Inspired by a friend, and desperate to get out of the house after two months of very strict lockdown here in France, I did my first C25K run on 18th May 2020.
On Saturday 2nd October 2021, three days before my 61st birthday, I ran the Trail du Gévaudan, billed as a marathon.
The day began with a glorious blue sky, plus a complete inability to eat breakfast due to anxiety, Garmin beeping a low battery warning, and leaving home very late. Once at the start, I couldn’t find the bag drop, nearly got run over when leaving my bag, realised almost everybody else had trail poles, and spotted another runner’s Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc race kit. Gulp. What the hell am I doing here?
Got out phone to set up Strava, found several lovely good luck texts, and remembered HU pompoms. Told myself I was going to do this – nothing was going to come between me and my finishers’ T-shirt and beer!
Off we jogged through the village, finally crossed the official start line, and set out on a beautiful but narrow riverside path. Within minutes we’d crossed a stone chaos and reached the forest, where the path became single-file only, and we queued to tackle a rapid descent (complete with grab-ropes!) and then a steep uphill scramble.
Eventually emerging onto a flatter road around 5k, I was met by a little boy with a huge smile and a handful of blackberries: “Here, these are for you!” Another forest path took us down to and through the village, where at around 8k we finally reached the first feed station, offering saucisson, bread, mini cakes, chocolate, chopped banana and apple, pizza, chocolate and more!
The route, mostly through woods, then dropped for a while before heading back up to reach a new peak at around 15k. Somewhere around this point my left knee started to grumble about the uneven terrain, but remembering that my late Mum, aged 86 and riddled with bone cancer, had managed to walk on a broken hip, I decided a temperamental knee was no excuse for a DNF. In any case, I wasn’t racing, I was just aiming to get round! So from then on I walked the ouchier steeper downhills, and ran at easy pace on the flat sections.
After that came a high plateau with utterly stunning views, where I slowed right down to take in the surroundings, and did airplane arms too, inspired by the nearby wind turbines! Further on, between farms and hamlets and before heading up to the highest part of the course, I stopped to read the names and dedications on a memorial to the maquisards (French resistance fighters) who’d been killed in battles, or subsequently executed, in the villages through which we’d just run. It put the challenge of doing a marathon into perspective.
The route profile had suggested that the second part of the course was much faster, being more or less downhill through woods and fields. Nobody mentioned that it included climbing up wood-and-earth steps and over giant boulders, or encountering a slope that the organisers officially deemed a “Dangerous descent!” (what? worse than the others? oh yes!) just 2k from the finish.
Ah yes, the finish. Well, it was another steep uphill, on cobbles and – somewhat surprisingly – not 42.2k from the official start, but 45k! Strava stats say 46.45k overall distance, 1835m elevation gain, and actual moving time of 7:46:52. Chip time, including all stops, queues and feed stations, was 9:05:05.
TLDR? I finished the race and had a wonderful day which seemed to fly by, except in the most demanding ascents (km4 was 170m+, and kms 12 and 17 both 179m+).
Would I do it again? Probably not. It was such a special experience that I feel inclined to keep it as a one-off. I would, however, love to volunteer. And, of course, there are so many more routes to explore out there…
The local paper’s photos give a good impression of the scenery and atmosphere, and are at: leveil.fr/puy-en-velay-4300...
Written by
Cmoi
Marathon
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Congratulations Cmoi on completing that marathon, you should be very proud of yourself, I have looked at all those photos, to me they look a little like people walking what is called in Scotland "The West Highland Way" very similar conditions, you look so happy in that photograph, well done.
What an achievement! Those steps and boulders look brutal 😩 and you’ve got so many different surfaces to deal with! It’s definitely more than a run, an adventure no less, a bit “Indiana Jones” 🕵️♀️😂
Many many congratulations to you and very well done. That is something to remember with pride for always 👍💪
And lovely photo too 🙂
Wow, those pics look more like a serious hike instead of a run! Congrats on finishing without any injuries or wounds! You now say it's a one-off, but who's to say that in a year or so you won't feel some kind of longing to see those trails again 😉
Well done indeed. It sounds like a grueller. Interesting route by the sounds of it. A trail race is all-absorbing I think, so the time hopefully flew by 🏃♀️ My hip hurt at your descriptions 😁
Interesting about the maquis! Fascinating stuff that!
Is your appetite whetted for another trail adventure? 😃
Wow! that sounds brutal, I know I've said it before that I'm in awe of your trail run but again well done to you for completing it! great photos and write up 👏👏🏅
Fantastic! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 love that, did you find yourself in any of the pics, I looked but you can't zoom so it was hard to see. I saw another lady with your same skort!
I'm glad you enjoyed it overall but it definitely looked a tough first event. I do wonder how you'll feel in a few months though...🤔 after all everyone says "never again" after the first 🤪
I loved the aeroplaning, the boy with the berries and that you stopped to read the inscriptions. It's all part of the day and makes it so much more special 💖
Great pic and your age does not show one iota! 😱 I would have guessed mid 40s! Whatever you're doing is doing you good 👍🏻 😁
What a brilliant run report Cmoi, and what an achievement. How you kept going for all that time I do not know, but you did it. What goodies you get along the route too! Very well done. 🏃♀️👏🏻👏🏻
Amazing!!!! And you have only been running for about 1½years, I think. Incredible and so pleased that you enjoyed your incredibly special day. You look so fit and healthy and happy in the photo. I enjoyed the newspaper photos as well, thank you for the link. Were you already a fit lady participating in other sports before you started running? Many congratulations! Brilliant! 👏🏁🍾🥂🏅💥💪🏃🏻♀️🎉
Just amazing! I couldn't imagine doing anything like that, ever!!! Massive congratulations to you - a job very well done after some dedicated and epic training! Volunteering at races is really rewarding. I just followed an ultra (in my car) popping up to support a friend. I got chatting with other supporters and became friends with a whole bunch of runners who were just ahead of my friend. Clapping and cheering them over the finish line was such good fun! I've volunteered at several races and the atmosphere and inclusivity are fabulous.
Many, many thanks to all of you for your replies. I'm so touched by them 🤗
I will try to reply individually later, but we're meant to be going off in our motorhome tomorrow morning and I've got way too much to do!
I was very fortunate that things came together well on the day, and (whisper it) covering the distance was much easier than I'd anticipated. Apart from the wonky knee, my legs were fine, and I didn't have any problems with tiredness, breathing or motivation. In fact, I felt far worse during and after some of my training runs!
So to clarify, when I said I probably wouldn't do it again, I was actually referring to this specific race, much of which follows the ancient pilgrim route the Chemin de Saint Jacques de Compostelle. While I'm not at all religious, there's something about it which holds a particular emotional resonance for me. I really don't like the idea of running the same route again and feeling obliged to race it, just to get a PB.
I strongly suspect, though, that I won't be able to resist the lure of more long trails, whether solo or as part of events. The idea of road races still really intimidates me though.
More photos are now online at trailsaintjacques.com/galer..., and if you click on "photos personnalisées" and search with my race number, there are a few photos of me heading up to the second checkpoint, around km18.
Yes, that's right nowster . The race finish line was at the foot of the cathedral steps in Le Puy en Velay, the starting point for pilgrims on the Via Podiensis. For much of the time we were actually running along the GR65 (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GR_65) but following the route in reverse, exchanging greetings with pilgrims and hikers.
Well done! Félicitations! Great run report and photo! It’s amazing how far you’ve come in a year and a half. What a beautiful and challenging adventure you’ve had! The photos on the link help show what the experience was like.👏💪🎉
Oh my!! Only just found this post - wonderful event report. Congratulations 👏, what an amazing achievement!! Loved the photos, looks a great route with fantastic views. Those wooden steps look hard work though and the cobbles to finish 😲 That would have just about finished me off 😂. How wonderful to have achieved that at 61 - inspiring (I just recently completed a HM at 60 which amazed me!!). What’s next?!
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Well done! 
Race report - Runaway Train Trail race - DNF 😞
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