My first 50km run

Introduction

My colleague with whom I used to run often, asked me if I was interested this time to run to the city of Maux on Sunday morning. I said “yeah”

The goal was to start from “La Rotonde Stalingrad” and follow the river to Maux, I did know, that the distance between Paris and Maux was 50 km, but I was not aware of the scale of the distance… But inside me, somehow knew I can do it.

Let’s start with the funny part

So, I woke up at 4h the morning, 15min later I was outside, I took my backpack which has… Please don’t judge me, which has 2 bananas, 2 apple sauces, and 1L of a bottle of water, for 50km yeah… I know, it is very light but it was my goal to pack light, but at what cost?

So, my first objective was to reach “La Rotonde Stalingrad” in the 19th district before 5h to meet my friend and to start exactly at this time, yeah yeah Stalingrad in the morning, I heard so many stories about this place, now I can tell you this is the perfect time to meet some unique people… PLEASE DONT GO THERE IN THE MORNING, PLEASE.

I officially started running from the station Rome of the metro line 2 between the 8th district and 17th, and from there to Anvers, I saw so many fascinating things in the laps of the time… From Place de Clichy to Anver (Montmartre), I saw dead drunks, I saw people throwing up, and people going in and out of the strip clubs in Pigalle, paradoxically it was the moment when I felt the safest because there were still a lot of people, you could come across with policemen… And then Barbes Rochechouchou X3 no one, dead, wow I was very surprised as this place is packed during the day.

I talked to someone who asked me to use my phone to contact his friend because he had an alcoholic coma, he was leaving the hospital... This is not a joke.

And Finally Stalingrad, it’s almost 4h50 am and there are a lot of people around me, I don’t move anymore because I have to wait for my friend, I knew they were drinking, and smoking, and it was not just weed, but something stronger…

But gladly my friend appears from now where we get out this place…

The Parcours

My friend said we run for 50 min without stopping at 8km/h and then 1min of pause (but still have to walk) we could drink or eat, it was not very convenient for me because I have to stop to open my bag, and sometimes I lose distance with my friend and I have to run faster to catch him.

City after cities, Patin, Bobigny, Bondi, Sevran, Mitry, nothing to say everything seems to be good and then Claye-Soully at this point we have traveled 30 km, this is the exact moment I lose my friend, I tried to run faster but I was exhausted and some part of my body started to hurt me, I took pause more often, I did not have water anymore :O, I was lost, there is no solution to turn back, so I run, I walked, I run, I walked.

Fresnes-sur-Marne is a cute city, I mean a very cute village, I’m sorry but there is absolutely nothing around only sunflowers (very beautiful but I did not have to enjoy them) and also wheat fields.

At this village, I decided to change this ride to a simple STROLL, but I still had to hurry up because I did not have water and the Sun was there and it was hitting my head, there were some moments I kept saying that I could not die here but I keep pushing I walked faster, I did not want to run anymore.

Finish line

In the end, I became crazier because I saw the cathedral from far away, I knew I was close to the city I did not want to check the distance on my phone knowing it would make me sad, but I did not realize that there were many kilometers left, I did not want to know, I just want to end this, but in reality, I was more than 5km from the destination and I can tell you at this point just 1km is a very long distance because my body hurt me.

I have never been so happy to a signal in my entire life which means that it was over… I am going to do it again but with my bike.

Result

I still can’t believe what I am seeing, SEVEN HOUR I run for seven-hour ok, okay, maybe less and I walked a little bit, but 52 460 meters, WHOOO. I learned so much about myself during those hours, and my mindset I learned to have a good conversation with myself to push myself to finish, I was scared I was in the middle of nowhere with no food and no water it was a very beautiful day with a sunny Sun, I was alone, but could not allow myself to be afraid, Man I have to survive I want to return to my bed and the next day I have to work 😀

This was an opportunity to see my limits, to understand more about what was going on in my head, and maybe master it.

But this was a terrible idea, I was not well prepared, and I put myself in danger. I was scared the sun was hitting my face I did not have enough water for this. I lost the sign of my friend when he finished It took me 1h30 to finish after him, and when I was in Maux he already have been in “Gare de l’est” he could not wait for me because there were no trains only buses…

My top 3 cats

Recovery

I can’t walk properly, every part of my legs and bones hurt me, you should see me, I couldn’t go up and down the stairs. Now I am going to sleep and I don’t care I will eat a lot, I will live on my bed.

I need a vacation, now I have the perfect excuse to stay at home, and I am going to continue watching Maria Del Barrio & finish Stranger things season 4.