54.8 km – 6H25 – 130 heartbeats/min
Departure 11:00 AM
This can hardly be called a daily log; it’s just a few words to tell you that the adventure has begun.
The start was fast, very fast on the track of the Charléty stadium where at least a hundred people ran the three laps with Serge before taking the “marathon” exit toward Boulevard Kellermann. There were at least as many people in the grandstands to hail the athletes. The runners were of all ages: students from the Jean Renoir school who came from Bourges and were coached by their principal and vice principal; runners of the CCPB from Beuzeville la Grenier and so many other people: Jacky manning the microphone, Serge’s parents, his brother and sister, my mother, my sister, my younger brother and my nephews. Only my elder brother was missing, having left us way too soon two years ago. To him I dedicate this day! He, the magician who at the start of the Paris- Tokyo pulled out of his raincoat a bottle of Champagne and four glasses.
After passing by Place de la Concorde, Place du Trocadéro, the main offices of the CJD and the UFF, two of our three partners on this race, some 30 runners reached the 11th km at the Porte Maillot, then the kilometres flew by and they had to accelerate to reach Pontoise on time. The group spread out, some stopped and some were relayed. At the 25th kilometre, at Maisons Laffitte the pace did not flag and the
The arrival was made lively by the presence of children, young people and the not so young, athletes and handicapped athletes in wheel chairs who went around the track of the stadium 4 times with Serge. Also there were Eric, Gauthier, Bruno and Joël, who ran the entire stage from Paris – Well done guys!
Thanks go to all the actors of this fine day : Michel, Amaury and Jérome on his bike, the UFF team who followed the whole race by bus with the relay runners and everyone who ran, even if it was no more than the 400 meters at the Charléty Stadium track
This is a challenge we will be sharing with you every day.
« Forest Gump » is back !
Thanks go to Thomas Bregardis for the 3 pictures of the start
Town : Pontoise