D264 – 7.3Km
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7
7.3 km in 53 minutes
Here is Serge’s final word:
“After the first two weeks, Laure thought I was stronger and happier than I was on the other crossings and she was right. I felt I had inner strength, I felt comfortable. I was ready to spend long hours on the road. I knew I would need patience and I was ready to be patient. In China, my falls, the bees and the heat upset my balance. I was afraid I wouldn’t maintain my average and it destabilized me. Now, I’m going to run every day, light jogging, and think about the film, about the book and about another project. There is no place for the blues!
I won’t ever be able to thank you enough for your support, which came via your messages. Thanks to my partners, who believed in me, and thanks to my teammates and friends on the road, who took such good care of me.”
Here are the answers to the questions you have asked:
Questions from Jean-Marie, who wrote almost every day. It was a fine exchange of correspondence:
What will your training program be when you return to France, to keep from feeling withdrawal symptoms, a void?
I will run as many kilometers as possible every day. I’m not ready to take a break.
Will you have a check up? Do you have serious health problems?
No, I won’t have a check up. The only problem I have is with my tendon and it’s beginning to clear up. I will have to go to the dentist.
How long do you think it will take to get back to your weight of last December?
Three weeks to a month.
What do you say when someone asks your profession?
I don’t think I have a profession, or at least not one that is in a socio-professional group.
New questions which don’t have to do with food or other practical details which were often explained in the logs over the months. Thanks for this exchange which is divided into three parts.
1-Pre-race questions:
Where did you get the idea for this challenge?
I caught the transcontinental virus when I read “La Grande Course De Flanagan.”
Did you, at any time during your feat, doubt that you would succeed?
No, I though I might not make the time, but I never doubted that I would reach Tokyo. I had super teams that were motivated, and that helps.
What was your preparation before departure and how did you manage to stay in condition during the Trans-Eurasia?
My preparation started 4 month before departure. I ran 70 km every 2 days.
I would like to know how it all began. How did you find sponsors and did you know them beforehand?
It’s a long story that could cover many pages. Luck doesn’t just happen, you have to help it happen. You must not take anything for granted, it’s a question of tenacity and perseverance.
How do you reconcile a job to racing?
When the will to run is stronger than anything, you can reconcile it to a job. I have been through that. Now, my job is to run and communicate about the race. The two go well together. The most difficult thing is to find a balance between your job, your private life and your sport.
Did Serge have any particular psychological preparation before starting this challenge? No.
2- Questions about the race:
During the Trans-Eurasia did you ever have a feeling you wanted to abandon the race? No.
How did you organize each stage? Did you have to get permits? I would like to know about your organization, the infrastructure.
Laure took care of everything, all I had to do was run.
What was the morning start up like? What is your normal running rhythm: short strides? Alternating running and walking? Stretching and massages upon arrival?
In the morning, 10 minutes of walking, then alternating running-walking for 1 or 2 hours and then running or again running-walking, depending on the amount of pain I have.
At the beginning, we were told the distance would be 19,300 km. It’s a detail, but why did you stop before reaching it? Was it fatigue or caution that made you stop as soon as you reached 19,000 km?
Please see log on D241. Thanks.
Why did Serge decide to make this challenge of crossing five continents at 2 year intervals?
Two years gives me the time to have a year of lecturers between each crossing and to prepare the next race.
Is there any chance that Mizuno will be selling shoes like Serge’s?
They aren’t for sale in our country. I suggest you ask in specialized shops if they will be sold in France.
When someone runs with you, are you able to talk while you run or is there big silence?
I prefer big silence. It’s rare for someone to run with me and if it happens I like to stay in my bubble.
Why do you run in the same direction as the vehicles? Normally, pedestrians should walk on the left side so they can see possible danger. You have done differently. Can you tell me why? (This question has already been discussed in one or two logs but we were often asked.)
I adhere to the rules of the country. For example, in Japan I was asked to run in the same direction as the vehicles. Normally, I run facing traffic and then I adjust to the amount of space on the roadside, the type of surface, etc.
Did you read the logs which were published on the website?
No, not during the race. But soon I will take time to read them.
When I talked to people about the incredible adventure that will soon come to an end — an average of 73 km for almost 9 months, someone said: “9 months, it’s like a pregnancy.” When you will return to normal life, aren’t you afraid of “baby blues” (a postnatal depression)?
No, because 9 months is the gestation period and after that a new life begins and that new life becomes a new project.
3- Post-race questions and general questions Tell me, do you sometimes run official marathons? What is your normal time? Do you always use NOK cream? I rarely run official marathons: Paris in 2003, 3H04′ I always use NOK cream, even during training.
When you have lived such an achievement, aren’t you sort of sad, isn’t there a big void?
I have learned that at the end of each crossing, when I see the banner at the finish line, I know that on the reverse side you can read “today another project is starting” so my sadness lasts only the time it takes me to look back.
What program do you have to recuperate physically and psychologically from your extraordinary adventure?
I will continue running, and keep a psychological balance, even if I still suffer some pain.
Are there other schools who have followed you as we have?
Yes, I have some classes who have followed: primary and secondary schools. I love questions from children and it’s great when they begin to love geography because they have followed my trail.
Will you run the morning after? Yes
We would like to know if you feel your achievement is athletic, mental, psychological, atonement for something, vital?
It’s a whole. I don’t call this race an achievement, it’s a slice of life.
How much time do you need to recuperate? If to recuperate means to stop running then I’m not ready to recuperate