TRAIL RUNNING
The first dawn of the race , captured by the author
Tropical forests on the slopes of steep mountains posed quite a challenge
bunch of nervous-looking runners climbed in , and three hours later ( thanks to rush hour and many , many stops along the way ) we were dropped off at the start . We were given a few goodies to nibble on and some fluids to keep us hydrated , before being shuffled into our starting pens . I still had no idea whether I would make it to the end of the starting straight , the first checkpoint or further .
Time to Get Going
La Diagonale Des Fous starts at 9pm . Don ’ t ask me why ... One reason could be the party atmosphere it creates amongst the supporters , but we were herded straight from the shuttle buses into the starting area , so while I could hear the music and see the lights of the party , I wasn ’ t part of it . Not yet , anyway . I bumped into Eloff Hoffman , of Freshtrails and MacMac Ultra fame , the only other South African runner in the race , and someone I ’ ve met before through ultra-trail events , and we compared injury notes , wished each other good luck , and then headed off to our respective starting batches . I was in the third batch , starting at 9:20 .
When it was our turn , the nerves transformed into excitement , the gun went and we were off ! Fireworks , DJs , dancing girls and hordes of supporters lined the street , loudly cheering us on , and the crowds didn ’ t lessen until we left the city almost 5km later . My back held up , and while I could feel it grumbling , it didn ’ t worsen or pack in , so I carried on and up towards the first checkpoint . We climbed through cane fields , and from time to time through settlements and neighbourhoods , higher and higher up the island . By then it was almost midnight , yet the locals lined their streets , with street parties on the go , to support the island ’ s biggest event of the year .
I made it to the first checkpoint and decided to carry on . Into a dense forest and narrow single-track we went , with quite a lot of waiting as the runners hadn ’ t had a chance to spread out yet . Apparently , 2756 runners started the Diagonal of Fools – huge numbers in trail running terms , and due to the tough entry requirements , all of them experienced and capable ultra-runners .
We climbed steadily through the night , and by the third checkpoint , after about 40km , were at an elevation of over 2000m . Then , as the sun rose and we descended into a valley , the splendour of the island ’ s interior started revealing itself to us . The grind up the next big climb was rewarded with a tropical wonderland that seemed more like a movie set , with steep drop-offs on either side seemingly into oblivion , as we were inside the clouds and visibility was very limited . When I finally got to the top , I said , “ Thank f … for that !” Judging by the laughs , it was also understood by the French-speakers around me .
At times the runners were amongst the clouds …
Volcanoes and Elephants
The big climb took us to just shy of 2500m above sea level , higher than any peak in the Western Cape . The climb was up the outside of an extinct volcano and along its ridge . We then hit the first major descent , all the way down into the volcanic caldera ( or cirque ) of Cilaos . For the first time in a while , I remembered my dicky back , as each jarring step brought the reality of what I was dealing with closer to the surface . I soon realised that I would not only have to walk all the way down , but that I would have to do so as gently as possible . I did it by squeezing my core muscles tightly , and landing each step on tip-toe , as a shockabsorber . This tactic sort of worked , but the tens of thousands of tip-toe landings would play havoc with my knees and shins later in the race .
I was pretty despondent by the time I got to Cilaos and my first drop bag . I thought a quick nap might perk me up , as I had been awake for 30-odd hours by then , but it was too warm and noisy to sleep . My kids , Zana and Tristan , had given me a bundle of little notes to open from time to time for inspiration , and it was definitely time for one . It was from Zana , and reminded me of the adage I love to repeat , about eating an elephant … one bite at a time . She was right , and I decided to just get myself to the next checkpoint , and not to worry about what might happen after that .
The route dropped down to a river and then started the climb up and out the other side of the cirque . It was a hell of a climb , in the heat of the day , but uphills seemed easier after my struggle on the
… which made some dropoffs next to the trails look like sheer cliffs !
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