Thomas and I completed the 72 km Infernal Trail relay in the Vosges Mountains. We finished in 9 hours 6 min and 40 sec which was good enough for 3rd place out of the 11 teams that were entered. Only 6 teams finished. We did better than three 4-person teams.
It was a difficult course over hilly terrain with 3000 meters of positive elevation gain. The race started at 3 AM after a heavy thunderstorm rolled through a few hours before. That made the trail wet and slippery and of course, very dark at that hour. I had the first leg of the relay which was 25 km with 1,098 m of elevation gain. I completed in 3 hours and 28 min (or at 6:28 AM) for an average speed of 7.5 km/hr and handed off to Thomas. I don’t know how I made it through without falling given the conditions, at night with rain, fog, on a muddy and rocky trail with ruts, holes, loose gravel, roots, branches, and other unidentified trail gremlins.
I got some food at the aide station, changed shirts and shorts, and drove to the next aide station to meet Thomas who was busy running the tough second section. Thomas came charging in, in advance of our estimated time, handed me the race number and I set off in daylight this time but still in the rain for a 16.8 km section which totaled 513 m of elevation gain. My legs felt relatively fresh still and I quickly passed a dozen or so runners on a long downhill section. The other runners were doing either the whole 72 km race or the 160 km race which started at midnight on Friday (27 hours before the 72 start).
This section included a very steep descent, a nearly impossible 100 meter climb on all fours, another long steady uphill, and a 50 meter long, 6 foot diameter culvert. The kilometers took their toll on me and I finished on very tired legs in 2 hours and 5 min for an average speed of 8.1 km/hr. I staggered into the aide station and passed the race number to Thomas for the final 17 km.
I drove back to the start/finish and was there as Thomas came in just after noon. We didn’t know it at the time but our effort got us on the podium in 3rd place!
It was a great race. I’ll try to find some photos and post them later.