Guadarun: 150 km staged run, April 3-11th
Jacqueline Windh / 21.02.2010
Guadeloupe is actually a group of several islands, belonging to France, in the southern part of the Caribbean. What´s so interesting about Guadarun is that each stage takes place on a different island, each one with its own distinct geography and character.
I got to know Guadeloupe a little bit when I went down to report on the IGWA adventure race, two years ago. And what really makes me want to come back (while scaring me a bit at the same time) is the run up and down the active volcano La Soufriere, on the island of Basse-Terre. The terrain is extremely challenging - damp cloud forest, steep muddy trails with lots of hidden roots, stakes and rocks all covered by overhanging vegetation, and cracks in the earth seeping sulphurous gases... Absolutely amazing!
I hope to see some of you at this race. The distances are not outrageous, generally between 15 and 30 km a day. (Remember, there has to be time for each day´s boat transport as well). Some days there is a fair bit of pavement or easy trails, and other days are highly technical, e.g. the volcano run, or passing along beaches and over rocks. The organizers are very experienced and reliable - in fact this is their 11th year running the competition. There are direct flights from Paris, as well as from North America via Puerto Rico.
Competitors arrive on April 3rd, and have the 4th to acclimatize. The competition starts on the 5th on the small isle La Désirade, and continues through to the 10th, with the awards ceremony that evening.
I am a slow runner but a fast writer - so, if you can´t be there yourself, look for my live reports and photos, which I will be posting daily. For more info, check out: www.guadarun.com
SleepMonsters
