For its first edition in Burgundy, the Infinity Trail settled in the Parc de la Combe à la Serpent de Dijon. 101 participants want to surpass themselves and do a maximum of 6.7 kilometer loops. They have been running since noon Friday and intend to continue for days.
101 participants are departing fromInfinity Trail at the Parc de la combe à la serpent in Dijon. Amateurs, enthusiasts or seasoned sportsmen, they all have the same objective: surpassing oneself. The Infinity Trail is a “backyard ultra” race, in 6.7 kilometer loop, in one hour maximum. And it is organized for the first time in Burgundy. If the participants arrive on time, they can leave for the next loop. Riders must complete as many laps as possible.
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If they complete the loop in less than an hour, the remaining time serves as their break. And when you see the efforts to be made, you tell yourself that a little breather wouldn’t hurt them. There is a departure every hour. And in the end, only one will remain since the last person to complete a full loop wins the race. Attention, in case of absence at the start, it is the disqualification. We are not kidding at the Infinity Trail!
The organization of the race is managed by Maud Debs and Frédéric Morand. They run a travel agency specializing in trail running. “We’re used to this format because we’ve been organizing it since 2020, it’s the 7th so we’re a little familiar with what to do, the logistics…“, says Maud Debs.
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Dijonnais Matthieu Tharion helped organize the competition. Accustomed to racing, he took care of finding a suitable course. “The park meets all the conditions for the event.” The Combe à la Serpent park is not on a main road, there are enough places to set up camps and they have access to electricity. “I have the number, 21 like the Côte-d’Or to represent the regionhe explains. I think we’ll finish on Sunday morning, we’ll run for a good forty hours.“
One hour before the start at noon, the runners prepare their camp. This is the case of Romain Marion, bib number 39. He lives in Arnay-le-Duc (Côte-d’Or). “I came to see where my form is at the moment. I train quite regularly, I will try to reach 100 kilometers“.
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In the neighboring tent, Marco Loyen, bib number 100, is also getting ready. “I’m going to do the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc at the end of August, so it makes me do miles“, confides the one who comes from Reims. Marco came with Aurore Lemonnier, his companion. “I’m here out of love (laughs) to be his psychological support“For Marco Loyen, the race would have been different without his partner,”it’s good to see a person around you, it reboosts“.
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Participating in the race also requires camping skills. Nicolas Robouche and Hendrick Tsas come from Belgium and have a different approach. “We thought we were ready, after we looked around us and we said that our tent was not too much compared to the others. But we’re confident, we’re not here to sleep, we’re here to run (laughs)”.
If I can visit the city on an electric scooter afterwards, because walking might be complicated! (laughs)
Nicolas Robouche, Belgian runner
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Others like Marie Florentin are more organized. His tent shelters a total of 5 people. They came from Nancy to run as a family. “We’ve been trail running for a few years so we came to push our limits.” she reveals. “We had a common WhatsApp and a good methodology, it was a process. Suddenly has already started to get in the racing mood for a few weeks” says Bénédicte Florentin.
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12:35 p.m., the first to complete the loop arrive. Martin Perrier lives in Switzerland. “It’s very pleasant, we will be able to spend dozens and dozens of hours there. I like to have a fifteen minute break to snack and start again“. The runner also takes the opportunity to make his camp which he had not been able to set up before the start of the race.
In any case, the riders are determined to stay at least until Sunday. The winner of the race will be able to participate in the ultra backyard championship with the French team.
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