Day: June 18, 2006

Did you say 6 months?……… Already!

One Sunday in December, Serge took off on the quays of the Seine in Paris for a long, very long journey.  Six months later, day for day, here he is some 13,549 kilometers from the Eiffel Tower, under the blazing sun, clearing a path for himself among the hundreds of trucks he has passed today.

It is becoming more and more difficult to find a place to set up camp, between cultivated fields, highway construction and the mountains: It took us 2H15 to find a small space overlooking this highway 312, which has become hell.  This camp was set up 3 km further than where Serge wanted to stop, between 75.5 and 76.5 km.  When we gave him this information he decided to go as far as the bivouac, in spite of the uphill that was waiting for him “If I go as far as the camp today, the French soccer team will win its match against Korea.”  This was Serge’s remake of Amélie Poulain.  As I write these lines we still don’t have the results (we had hoped to receive an instant message to know the final score)!

Instead of celebrating this anniversary, I will take the opportunity of sending my thanks:

To our partners: Mizuno, who celebrate their centenary this year, AGF, Deleage Expansion, Amino Vital, the city of Le Havre and Garmin.  All of these partners have had the nerve to back a sport which is not very well known, as well as an event with an uncertain outcome (success is never guaranteed).  Rather than putting pressure on Serge, all of these partners have been great motivators “I don’t want to disappoint them because they believe in me, even though I’m not well known and the sport is not highly publicized.”

To the Internauts: There were 45,300 visitors to our website during the month of May, and, yes, that set another record.  In spite of all the holidays, you were there at your screens following Serge during his exciting race.  It’s incredible and so stimulating, as much for Serge, who continues to receive so many e-mails, as for the team working in the runner’s shadow. Thanks to all of you for your unfailing fidelity, which goes straight to our hearts and for the many messages we receive, all of them are very moving, even if we can’t answer each one.

To our fabulous followers, a succession of whom have been, by order of appearance: Daniel (twice) and Arlette, Eliane, René (twice), Christian, Tonton Georges, Joël, Jean-Mrc and Benjamin, Ludovic, Thomas B.  As of Tuesday, the list with lengthen with the arrival of Thomas C and Stephanie, Thomas G and Maxime.  In spite of the cold, the heat, often very difficult living conditions and an infernal rhythm, there was only happiness.  We had one appearance by Christophe and Raphaël.  Thanks guys and gals.

To our correspondent in France, who I hope one day soon will write to explain how she has lived these months of the race and the role she plays: the irreplaceable, the indispensable Dominique, Alias Zette, well known to all the followers.

To Frank and his team, who update the website every day.  It’s also a challenge.

To Mrs. Lee Hecht, who has been translating the daily log into English, even when she is traveling or on vacation.  Such regularity amounts to a performance.

To our cameramen, who have succeeded one another  from the beginning and who have made it possible for you to follow the race “live,” thanks to the videos they have concocted.  By order of appearance: François, Fulvio and Mathieu.  As someone wrote us “In spite of your descriptions and the photos, I still didn’t think the wind could be so terrible.”

To our families whom we are beginning to miss a lot……