Néandertrail 2010 - Olivier Woillot

30 June 2010

Written by Olivier Woillot

Lu 736 fois

Half a race to see who has me twice ..
A CR cooler than this, you will not find! Not that I was cold, but just five hours of reflection ... er .. shower and some sleep finally, between the arrival and writing .. And I said, it is the CR that is fresh, not me!

So, a half race, why? Because yesterday, I took the start of Neandertrail, which is half a ladle of the Cro-Magnon (won by Antoine Guillon crossing in 11 hours or so, for 117 km and 5700 D +). Like a lot of running which is connected to a larger, it suffers from a reputation COURSET. And I was the first to believe it ... The land I quickly set foot on earth, and it falls well for the Trail.

Come with me into the bus that takes me to start at Camp Silver. No, get off the bus, in truth, it just happened. It is 14 pm and departure is at 16 pm
To occupy ourselves by then applause of the runners passing the Cro supply, removal of patches, and hide and seek with the big black clouds that occasionally we come pouring their wrath on the head liquid.

The start is initiated, and the 88 riders took the opportunity to escape from the bitumen and plunge into the forest. Is it to hide from the observing eye of the clouds, anyway, it works for now, it stopped raining and we resumed a rain shower than a quarter of an hour a little further.
Go for a yoyo 13 terminals globally ascending. I'll worry at the start, and everything seems to walk uphill. I find it difficult to enter the race. The heat and humidity due to rain make the air heavy. But I advance .. last a little while anyway. I enjoy the beautiful alpine landscape that surrounds us, but refocuses me on my journey when I put my foot beside the road and missing from the slope, grassy course, but steep to such a point that I did the same not seen Dahut!
Then comes the moment of truth, one that will blow the thighs, knees and start mashing the most seasoned mental: The descent to Sospel. 11 km, and D-1500. First right into the slope, then joined a small trace unlikely, finally ending in a beautiful trail .. But Boudiou it down .. And the descent, I like it .. then I'm happy. 1:25 to almost fully in the balloons down, I let cool legs 2 times a hundred meters before moving up again. And I pick up the world, from the depths of the pack, I go back in mid-table in pointing sospel (Km 22.5). I'm broke as a kid, unfortunately, I know a little later, exploded figuratively, as in the literal sense ..
I leave the ravitto smile glued to his lips, through Sospel, and find myself at the feet of what I believe to be my biggest boat as I have ever met. The path takes 500 a D + in 2 km and it will take me one hour to do. I exploded and thighs a bit more juice.
A bunch of riders that I passed on the way down catch me almost as if it does not come up ... I'm all into the abyss, I know that another little bit of ass 200 D + m waiting for me far, but I do not know if the other big climb before or after the next ... ravitto to 10 km away. I'm wondering if I do not turn around now, before tackling the descent, to give back (yes, there is not a personal finish line, but a good true wholesale abandonment). Finally, I continue, and once attacked the descent, I feel I have no choice to turn back. The coup de son saving a buddy who is a volunteer reassures me, the second big climb after the next ravitto Col des benches. Changes in land melts softer, but I'm still burnt. I have thrilling off again sharply as soon as I push a little. So I continue walking to look forced, and trotted a little when the ground and my heart are in tune! We pass over a village that I do not recognize, but where there is clearly a perfect night with a DJ who blends sound quality and volume. The music accompanies us well for 3 miles, and if it's fun at first, to force it takes me a little head. Fortunately, another show itself to me. The moon, red (thank you the air pollution ..) rises exactly in the axis of the valley, and we guess the reflection that she leaves, the presence of the sea in the distance. 22 pm, I go out the front. Until now the track was rather clear, crushed stone, but I attack a dirt track dark and can not distinguish much. Finally the ravitto. I put 3:30 to 12 km ... There is no laughing in the background!
I call a friend who is running as, to inquire about his position. I count on him to motivate me to leave. When I finally, it must be a twenty minute ravitto, but tells me he resigns. I decided to wait to try to re-motivate and slept on a pallet that is dragged in the meantime, then retrieves a chair and sit before the blazing fire that volunteers had the idea of lighting .. It will be hard to extricate themselves from it, especially as I begin to feel cold. My colleague arrives, but nothing, it is cooked. I let him go with the sweet slumber of fire. Fortunately, a volunteer with whom I talked myself out of here, and reminds me that that would motivate me to continue, not motivate me to stop him!
I leave the road book, and happy surprise, the next side I thought to 700m D + that is only 500, 2.5 km. I leave motivated, even if I have a little trouble to get warm. On entering the game, the trend is given .. it climbs, and steep .. But I'm better in my head and my legs, and even if I did not climb much, I'm not in a hole (normally I go I tell you!).
It did a little time that I see more rubalise, and intend to further discuss it dry .. Two Italians are even turn around and come back to me. That's where I'm happy to have injected route in my GPS .. I show them that we are on the right path, but despite this, they doubt and go down anyway. Too bad for them, for 500m back, the markup resumed.
Meanwhile, I called my friend to report the volunteer débalisage. The organizer will send someone to put it up quickly. And many false flat climb in amount, here we are at the top of Baudon (1:05, 2.5 km, 500 m D +). Forward for the descent, but I am unable to make the smarter this time around, and am just trying not to twist my feet on the chaotic way. I'd still be a beautiful fall on the buttocks, putting feet on a sloping slab covered with fine soil. Fortunately, more fear than harm. It borrows a great track that winds through giant antenna. Even if I find the markup a little light, just as it must remain largely on track. I would learn upon arrival that this site has also suffered from débalisage. A piece of the golf course around Monaco, and it goes back into the trails. This is where my GPS decided to strike the battery. At the same time, I was gone for between 8 and 10 am, and here more than 11 hours that I am. After a few small jumps well broken leg, and a descent to La Turbie, here is the last ravitto before arrival. Again good news waiting. There are only 6 km instead of 8 announced. And it's full of enthusiasm that I off again (it was time I tell you ..). A bit of gardening is a lack of clarity in the streets of La Turbie. A beautiful rubalise beckoning us to show us the way, but neither I nor the Italian behind me do not see. The next intersection unmarked immediately puts me on the right path> U-turn. We will quit for 100 m and 10 m D + rab!
The path down to the sea is quite rocky in its upper part, and I do not venture out to take risk. But once joined the road and paths / paved stairs, I let run free in a few horses that are left and mare (horse <> mare!) Cheerfully.
I do not know if some of you will recall the image of the film The Big Blue: It's night and the moon in the sky leaving a long drag reflest silver sea is exactly the show which is offered to me, and just for that, it was worth being there at that precise moment.
My boyfriend is waiting at the end of the stairs on the way of customs. And walking quietly last little mile that I finished this race that half was not one.
After just over 12:30 of "race", I pass the finish line.
6 h later (yes, I put the time to write), my leg still remember those ascents and descents, but my head has already more than the memory of that red moon rises above the valley, and this sea of iridescent silver with me for the finish. Nan j'dec ... do, I'm completely shattered!
Things will be better when I slept. And then I'll try to correct the mistakes too .. be gentle by then!

Olivier.
PS: in fact, Viendez is a great race, there is not much, or you leave the pastures with the cows to summer pasture, to end at the seaside