Guadarun 2010
Day 3: A shorter but beautiful route, with lots of hills and rocky forest trails
Jacqueline Windh / 07.04.2010
Terre de Bas is completely different from the islands we’ve been on so far. These isles are made of basalt, not limestone like the larger islands, and the way that those different rock types erode makes the islands’ geography completely different. So aside from the two “main� islands of Les Saintes (each one only about 4 km across), there are also many other tiny islets scattered around them - all of them very hilly. The basalt in this climate turns brown and dark grey, and the vegetation is quite dry here, so the islands have a slightly burnt look.
This morning we had a later start - since the route was short and since we don’t have to move camp this afternoon - at 8:30, and today we were accompanied by five local members of the army as “guest runners�. Also running this stage were a number of runners’ partners who have been accompnaying us, and a few of the race volunteers.
For the last half-hour before race start it was raining - at times a good tropical downpour, and at times just a light sprinkle. I was debating whether or not to carry my camera today - it is not exactly light, and I wondered if I would even be able to use it in the rain. I’m in a lot of pain with my quads, too - no injury, just some serious muscle strain from all of the downhills over the last two days. (My right foot and left ankle, injured hiking in Patagonia only 6 weeks ago, are holding up great!). So lightening the load for all of today’s hills, rather than carry something I might no even use, was tempting - but in the end I brought it with me.
SleepMonsters
