PROLOGUE
Two to four hours’sleep, it’s the excitement of the last preparations. Everyone feels tense. Loading and sorting out of the vehicles ;
4.30: Breakfast time
5.30: Everything is ready. The team leave the hotel for the Miraflores lighthouse. In the meantime Serge has just woken up from a good night’s sleep.
6a.m: Day is dawning over Lima. Wet weather with fog, typical of this city.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 30th D-DAY
65km in 6 hours and four minutes.
7.12: Departure from Marina, Mirafores lighthouse, in a respectful silence.
Serge runs along the ocean for 1,6 Km before reaching the overpolluted city of Lima. Today being a bank holiday the traffic isn’t as bad , which gives us a bit of rest. Serge runs with his tee-shirt over his nose to avoid being asphyxiated by exhaust fumes. No problem for the first 15Km but when we get to the rough suburbs of Lima, Serge finds himself in the middle of a street fight between two gangs. Traumatized, he finds shelter behind the car. Stones fly from everywhere. No word could describe the atmosphere..
Lima is behind us now, we start climbing up towards Chosica, the road slopes gently.
The stage ends in a small village called Cupiche at an altitude of 1250m. We are surrounded by mountains and it’s very sunny now.
The atmosphere is rather tense , we must set up the camp for ten people and stick to Serge’s strict timing at the same time.It’s pandemonium but on the first day it’s quite understandable.
After yesterday’s sleepless night tiredness can be seen on our faces, we’re all in bed by 9.
