I’ll admit, I had no idea who Hans Troyer was when he was leading the Black Canyon 100km. The guy shot out like a rocket and I wondered if this would end in a breakout or a break down. While it wasn’t the victory he flirted with, he ended up 10th in a stacked field where course records were broken and Arizona snow that delayed the start by 2.5 hours. I DMed him pretty quickly after the race and he got back to me promising to answer these questions straight away. Two weeks later, I followed up because I hadn’t heard from him despite his enthusiasm…THE GUY WAS IN THE HOSPITAL FOR TWELVE DAYS POST RACE. Turns out sometimes when you shoot for the stars, the stars shoot back and you fall pretty hard. Hans is a name I think we will see a lot more from in the next few years. He feels like fresh talent, a new perspective (the guy has never heard of Barkley!) and ready to mix it up. Did I mention, he also won and broke the record at the Bandera 100km just a few weeks before Black Canyon? It’s only a matter of time before this guy is a big name, 2024 you’ve been warned.

Find Hans on Instagram, Strava, Ultrasignup, and Youtube

Who are you and what do you do?

My name is Hans Troyer, I’m currently in school to get my masters in kinesiology, and I run all the time.

Do any of your group chats have names? If so, what are you willing to share? How did they get that name? What is a major topic of discussion in them?

I’m in a group chat called the “Tasting Chads”. In this group we occasionally meet up and try some sort of new drink and we pretend to be fancy and critique the taste and what not. We take turns giving it a rating and describing how the drink makes us feel. We named it the tasting chads because we try to be as “Chad like” as possible while doing so.

If you could change one thing about your favorite social media platform, what would it be?

I wish that on instagram you could turn off the entertainment aspect and filter it so you only see the people you are following posts. Instagram is far too addicting and they know it!

What is a book of fiction that you really enjoyed, for no other reason than you liked it?

Little House on the Prairie

What is one song you’ve been listening to on repeat recently?

Birdcage by Holding Absence

What is one trend that started in 2020 that you love?

Online classes

What is one trend that started in 2020 that you hate?

Online classes

What are the last three emojis you used?

😂🫶🤷‍♂️

What is the last thing you bought online?

Advanced Nutrition Textbook

What is your most controversial food opinion?

Sugar is good for you, and protein is a bit overrated.

What three videos are at the top of your YouTube recommended homepage?

“Things are not looking good for Jakob Ingebrigsten”
“Chess.com Disc Golf Tournament Final Round B9”
“Journey to the Olympic Trials. Inside Tinman Elite”

Which Allie is your favorite?

Allie Ostrander 🤷‍♂️. Only Allie I can think of lol

What argument in mass media do you not understand or think is a worthless issue?

Oh man I feel like this is a thick question… I never did understand the colored dress thing from like 2015.

When you go home for the holidays, what is the food or tradition that it wouldn’t be the holidays without?

At Christmas you grab an ornament, look at somebody else and ask “Glass or Plastic?”. After they answer you toss it to them and they either let it drop or they catch dependant on their confidence if it was plastic or not. If they say plastic and it’s glass it just shatters, but if they guess plastic and they are right then they look cool.

When I say in-seam you say…?

5” is best for all in one shorts

When has your ego caused you to do something you sort of regret but also would describe as wild and worth it?

At Black Canyon I ran till my kidneys almost stopped working… 12 days in the hospital ALMOST made it feel like I pushed too hard that day.

What was your worst running fuel decision? What was the surprising best?

I’ve always been proud of my strong stomach and being able to eat anything before running, so one time I tested my luck with a big bowl of chili right before a run. That was my limit… My best decision was just using Pizza and Mountain Dew to run 50 miles in my parents backyard. Awesome day.

What is your death row meal?

Sushi and then Nerds Gummy Clusters and then Moose Tracks ice cream.

Out and back or looped course? Why?

Looped. I like the views and feeling like I’m discovering new ground all the time.

Barkley or 24H track race? Why?

I just looked up Barkley and I chose it. I like trails and adventure. If I’m looking at the right race then it looks like a blast.

When I say PTRA you say?

PTRA? 😅

What is one thing that absolutely scares you? Why?

Kidney Failure 😅. This is a new fear… some of you may know why.

What is a time you felt you didn’t measure up? How did you get through that?

My first 23 Victory Royales on Fortnite were on Fortnite mobile. When they deleted mobile I rarely ever won. I got through it by not playing until no build mode came out. I’m still not very good, but at least I have fun now.

Who is another runner that flies under the radar that we should all get to know?

Grace Troyer. She’s my wife. Kinda a savage. Be on the lookout.