My second race abroad leads me to Vietnam’s jungle in the surroundings of Hanoi, in Pu Luong Natural Reserve.
It’s a long 5 to 6 hours drive from Hanoi city but the destination is absolutely stunning. Limestones mountains, an ancient jungle, clear rivers, minority villages and vibrant rice paddies.
Runners stay in various lodges across the natural reserve and after a good night sleep, they’re all sent to the start line of their race which ranges from 10 to 70k.
4’30am: my alarm rings, I convince myself I had enough sleep and leave the dormitory for my morning race rituals.
5 am: I brought my own breakfast but I mix it up with some of the picnic set given to runners. It’s important for me to eat something really tasty before a race so the porridge can stay in the suitcase!
5’30am: the bus picks us up to go to the race start. I’m not tired but highly angry at myself after realizing I forgot part of my equipment in Hong-Kong: no running insoles, which I haven’t run without for more than a year. So, my Brooks have no insoles and the unsecured woman inside me freaks out! I rush to the dormitory to take my Converse soles instead and try to maximize cushioning by putting on 2 pair of socks… Also no head cap, also forgotten in Hk… when weather forecast predicts 32 degrees… Note to self: make a packing list with boxes to tick off.
6’45am: we are at the start, 10 seconds count down and OFF we go!! I rush the first 2km in order to be at the front of the pack when the climb starts.
After 2/3km on a concrete village road we take a turn on a rustic wooden bridge and head into the rice paddies. A first time running on these paths and it’s narrow, muddy and unstable! Here is where your sense of balance becomes helpful.
It’s here that luckily I find an abandoned head cap!! I pick it up, make it mine and wear it until the very end, saving me from a face sunburn.
Progressing further, the route goes from rice terrasses to up and down village paths. At about 5km we reach the start of the climb: a steep unmainted concrete/rocky road. It is as steep as a Hong Kong Wanchai gap when it then switches to a sharp descent leading us into the jungle. And here starts the fun!
3km of uphill on-going bushwacking, where you must scramble. On my four, I grab rocks, branches, trees, pull myself up, push on my knees, slip in the mud and fall multiple times. But that I love! Despite being the most challenging segment of the race (to my opinion), it’s also the most fun.
Cedric, a French runner catches up with me and both of us pause at the peak where we are awarded with magnificent limestone mountains opening up on multi green rice fields. I feel like Lara Croft!
Here we take some pictures and a race photographer tells us to watch out for the steep downhill. Thank you for the precious tip as it turned to be more than real!
If you’re afraid to fall, then this part is the toughest one!
Down and down again on muddy soil, until we reach a river which leads to a checkpoint. Here, Cedric and I joke about his wife who is far ahead from us but I also realize that I am in 3rd female position.
Not stopping for too long I leave Cedric here and go on my own. I power walk the uphills and run all the downs and flats, I take my first gel here and catch up with 2nd position lady. I realize it’s time to act on this contact lens which keeps on coming out since the start if I want to keep the pace. So I decide to take it off and trust myself (or my right eye)!
It’s around 8am and already 32 degrees, we’ve been running for nearly 2hours and I can feel my heart bit going crazy. As often as I can, I dig my wrist towel into fresh water found on my way to cool down. It helps, for a minute and a half…
8am: We’re at about 12km when starts some on and off / up and down trails. I sustain the pace but decide to keep some energy in the tank. 2nd position lady and I keep on passing each other, sometimes running together, sometimes one ahead of the other. Together we reach the next Cp and here starts the last 10km.
Water refill and pouring water on my head, off I go, leaving 2nd lady there. I run this downhill concrete road fast and take the lead. Then down and down to a steep rocky downhill, I start feeling my feet hurting from the lack of cushioning in my shoes and my laces knots keep on coming off. 3 times I have to stop and so I loose my lead.
The last fully exposed rice paddies are painful and so are the last 3km. However, I keep on going but let go off the fight for the 2nd position because at this stage I know if I push further, my body won’t follow. I’m already proud for having achieved so much without my in-soles. I run the last km thinking that once I pass the finish line, I prove myself that if I trust I will, I will.
As I see the finish line, exhaust leaves space for excitement and joy, here comes the shower!! Among the things that kept me going when the feet were painful, there’s a precious voice message I had listened to right at the starting line. It said I was being loved and that was my sole sponsor for this adventure.
Thank you to the organizers for giving us the privilege to run such remote and hard to access lands.
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