Trail heads: portrait #1

Carine is emblematic of a new generation of runners. Humble and spontaneous, the young woman agreed to talk to us straightforwardly. Portrait of a beautiful woman.

‍

In her life, no fuss, no muss. A little sport, but not too much. Carine, in her forties, took up running only three years ago. For herself... for her physical well-being, to relieve her stress. But also for her mother, who suffered from an orphan's disease that caused her to lose the use of her legs. For the young woman, it's an obvious choice: "I run for those who can't. That's my motto. That's my motto. Since then, Carine has blended her own life (as a manager, as a mother) with sport, giving strength to the encounters she fosters. And at the slightest opportunity, she gets out her runnings. In the Gers, her family's home region, ideal for hill-climbing. Or in the European capitals she sometimes visits for her job. In no particular order, Carine loves rugby, her two children Axel (11) and Zoélie (8). And brunch with friends after a running outing.

The story

Carine's relationship with running was chaotic at first. Then it got serious. Her first race? Odysséa, with her company. The cause defended by the event's organizers - breast cancer research - gave meaning to the kilometers run. Above all, it gave her the desire to run more regularly. From 10 km, the beginner now runs 20. But she still finds it hard to train like a dog: "Once or twice a week is my maximum". As the races harden this combative young woman, her desire to run becomes more and more feverish. She, who wouldn't have believed it a few years ago, signed up for a marathon in May 2017. And to treat herself to a longer outing, decides to take part in the 18km EcoTrail Paris. "This race, some colleagues suggested it to me a bit like a challenge... I accepted immediately. Perhaps too quickly...". The hill-climbing sessions in the forest of Rueil-Malmaison, where she lives, served as preparation. Until the runner found herself at the start on March 17 in Meudon.

‍

18 km flat out

It was his first trail. An important event. A total discovery. To relieve her pre-race stress, Carine did what she could to reassure herself. "To forget about the bad weather, I thought about who was going to run the 80 km. And then I let myself be guided. The organization took me in hand". Her only real fear? Slipping, injuring herself and compromising her future marathon. To take control of the situation, Carine decided to walk in the high-risk areas and give it her all. Without a second thought. A winning strategy that saw her arrive at the Domaine de Saint-Cloud in 2h03mn. Just in time to go to the U Arena to support her favorite rugby team, Racing, who were playing Stade Français that day. Proof that motivation is the sinews of war. And Carine has no shortage of it. She'll be back on the EcoTrail trails next March. She still has her doubts about the mileage - 30 or 45 km - but not about crossing the finish line...  

‍