Saturday, September 15th / Day 17
NEW RECORD : 86236.8 ft variation in altitude 1 185 km in 16 days
miles/day : 46,6 miles
total : 783.1 miles
This morning, start at 7 o’clock. We had a lie-in. The sky is overcast. The temperature is fresh. Serge is tired, CUSCO is an important stage in the race because it means the end of the roller-coaster. The Altiplano opens his doors. For three days, Serge has been running under hot weather from 10 am till the end of the stage. “I feel I’m getting old, I need to recover”. Does he realize how much he had to give physically? He must find motivation because Rio is still far away.
Anecdote : Saturnin, Serge’s mascot, a little yellow duck plastic found in the USA in 1997, occupies the place of honour on the dashboard and look at the road as usual during the great crossing. Yesterday, a policeman, at the time of a handshake with Serge, told him he was a real CHASQUI : the “CHASQUI” were messengers who crossed the mountains to deliver mail. They travelled for miles and miles everyday.
First it was Serge “the fox”, then Serge “the crazy French runner”, and now it’s Serge “the CHASQUI”.
