J258 – 9/1/2006

4 days until arrival in Tokyo, September 5 at 14H00 (local time) at the parking lot of Prince Hotel.  
For more info, double click on the icon “Arrivée” on the welcome page of the website.

Brief: Serge is fine, even if he seems to be just as concentrated during the day (not talkative, eyes fixed on his shoes).  After the calm and serenity of the North, we find ourselves in the omnipresent urban environment as we approach Tokyo.  The rain has returned after a beautiful day and yesterday the thermometer had trouble climbing above 22° Celsius.  Serge advanced like a metronome and the kilometers covered and time spent on the road for these last three are about the same.
Now I hand over to our “guardian angels,” Christian and Joël, who crossed each other in Istanbul when there was a change of teams.  One is a runner, the other isn’t but on this crossing both were very good at listening to others and most particularly to Serge.  Thanks.

CHRISTIAN COGNOT (age 56) Participated between TIRANA and ISTANBUL

During this race, the pace was set by Serge.  Tasks were well defined from the beginning and as far I was concerned it meant taking care of the vehicles, as well as handling, alone or with someone else, feedings (every 4 km so 15 to 16 per day).  It sounds simple with no particular skills required.  However, this psudo contract has a few lines of very small print (which are never read) where you discover the true life during a race.
I’m thinking, for example, about the rigorous climate of the countries crossed at the beginning of February, where heavy snow and strong winds made it necessary for us to have 1 km stages to watch over Serge, and in some cases give him warm cloths and other care to help him in weather where you normally wouldn’t see a runner outdoors. I’m also thinking about particular vigilance to protect Serge from packs of wild dogs.
And I think about crossing large cities and how it was necessary to reconnoiter the route so that Serge wouldn’t have to go back to find his way.  There was anxiety among the followers who hadn’t always memorized the route.
It’s a fact that followers go ahead of Serge about 90% of the time and they are on the lookout for anything that will help him.  I think self sacrifice is one of the most important qualities and only the end result counts.  Of the countries crossed, all we saw was the road and most precisely the end of the road, which got closer all the time and which one day we knew would be indicated by a sign announcing the city of TOKYO.   

Nothing about Serge surprises me.  I have known him for a long time and I know that in spite of extreme conditions, climate, topography, etc., he will come to terms with them.  As far as his physical problems are concerned, he will manage his body by anticipation and adjust the rhythm of his race.  During his other races he has had problems but he was always able to start again. On the other hand, for a follower, it’s difficult to see him suffer and above all to understand Serge who says he is happy.

My modest part in this incredible challenge enabled me to realize how important logistics are.  The least error has immediate repercussions on the race.  A symbiosis is indispensable, unless it’s something even stronger which makes everything possible.  This means that Laure, the logistician, and Serge, the runner, are the real winners of this incredible challenge.

JOEL RICHARD (age 56 ) Participated between Istanbul – Teheran

The daily life of a follower:
The follower has to adapt to 3 parameters: Serge’s physical condition, the stage environment (a city or the countryside), the weather.
The follower, in all cases has to keep his eyes glued to Serge.  You never leave him, just as you never take your eye off milk when it’s on the stove.  At any time Serge can need his faithful companions.  That is the basic rule.  Then, the stage can seem like vacation if you are in the country and the weather is beautiful and, above all, if Serge is in good form.  The least grain of sand can stop the machine.  The follower has to want to please Serge by offering him as varied and balanced meals as possible (more than 4,000 feedings).