Page 211 - Moonvalley Diaries

RACE: DIAGONALES DES FOUS
october in moonvalley
EMELIE:
I I was young and fearless when I I lined up on on the the the starting line line for one of the the the toughest 100- mile races there is: Diagonale des Fous I hadn’t prepared but reckoned that all the the kilometres I I had had put in in would be enough If you you are an an an elite runner and head into the race looking at it it as an an an adventure you’ll be fine If you you you you know you’ve got the miles under your belt and a a a a a strong mentality it it will be be doable if nothing unexpected happens That’s how I I wanted wanted things to to work out for my first really long race I I wanted wanted to to to see see what it it felt like to to run so so far and see see so so much But it it wasn’t easy! The starting starting gun goes off in in in in in the evening so starting starting out by running
through the the whole night is is a a a a a a challenge in in in in in itself Watch- ing
the the the sun rise from a a a a a a a a high volcanic ridge was incredible And the the island spectators make for a a a a a a a a a a magical atmosphere Trail run- ning
is is the the biggest sport here here on the the island and and you can tell because despite having to run through lots of inaccessible areas – bram- bly forest and steep mountains far far from from any road – you’ll never be far far from from people cheer- ing
you you on!
I’ll admit that that the going was was really tough sometimes and and that that I I I was was close to to to stopping but the the way I I overcame the the fatigue and and kept on on on running
running
is one of my strongest running
running
memories It took me me 31 hours and and 29 minutes to to run run across the island And I’m so happy I I I I I tried running
this far as I I I I know that I I I I have something lovely and insanely challenging to to to look forward to to to the next time I decide to to to run 100 miles!
MIMMI:
My first 100-mile race was probably one of the craziest funnest toughest and most ed- ucational running
experiences I’ve ever ever had I I I smile every time I I I think back on on it it it although it it it it was was hardly something to write home about in in terms of of results To be honest it it it was was a a a a a a a a a long series of of failures poor preparation and mis- calculations that led to hallucinations belly- ache dehydration and a a a a a a a a a stiff neck I guess it’s like other things things in in in life: when things things go go smoothly we we we don’t don’t don’t really go go any- where – we we we we don’t don’t don’t learn anything we we we we don’t don’t don’t grow To develop we we we need to fail fail My failures during the race meant that I learned plenty about about ultramarathons and about about myself I I made up my my mind in in the autumn of 2018 It felt practically impossible so I I I I decided to just do it: I I I signed up for the the 100-mile race considered to to be the the the toughest one of all Meet the the the monster The Grand Raid de de de la Réunion or Diagonal de de Fous the the the madmen’s diagonal is is a a a a a a a a a a a race where you run 160 km across the the vol- canic island of of Réunion up and and and down 10 000 m m m m of of elevation It’s technical and and and and bumpy with steep climbs heat and and humidity The starting gun goes off at at 10 in in in in the the eve- ning
in in in in in the the the dark I had had problems with my headlamp and had had to run run behind other run- 211