Everything you need to know about the first stage : click here
2009-09-30
Serge and the younger generation
Youth will be the keynote of this footrace.  Already we have been contacted by a number of teachers who would like their students to follow the race on a regular basis during the coming school year.   We are also privileged partners in the Seine Maritime Department of two groupings of municipalities: the districts of Goderville and Le Havre. Because of this, the students of middle school classes 1 & 2 will be able to see Serge when he comes through, run and talk with him and follow him on his Internet site. When he returns they will meet with him and be able to ask all the questions that have come up during the 12 months of the race and their discovery of the European Union.
Last Tuesday we spent a half day with two classes in the Jean Renoir secondary school in Bourges (photo attached). In May, quite by accident, we met the school’s principal, Mr. Alain Payen. Since then we have been working on the idea of making the race an educational tool. On Tuesday after meeting the children, running with them and explaining what this adventure is about, we met the group of teachers in charge of the project as well as the children’s parents: the project was launched. Most probably these 53 students will be able to meet us in Poland. On top of this trip, the students will be able to interact daily with Serge and the teachers will be able to use this interactive tool to work on their subjects. This is especially pertinent because the European Union is part of this year’s program for the class. It’s a project for which enthusiasm promises to grow with each kilometer run.
Mil Kil : Arpajon sur Cère - La Capelle Viaur August 23
Another short night. Only 3 hours of rest. As
soon as his feet are on the ground, Serge has in mind the ideal scenario for
the day. Will he succeed? Â His whole body
hurts. This morning he is so stiff he asks Laure to apply anti chaffing cream
to his feet and put on his socks. The night was short but reparative as we can
see by his rhythm and speed. He switches between running and walking, the
running phase is greater than the walking phase regardless of the relief. This
was not the case a few days ago. What has doped him like this? I know it’s most
certainly Laure's arrival. We are going to beg her to stay until we reach Sète.
As for the scenery, the days are similar and
they are all wonderful. After the Creuse, the Cantal, here we are in the
depatment of l'Aveyron. When we left this morning it was cool. Serge was right
to take advantage of it because as the hours pass the sun is not giving us a
break. Running in such heat stresses the body and every move is a struggle. At
this stage of the race, reserves are pretty well used up. The heat is hottest
at 2:00 p.m.: 35°C in the shade. We increase feedings; every 2.5 km we are
there with water. At 3:00 p.m. Laure leaves us to return to Normandy. It's a
shame because 3 people and 2 vehicles made for more comfort and less stress.
At 5:00 p.m. Serge is near collapse from the
heat. It's impossible for him to go on. We stop and sleep 2 hours in the shade
along the Lot River. How wonderful to have some rest and coolness. We leave
again at 7:00 pm after our meal. It's still hot but we can feel the temperature
going down, which helps matters.
At the beginning of the evening Serge feels
good and he is making steady progress. At 11:40 p.m. He clocks 800 km in the
city of Rodez. We finish the stage at km 814 at Capelle Viaur, just before
starting the most difficult descent. There will be another 95.5 km stage. At
2:15 a.m. We hurry to bed to sleep and rest quickly. Even in an ultra you do
everything in a minimum of time because it's a race against distance and time.
Joël
10 withdrawals out of 19 participants Interim results: Serge is 4th
at 3:15 p.m., Gilbert Codet 3rd, ahead by 19 km Alexandre Forestiere is still 1st
and Christian Efflam 2nd. (position of the runners: site
www.yanoo.net)
The small error at the end of the stage yesterday upset Serge. In a foot race an error of 3 km is psychologically enormous. Serge was completely closed within himself.As to the race, the temperature is ideal, not too hot, no wind, the scenery is sumptuous. Feedings at the edge of a lake remind us of vacations. The only shadow in the picture is the geography. There is a 440 meters ascent over 50 km. This type of relief at this stage of the race is very bad on the legs and breaks the pace. At 12:30 lunch break – the 40 km objective per half day is met. After eating the traditional plate lunch, he takes a 25 minute nap before starting again? The afternoon goes without a hitch, the pace is maintained, Serge’s concentration is good, and he’s in his race. He gets tired around 7:00 p.m. It seems natural to stop to eat while he not in top form. Panic, nothing is ready but the team has more than one surprise up its sleeve and in 10 minutes everyone sits down to eat. Serge takes the time to eat and to rest for half an hour before running the last 30 km. At this point we need to fill up our water tank. At Meymac I look everywhere but can’t find a fountain. I pass a woman and ask her where I can get water. She says “at my place, 500 m from here. Here are my keys, go into the garage, help yourself and bring me back the keys;” What trust!! 600 km are clocked at 9:32 p.m. We drive on into the night until 1:30 a.m. to set up camp in Neuvic, after clocking 102 km for the day.
This was a day when we didn’t enjoy the sweetness of Anjou and it was not because of a late start. As usual, Serge took off at 6:20 a.m. He left the camp we had improvised due to the late hour at which we stopped yesterday. Stride upon stride, tirelessly Serge goes on.
At the beginning of the stage the terrain is hilly and very green, which helps us to forget somewhat the fatigue that is settling in. At 12:30 p.m. I get a green light to prepare our meal; the first 40 km have been run. We lunch in the shade of a small grove. Serge decides not to take advantage of the relative coolness and have a break. He takes care of a small blister on a toe and starts off in the midday heat. We give him something to drink every 3 km and he soakes his hat and and bandana to help prevent dehydration and heat stroke. The heat is suffocating, progression slow but steady and Serge goes on.....
The last chapter is always the same, Serge finds his form. The weather is good, the temperature is lower, he can’t enjoy the scenery but in the calm of the evening, the sound of crickets and other night noises delights us all.
We end the stage in a place called “le Varrat” at km 432.7. Once again Serge has run 102.5km.
Joël
2009-08-20
Mil Kil : St Georges sur Loire - Mont sur Guesnes - August 18
It is chilly at 7:30 a.m. as the runners gather at the
starting point.Eyes are still full of
sleep before the start and cameras flash as the runners exchange words of
encouragement.Signs of tension are
visible on the faces of the runners and their followers as well.
8:00 a.m. the
race begins at the foot of the ramparts. All the runners take off with relief. Serge’s start is calm and careful. The first 6 kilometers are to be run in a pack until the outskirts of
the town are reached.There is a lot of
conversation - the race has begun.
Sumptuous Mont Saint Michel is already visible in the
distance.Serge is at ease in the polder
and he’s enjoying the scenery.At 1:00
p.m. the first marathon of the day has been run, it’s time to stop for
lunch.No time is wasted because the
afternoon will be hectic at the approach to Mont Saint Michel, which is crowded
at the holiday weekend.
We will spend the night at a parking lot in Tallis (Km
125 of the Road Book) in the company of two other vehicles from the race.Serge reaches the camper at 1:40 a.m.The rest of the night will be spent in well
earned rest until 6:00 a.m. tomorrow.
Joël Richard
The position of all the participants can be seen on
www.yanoo.net - updated daily.
Serge was calm, relaxed and attentive to everything being said. After this meeting, we went to the hotel to finalize our action plan for the coming days. Tomorrow  will be intense, because we will pass by the Mont Saint Michel on the August 15th weekend. On this first day we will be able to fine-tune our feeding schedule and see how we will divide the day between breaks, meals and race. Serge's objective: Run 100 km every day, keeping in mind that this is training for the Around Europe Footrace which will begin in 2 months. He can't risk an injury here.
This evening in spite of a truly magnificent sunset and advice from friends to walk around the ramparts of Saint Malo, we did not linger. We need a good night's sleep before the start of this adventure because we all know that for the next ten days we will not sleep much in our camper, which we won't leave until we reach Sète.
Tomorrow, Sunday, we are to meet at 7:30 AM at the starting line for a departure at 8:00 AM.