Trail du Tour du Canton - 82km

"Why was I here ?", was the first question I asked myself on Saturday morning when I got up at 4:15am. It was only the promise of obtaining 2 points for completing the trail around the Normandy countryside that would then allow me to enter the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB) and its 160km and 10000m of uphill that pushed me to participate. You might find this hard to fathom, and I have to admit the logic isn't clear to me either, that someone only enters a 82km trail to be able to compete in an even harder, even longer trail next year. Well, not only was I here, but I'd persuaded François to take part too whereas Laurence and Katia were running the 42km trail a little later in the day.

After an early breakfast, we hitched a ride with Fabrice (a guy we met the previous night at the hotel who was running too) and by 5:45am we were all ready, dressed in running tights, compression socks, a couple of warm layers and the headlamp ready for the briefing by the organisers. So there would be lots of mud, plenty of refreshment stops and the hardest parts were at the end - that was as much as I could take in at this time in the morning.

We walked down to the start from the gym and waited patiently for the off. They lit the red flares, played the loud music and we were off. It waas an impressive sight as the headlamps flickered down the streets in the red shadows cast by the flares.

François and I set off together, slowly working our way through the runners until we were in about 20th position and running at a steady 5'15/km pace. I'd hoped that we'd be able to manage 5'/km for most of the race but François was unsure of his capacity to maintain this, never having run further than a marathon before.

I was a little cold despite my 2 layers on top with a cold wind that was cutting through the fabric. My jacket was in my rucksack but I couldn't be bothered to stop and unpack it, besides which it was too big for the elements as I'd erred on the side of caution with a jacket adapted for heavy Normandy rain. The paths went through fields and we soon had an idea of the mud that we'd have to run through. Nevertheless, the first kilometres were also along plenty of tracks which were generally dry and fairly rapid. 1 hour already and the first 11 km were under our belts. A couple of kilometres later and we were at the first feeding station and I took the opportunity to eat and drink rapidly.

It was still dark for the next hour too and we ran another 11km at a steady pace. François was slowing slightly and I would wait every 4 or 5 km to let him catch up and to start again together. Despite trying to run alongside François and to let him set the pace, naturally I would drift a little ahead, building a gap of 300 - 400m in 20 - 30 minutes. This was not a problem since we didn't talk much with both of us focusing on the job in hand. The second feeding station was at 25km and day was jsut beginning to dawn when we arrived. We both enjoyed a nice soup here and some more food before setting off again. I could see that François was feeling more tired now and the pace was around 5'30 / km compared to the initial 5'15 we'd been averaging. I was still feeling very easy at this stage and wondering if I'd feel this good until the end. There were fewer road sections now and more fields and tracks through the woods. Would this have an impact?

A typical muddy field that we'd have to cross. The terrain was generally mostly flat in the first half of the race.








At 37km we entered Bolbec, the main town in the area, for the third feeding station and the roughly halfway point. We had organised a bag to be here with a change of clothes but neither François not I felt the need since it had not rained. We were joined by Fabrice, our driver, who asked if he could run with us so we set off again after some more soup as a little group with a couple of extra runners who'd also tagged on. I chatted easily to Fabrice about our experiences on the CCC and waited every now and then for François. It was just before the next feeding station at the 50km mark that disaster struck. I was crossing a muddy cornfield with the plants reduced to a cut down stump, forcing a higher stride when I felt a pain in my left achilles tendon. No doubt that I'd strained this again. However, it was when I left the field and ran along the road to encouragements of how it was tarmac until the feeding station that I realised just how bad it was. My achilles pulled incredibly and the agony was almost unbearable. I adjusted my stride to a shuffle, gritted my teeth and carried on to the next stop where I had some soup and waited for François. I told him about the pain and that I continue at my own pace in the best manner possible.

To make matters worse, the course began to get difficult from here on. there were virtually no roads until the end. We ran down paths that had been washed away and that looked like riverbeds that had dried up, twisting your ankles as you ran and sending pointed stones into your ankles as you scuffed them with your feet. I was tired with the pain and the distance and to add to my woes, I had problems with my eyes focusing on the track ahead. I was seeing double and my only solution was to close one eye as I ran. This was the low point of the course : cold, wet, in pain and unable to see properly, I seriously thought of abandonning now. I just wanted to get to the next feeding station to see how things would be, knowing that this was situated at 64km and there would only be 18km to go.

When I finally reached the feeding station, it was lovely and warm inside. I called François to see where he was and to encourage him with the news that the resting place wasn't far. He arrived a couple of minutes later and he looked as tired as I felt.We sent a couple of messages to the girls and after another cup of tea and some food, we headed back into the cold to finish the final legs. I ran with François all the time now and we felt good knowing that there was only one more feeding station before the final leg of 8kms back to Beuzeville. I encouraged François to try and overtake an older man we'd seen at the last feeding station who looked like he was a V2 (over 50). We caught up with the runner in front, only to find it was a young man (who was running like an 80 year old due to the tiredness!).Having overtaken this runner, we were soon able to see another runner 250m ahead. I didn't dare tell François that this was our guy, having made the mistake once already. I caught up with him and checked first. It was the V2 runner, so I waited again for François and urged him on. We didn't catch up with him for another kilometre and then we stopped and chatted together at the last feeding station. I felt better now, knowing that we'd made it as there was only another 7 - 8 kilometres before the finish.

François asked for a cup of tea and I couldn't believe it. Here we were next to the runner he wanted to beat and he asks for a cup of tea. The V2 leaves the feeding station and I hassle François to finish his tea and go. This last leg is the muddiest section yet. There are 2 deep ruts full of water and mud or the middle of the track which is deep mud. Hobson's choice: I chose the ruts - at least the water wasn't as slippery as the mud in the middle. We caught the V2 runner and I left François at this point, trying to accelerate to catch Laurence and Katia who I knew were ahead having run the 42km with the same last 8 kilometres to the race. The phone rang and it was Laurence asking where I was as she had just finished. I explained that I was about 5k from the end but didn't know exactly as my Garmin had died after 4 hours. I spent the next kilometres chasing down the competitors from the 42 km (and 1 from the 82k race) and overtaking them. I finished exhausted and waited for François who came in 10 minutes behind me. What a relief.

It was a good race with an excellent organisation but unfortunately my achilles wasn't up to it in my trail shoes. I finished 26 overall in 9h11 with François in 9h21 in 28th place (and just in front of the 4th V2!). The girls ran well finishing 2 and 3rd from scratch and 1 and 2nd in the V1 category. Laurence was thrilled.

The recovery went well from the race and I'm only nursing the achilles which I hope will improve in the next few days. Quiet now until the end of the year.

Conflans - 15km

The objectives were laid out. I knew the course and everybody turned up and then some. I managed 2 of my 4 objectives and am globally pleased with the end result.

I drove Nico to the race and he seemed to have fully recovered from his cold. He was obviously rested, not having run since Tuesday evening but what impact would the marathon have on his legs, his mental state, etc. We would soon find out.

Having looked at last year's results and even 2010, we figured that we had a fair chance with a team result too. Ilyes, Nico, myself then Gérald or François were all running and the first 4 counted for the team result. Gérald and François are both capable of running this distance under an hour which would normally put them in the top 30 places and leave us a chance of carrying off the trophy. Fred Poirier had turned up too and he was my main rival for the day and number 2 on my list of objectives.

It was a clod but sunny day. The temperature was somewhere around 5°C but there was little wind and it was actually quite pleasant in the sun. We went out for a quick warm-up with François and then lined up for the start. It only took a few minutes to get everybody in place and we knew that the standard of the race would be higher than in previous years.

The race started and there was a little pushing but I was soon able to sort myself out and get into my stride. I quickly noted where Fred, Nico and Ilyes were and then stuck to Fred as my main objective for the afternoon. The pace felt quick but since Fred has a habit of starting relatively conservatively, I had some doubts at the start as to whether I'd be able to stay with him. We'd have to wait and see. The course heads slightly downhill over the first kilometre but even so, when the Garmin beeped and showed 3:17, I thought I was a little too fast for the distance.

Nobody showed signs of easing and Fred overtook me here and gained a few metres but as soon as the road rose slightly uphill, he came back to me and we ran shoulder to shoulder. Nico had put some 25 metres on us already and was with a small group of 4 - 5 runners. I told myself that he was too strong to envisage making an effort to catch him and resigned myself to racing Fred instead.

As you can see from the course profile above we dropped down in the 3rd kilometre to the Seine, down a steep incline., In fact, this slope is so steep that you can't gain much time in terms of pace as you have to hold yourself back to stay in control. We went through kilometres 2 and 3 in 3:32 then 3:38. Along the flat stretch towards Conflans town centre now and the pace was steady at 3:33 and then in the 5th kilometre, we started the climb up towards the museum and the little park. The pace slowed here with a succession of 2 hills and Fred and I were still taking in turns to take the lead and apply the pressure on each other. Nico was a good 200m in front now and I figured that, bar a major mishap, I would not be able to catch him before the end.

We dropped back down to the river and I settled on finding a good pace to maintain for the next 6 kilometres. This pace was about 3:42 /km and I admit that I was a little disappointed that I wasn't going any faster. Last week, I'd been running at around 3:38 pace and I figured that I should be going faster. It was still cat and mouse with Fred along the Seine. He would surge ahead and then fall back as I ran steadily. He would come back at me and take the lead again - it was non-stop. At the same time that I was racing Fred, I noticed that Nico's group of runners was getting closer and the gap was narrowing. Not sufficient to give me hop of catching him, but narrowing nonetheless.

We turned back up the Sente des Laveuses, the steep 16% incline that leads back up to the plateau and the finish. Nico was just ahead, but as I began to climb the gap grew again and when we left the slope, the distance between us was back at around 100 - 120m. Fred took off again and I focused on following him, digging in deep to my reserves. I looked up and Nico was coming back rapidly, so rapidly that I was convinced that we would catch him. We went past the 13km marker and I told myself that I wanted this and I should have no regrets so I had to push now. I dropped Fred at this point and focused on Nico and another runner ahead. Unfortunately, Nico had caught back the other runner and although the gap was closing slightly, I wouldn't have enough distance to catch them both. 14 km and the stadium came into sight. I knew that there was 400m to do on the track inside the stadium and I tried to get within striking distance but it just wouldn't be. I was at 3:33 pace now to finish and I had 2 of my objectives in hand: a sub 56' race and beating Fred. Beating Nico and getting a podium would just have to wait another year.

Gérald finished just ahead of François in 1:01:XX and with a good race from Ilyes in 54:11, we picked up second team prize behind Conflans. This was always going to be tough and without Momo or Mustapha, it wasn't possible. I ended in 21 place in 55:39, 11 seconds behind Nico. 8th vet though with the first 3 going under 54' this year. The standard of the race was far beyond previous years wher my performance would have put me in the top ten and on the podium. Tough !

A great race and I was pleased with myself for having tried hard and having given everything. This must have been visible on my face because in the changing rooms afterwards, a guy came up to me and asked if I was a V3 runner (over 60!!!!). Cheers !