Trail du colorado Race Report

After our nice little diagonale des fous adventure it was time to concentrate of our next one: a race in my island!

Trail du Colorado is a 38km race with 1800m of elevation in the high plateau of Saint Denis the capital.

The start is given at 7 am at the bottom of a hill!!! Not some small rolling British hill... But straight up from the first step you take! It goes around the place back to...that first hill!!! Such a nice way to wake up in the morning!

Mick at the start working hard!

After that first hill, it is then me between fast runners talking away effortlesy going up and up like this is the warm up and the ones who want to be fast because they don't want to be behind slower people when we get to le sentier des Lataniers... Why? Because when you get to the start of the "sentier" you can't overtake people, no it's impossible unless you want to crash down the nice canyon or tangle your feets in twisted high grass or slide between roots and slippery rocks you no no safest option is to wait the road in Dos d'ane ( the village you go through and aid station!

The sentier des Lataniers

Mick in on of the killer climb

So there I am, sandwiched and struggling to keep my breathing in check! I've started too fast but I had no choice i needed to position myself to not struggle later in this "sentier" long of 11km! So after passing a few people, I arrived at the bugger and put my head down. Soon I am again sandwiched between a queue people. This is not good, this section is the least enjoyable and I have no intention to stay there longer than necessary...I hear myself apologise and actually pass one...two...three people...darn! What's up with that! I can hear them moaning at me! And I hear myself apologising and praying that I can keep up with my own tempo. Don't want to see them sucking my wind and make comments of being too slow! But it is a nice weather, the view of the ocean it's beautiful and  we reeced that section! So I accelerate when I know I can rest up further up and soon join another queue..hum...6 people...that's a big queue to pass... And the canyon is steep...slowing down and joining the queue I try to be patient but they are slowing down and I don't want to slow down...so I apologise and as soon as I find a opening I pass...1,2,3,4,5,6 who are actually happy to see me go and number 4 is actually following me. It's a nice girl from France who's in the relay, she hates this part as well but is happy because soon she will be finished! We run together to the next queue...should I dare?! I see the guy we've met during one of our Reece...i don't know if I should... These men don't look like they won't mind if I pass them... But I can't control myself and zooop I apologise and pass them! Ouf I hope this is the last file because these passes are very challenging and I get scared!!

Me and the nice man

But I soon reach dos d'ane and catch a nice man who despise road as much as I do so we distract ourselves with tales about our life.  I'm so happy to see them my mum runs beside us until the aid station. I asked them about Mick. He is 20 min in front. I won't be able to catch  to him, the climb from dos d'ane to piton fougeres via Roche Vert Bouteille is technical, long... It's hot and he is super fast! But little me inside still wants to try so I don't stay too long, I kiss them and tell them see you on this other side and start the climb! It's on the edge of a cliff. From one side you have view on dos d'ane and you have view of le cirque de Mafate on the other side! It's just beautiful and breathtaking! I reach the top and I know there is a bit of downhill but another 2 killers climbs before the next aid station.

The view of Mafate from the trail

Going up slowly, and trying to enjoy the scenery , many hurried men want to pass and I find myself behind "politely" pushed around. I don't mind thou I know I'll take half of them at the top of the climb ( not because I'm that good (I wish) but you should have hear them breathing while passing me!!!)

Reaching the top of a climb

So no surprise there as soon as we start the downhill I caught back most of them and happily carried on to the aid station not staying too long. I wanted to go home and eat a massive lunch hehe! I carry on till the sentier des goyaviers ( call this way due as your cross from both side of the trails trees of goyaviers a small red fruit full of vitamin C so sweet and tasty!

Goyaviers

There, there is a man sucking of the goyaviers ! That's a bit odd as we are less then 5 km to the finish line! So I stop and ask him if he is ok. He ran out of water so I give him mine to sip and the left over coca cola I had. I tell him he can follow me and we can sip water together. He agrees and go in front. Until another downhill, I make him sip again and start the downhill. At the bottom I turn back and look for him … He's disappeared! I wait a bit more but still no one! So I carry on until I hear footsteps behind me I turn but it's someone else I ask him about the guy he says he saw him with another guy. He is probably siping his water...reassured I follow this new guy and find out he is been running for the last 10 km with a twisted ankle!!! I asked him why carry on? He replies "la diagonale des fous" this guy is preparing for this crazy 170km race I swore to NEVER do. He is running on his twisted ankle to tackle the pain he will feel during that race! Crazy awesome dude! But he sees his friend and decide to slow down to finish with him so I carry on, it's going to be downhill really soon again just after that little vicious climb, some other crazy dude start shouting at me and at another girl, I can see she has enough I wonder if she is part of the relay, I smile at her and tell her to keep going we are soon finished we can finish together. She looks at me with her big brown eyes and I know she just want to walk and has no fight in her so wih a tap on her shoulder I carry on with the crazy shouting dude who doesn't want to be passed by a girl! Mad people I tell you! I see the finish line down that first initial hill and I know I'm home! Finally after 5h37 min I reach the end of the race! I look for Michael, we sit on the grass, watch the price ceremony waiting for my parents who thought we were going to take longer so were nicely sitting at home hehe! At least we got to get some superstarsr Maud Gobert and Marco de Gasperi who finished sooo long before us hehe!

The medal