with near-surgical transitions.
Adapting to Europe, international results, and visibility in Brazil
After moving to Catalonia, Spain, the runner navigated a long personal and athletic adaptation. Manu earned two top-10 finishes at the legendary UTMB, podiums at grueling events like the TDS, Transgrancanaria, and Marathon des Sables, along with record-setting performances across the 200-Mile Triple Crown. In the episode, she reflects on the geographical distance and how pioneering Brazilian achievements in the sport are often overlooked at home.
Behind the scenes of professional sports and mountain culture
Manu speaks candidly about the financial realities and physical toll of ultramarathons, emphasizing that running extreme distances is not inherently healthy. She addresses the psychological pressure to deliver elite results and points out the stark cultural contrast between Europe—where hiking and mountain huts are woven into family life—and urban Brazil.
The 200-mile comeback and a podium finish at Tor des Géants
The interview's defining highlight explores her athletic resurgence in races exceeding 300 kilometers. Overcoming exercise-induced asthma at altitude that had previously forced DNFs, Manu executed a relentless strategy at Tor des Géants: sleeping just one hour across 82h31m of racing to capture a historic 3rd-place overall women's finish, clocking one of the fastest times ever recorded in the Italian race.
Future goals, sponsorships, and an unusual race encounter
Looking ahead, Manu plans her return to the iconic Cocodona ultramarathon in the United States and celebrates partnerships with brands like Mount to Coast and Tailwind. To wrap up the conversation, she shared a lighthearted story from her career, recounting the day she was headbutted by an ox during a cycling leg of a race—and still crossed the finish line.
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