Early this morning took place one of the last training sessions for the trailers of the Union Trail and Well-being association of Mamoudzou. In a few days, these athletes will fly away for a major challenge in Antananarivo (Madagascar), 70 km to climb and glean points for future trails.
They are about twenty. Faces determined and marked by the kilometers gathered on the Mayotte trails. They are united, driven by overcoming and this common passion for trail.
In a few days, these athletes from the UTBM association (Union Trail and well -being of Mamoudzou) will fly to Antananarivo where UTOP awaits them – a 70 -kilometer race through the Malagasy hills. A sporting and collective challenge.
“This morning, we are just a subgroup of a large collective of walkers in Mamoudzou. We are 400 listed every Sunday morning”explains Zaïdou Tavanday, project coordinator. Under his seasoned walker’s eye, this hard core of athletes has prepared relentlessly, despite the vagaries. Cyclone Chido left destroyed trails behind him, forcing runners to improvise and adapt. A difficulty which has not however discouraged this united group.
-“What is beautiful in our group is this alchemy between those who have made the diagonal of madmen and those who start several times”he adds. In the ranks, there are six multi-finishers of the legendary Réunion’s legendary raid, this 170 km event that makes all the trailers dream. And more than a race, UTOP is a strategic step because it will allow these runners to collect points to participate in the Diagonale des Fous next October.
Alongside them, profiles like “Papana”, Cavani traileur, who embodies this motivated succession. “The preparation is a bit complicated, especially with the blocked trails after Chido, but we adapt.” This trail enthusiast shares his experience with enthusiasm, “Since I discovered the trail, I fell in love. My friends are more experienced, but we learn with them. It will be my first time in Tana, but I do not apprehend. It will be just fun!”
Behind these words, there are hours of climbs, heavy legs but also and above all laughter and this feeling of belonging to a collective adventure. An experience that goes beyond simple performance. “We go to Tana to recover qualifying points, yes, but also to show that Mayotte is there, that we exist on the scene of the international trail”summarizes Zaïdou.
And the story does not stop there. Some already have another dream then: the New York marathon. A passion which has no borders and which push the runners to draw from their smallest entrenchments.
