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“No Finish Line” - An 8 Day Running Race, Monaco |
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Richard Gurd writes Yes, this
one is well beyond the marathon and not as well known as a
lot of ultra events. This year was the eleventh running of it
and as previous years all profit went to a children’s charity.
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A running friend of mine, non other than Pam Story “Super girl” (go to www......to find out her running and charity credentials) said she went last year and had a great time meeting fellow multi day runners and the locals who come and go as they please. Pam asked me if I wanted to go with her and another runner, Alan Young from Dundee. Oh now that's a hard one, Monaco for ten days, hmmm it may be winter there, but it's winter here ! Pam explained the course was dead flat and laps around the harbour of 0.9 Km if there was a passenger boat in or 1.7 Km if no boat. There was a chip mat to give that all important credit for each lap and the runners pits, stocked with food and drink ! So far so good, Monaco, flat, away from English winter, loads of food. Now where to stay, hotel, apartment, caravan, cabin ? No, we went for true luxury a £10 dome tent each from Tesco's ! We put these up under cover where they restore small boats, next to the course. This made it an ideal location, dry and very little time lost between bed and track ! The trip to Monaco was uneventful. My best friends at the moment, Easyjet took us to Nice and back with luggage for £75 each, a return bus from Nice to Monaco was 28€ each and race entry , which included evening meal 100€ each. We arrived the day before the race, set up tents, chatted with other runners and went for a meal with a few of them. I say runners but they did not look like normal runny type people and I really did wonder if Jeremy Beadle was in on it as well as the Royals of Monaco. I was about to learn a lot about running in the next ten days ! |
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That night the first people went round the course, rather loudly. They were drunks from the local bar and unfortunately they came back to complete a lap. All I could think of was “what a waste, they started early and with no chip”. It naturally meant all their efforts did not count towards the charity. Next day the race was started by Prince Albert and off we went round and round and round after I had completed a marathon I chipped in for the night. Some did likewise and some, who most likely did not even bring a tent, just kept plodding away. This went on for 9 days. Yes 9 not 8 as the first and last days are just part days ! I hear you think “ they are nutters “ yes I agree . Is it an Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ? Are not most runners also guilty of having an OCD if they think they must go out running ? been there ! After 9 days I was one of them ! |
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What I can say in brief of the running experience is; 1. You get to meet a lot of people. 2. Are never left wondering what to do. 3. There is great camaraderie 4. Plodding round lap after lap looking at the boats and backdrop is better than a PC screen or house work ! 5. I do not understand how or why some people carry on with feet in bandages ! 6. I put on weight due to over eating. 7. You get the chance to chat to the Police if you go window shopping by Monte Carlo Casino at 7 pm on a Saturday night dressed in black (including hat), wearing running shoes, being unshaven and carrying a single running shoe. They speak good English and show a great duty of care to the vagrant looking visitor type. 8. You don't have to run. A plod, chatting to people is all that is required and no one gives you detention you are late or don't turn up
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At the start of the race I was totally perplexed why so many people took an interest in the screen of who has covered what distance and when each entrant last went over the chip mat. By the end I understood it's value, you would know who is of similar distance, when they last went over the timing mat and most importantly (if you want to be competitive) if they are getting slower or faster! I did not want to end up with feet full of blisters or worse, so took it steady. I aimed for a marathon a day and that's what I did, most of it walking. Some people wanted to know where I got my running shoes from, as they had not seen ones like it. They were referring to my steel toe capped work boots that are very comfortable and good for keeping feet dry, which is why I was walking round in them. Do you think Sweetshop should sell them as the opposing end of the spectrum of running shoes when compared to Nicks Mayfly disposable light weight shoe ? There is also a 24 hour race near the end of the eight days that helps bring the event to a great finish. |
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I have included a couple of photos of one runner, John Clourd, who is apparently well known on the multi day running circuit for his style of running attire and the fact he brings nothing else with him ! Yes, he does make his presence known at the dinning table without saying or doing anything. He is capable of sleep walking and apparently in the 2009 event a fellow runner had to stop him from walking into the water ! The other photo's are more or less self explanatory, Yes that is Prince Albert presenting the prizes. The winner clocked around 900 Km. Do we have any members who want to win next year? if so I'll volunteer to hold your track suit. I am unsure of the takings for the Charity but understand it is in the order of 1.5M€. I did overhear one young girl ask her mum, “does dad know how much he has given”. The answer of course was, yes ! If anyone has been swayed to thinking multi day running events may be for them you do not have to wait till Monaco next November. There will hopefully be a six day event in the South East of England next year. Pam Story is desperately trying to overcome all the organisation issues with staging such an event. As you can imagine an event of this type requires a lot of organisational work and support. Pam is hopeful of holding the event together with the Race Walking Associations 24 hour at Lingfield Park, (Near East Grinstead). Pam also organises a 12 hour and Marathon on the running track at K2 Crawly. Next one is April 2011 if anyone is up for something out of the ordinary that will confirm your status as “nut case”. I will be lap counting and handing out jelly babies ! Would I do it again ? Yes, if time and work holiday allowance allow ! Hope to be back in the Lightwater area for running soon. Oh and for the lazy way to see Monaco on foot there are escalators next to the steps ! Keep running. |
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Résultat NO FINISH LINE - Derniere mise à jour : 28/11/10 14:39.
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