La Transtica 2008 Report
March 9, 2009 ·
Written by trailrunningSoul.com ·
Filed Under Race Reports
La Transtica coast to coast
The competitors of the first edition of La Transtica constitute of a group of 23 runners, a number which gives the race a human and convivial dimension. For this first year we have 5 represented nations with France, Denmark, Quebec, Spain and Costa Rica with an indigenous from a tribe.
But as mentioned by Philippe Cordero, race manager and founder of this project, the first edition of Transtica will not be big in quantity but in quality..
Indeed, the hunters of first editions in the world of runners joined us so as Didier Pommey with about 80 countries visited by running, 50 marathons, 60 adventure races, 800 races in 25 years, the partners Mark Perrier, Gerard Verdenet and Raymond Brandhonneur who went through the world again and again to compete in the biggest international races, world-famous, as MDS, UTMB, the Rock and Ice, Marathon Jungle, 100 miles Namibia, 66°33, La Diagonale des fous, Extreme Marathon Augrabies, Challenge of the Andes, Guadarun, Badwater, Annapurna Mandala Trail, Paris Gao Dakar, Spartathlon, Trans 333, Trans 555, 100 miles Southern Africa, Trans Gaule 2007.
Without forgetting experienced local runners qualified on the rise of the volcano CHIRIPO, the biggest foot race of Costa Rica.
Another feature, and not the slightest, is the presence of 7 women runners recording eloquent performances on this kind of adventure.
Besides this international diversity, the ambition of each covered a large range:
From the famous newscaster of the national Costa Rican TV who has never run such a race in his life and who announced during the press conference that he is going go through La Transtica by walking, to Dominique Bourdet, winner of The Marathon of Nantes, of the raid Transhimalayenne, of the Road of the silk, of the Defi Austral or Mary Chantal Emonides three time winner of Le grand raid de la Martinique. On La Transtica, everybody finds his place through two different courses: Adventure Race with stages around 20 kms and the Extreme Race from 30 to 40 kms per stage.
It is a real proof of confidence towards our organization, which is not setting its first event there. Indeed, we had organized, during several years, raids multi-sports abroad and since 2007 we turned to the Trail with the organization of two trails two in France, Le Trail des Balcons d’Azur and the Free Ride Classic Mandelieu in the south of France. Our trademark is the solidarity and the humanitarian goals associated to our races.
250 km from the beach of Manuel Antonio up to Puerto Viejo de Limon, a true human and sports adventure. The change of scene is total; the runners are plunged into deep Costa Rica far from tourist standards.
The main objective of the Trail LA TRANSTICA in COSTA RICA is to introduce the country way of life, Pura Vida, through a sporting event with humanitarian goals.
We propose you to share an adventure where the surpassing of ourselves but also the aid and the solidarity will be the soul of this challenge, in the middle of a particularly exceptional natural frame, COSTA RICA. Between two oceans, the race defines itself by a unique crossing of a natural amazing paradise in the discovery of a culture.
The Stages
Nov 21st – Prologue on Manuel Antonio beach
Afternoon dedicated to a short test on the public beach of the famous site of Manuel Antonio in the purpose of allocating race numbers. Three loops of 2 km and we could attrib our 22 race numbers. The good mood of everybody was obvious and it was fine to see an excellent sports behavior, strong minds for a running in a solidarity spirit.
But, already the first competitor’s gives the tone, and what we believed to be an adventure under the sign of discovery turned out to be a real competition of high level. Dominique got the number n°1, behind the candidates are: Spanish, Canadian and Costa Rican.
After the arrival, a promise of donations of medical equipment was committed to Nely Quesada, responsible for the health centre of Londres.
Nov 22nd – Stage 1 = Quepos – Jungle camp – La Selvita.
A first superb stage on 20 km, departure, along the pacific coast, in the middle of a green palm grove to reach progressively the tropical jungle, about 15 km of flat with bridge crossings and some rivers to ford then a progressive rise which will bring our runners in the middle of the jungle. Dominique Bordet (FR), Salvador Calvo (SP), Martin Ladouceur ((CAN) for the men and Danielle De Guire (CAN), Pascale FOUQUES (FR) and Yvonne Radondy (FR) for the women, some distanced rapidly but most competitors are close as shown by the ranking table.
The main difficulty of this stage is heat and humidity, which reigns over this part of Costa Rica. Already, organisms are affected and we see tiredness on those who already drew on their reserves. The bivouac is reduced to its simplest expression; a shelter opened on the ambient jungle is a reward for this first day of Trail, it is quickly necessary to restore and to have a rest before the night, which will be short
Once again, the organization had to change the next course because of the collapse of the main track. The solution is to set up a night stage to make more difficult the stage which was amputated by 20 km.
Nov 23rd – Stage 2 = La Selvita – Santa Maria de Dota = night stage
A night stage for our runners waked up at 3 o’ clock this morning, to leave for an intense stage, with a positive difference of level of 1300 m.
The apprehension is shown on faces, the group is less loudly than the day before on the starting line. It is raining, the night is black and the stressful noises from the jungle resound in immensity. Departure is given and the lights of the cars reassure the first strides of trailers on this track which will be only going up till the arrival..
The rising of the sun enjoyed everybody across the road of El Pito, located in full humid rainforest. The intense fog, which will not quit the runners, gives an unreal ambience to this stage, which will remain in memories blended by apprehension, by fright, by stress and by discovery. Arrival at the bivouac of Santa Maria Dota at about 8 h where the runners will take benefit of the morning to rest.
Afterwards they manage to restore by enjoying a huge salmon trout, and the afternoon is dedicated to solidarity, in the small village of Esperanza where we were warmly welcomed by the major part of thee community (250 inhabitants). The children danced for our runners and we gave them our promise of donation made of medical equipments for the health centre of El Enpalme as well as school equipments to the school without forgetting of course the very expected wheelchair given to Yolanda who burst of joy, clothes and basic food for her family.
In the evening, some will fill their road book, others will wash their linen before sitting down together in front of a grilled pig.
If the runners lay down early to confront the following day, a stage of jungle, the organization, is not yet fixed on holding the next stage. We have been alerted by the Red Cross, which is part of our organization with two ambulances 4X4, 4 first-aid workers and a paramedic that the country is under red alarm further to bad weather, on the sector of the next stage and over all the end of the race.
A meeting of crisis is obvious with the direction of the race and the representative of security.
Tension is high and opinions diverge, Hervé have the responsibility of security and playing his moderator’s role does not want to launch the runners of the adventure course in the national park of Tapanti (altitude rain forest) which is a part of stage right in the middle of the jungle constituted by a primary forest with difficult sloping progression on a muddy and slippery ground, taking account of the risk of landslide and of fall of trees further to an uninterrupted rain and violent winds. Philippe, responsible for a raid in altitude during 7 years and manager of the race, wants to allow both courses “extreme” and “adventure” bearing on experience, competences, physical capacities and aptitude of the group to progress in hostile environment, by knowing that it will be the only stage of this style on Transtica 2008.
After a debate more than shared, decision is made to allow only extreme runners on the initial course and to set up for adventure runners a less difficult course.
Nov 24th – Stage 3 = Santa Maria de Dota – El Humo = link stage
After this difficult night, the weather did not improve and the rain is still very strong. But, we stay on our positions despite of the storm which clamps down on Costa Rica! Roads were cut by landslides, ascending rains on the Atlantic coast which invade the inside of the land, but our runners catch up and their constant good mood, helps us tremendously to deal with these problems!.
We are about to leave and the Red Cross informs us that a river in flood took a bridge on the itinerary of this stage which means big changes again.
It’s a disaster for the adventure course, which was due to start from this bridge. The organization reacts: Extreme and Adventure runners will cross Tapanti within a link stage (timer off). A unique crossing in an unreal ambience where the rain, the mud, the trees shot down, drove the progression to a level of difficulty never reached before according to our Costa Rican guides who had to cut again passages with their machete before the passage of the runners.
The road is changed for questions of security but our runners will not be frustrated after the crossing of the national park of Tapanti to finish among the coffee fields. Dominique Bordet (FR) and Salvador Calvo Redondo (SP) finished with a good advance on the rest of the group.
Nov 25th – Stage 4 = El Humo – San Pablo
Another day intense in emotion on one hand by the more than warm welcome of communities of Pejibaje this morning and of San Pablo this evening, and on the other hand by an improvised stage at the last minute, due to other landslides on initial course. The two races will therefore be regrouped once again but it did not spoil the day before, as everybody keeps morale and smile. The runners are delighted and have fun.
Hey! The famous differences in altitudes of Costa Rica! Another huge stage for the runners with the ascent of the mountain, Cerros Attiro, to appreciate the view on the lake of Turialba, to enjoy its famous rivers by following them, running them, crossing them on hanging bridges and all that as usual, in the middle of splendid decors: “fincas” (big farms), fields of sugar cane, mountain landscapes in summits and more exotic landscape under Caribbean influence when going down, getting closer to the final arrival.
Thanks to the children of the 2 schools which welcomed us by their traditional songs and their speeches of gratitude which gave us so much emotion, as well as their drawings and small presents. This does really help us to quickly forget awful weather condition and troubles of these last days.
Different medical donations and school materials will be given to them dices reception of our container still stuck in customs.
Nov 26th – Stage 5 = San Pablo-Limon : stage set up at the last minute
What’s going on in Costa Rica!
Torrential rains beat down on the country, the government declared the state of emergency on the area of Limon: landslides everywhere, rivers overflowing and the sea gaining on the land. Again, we are forced to change our plans, on this transfer stage, as at the last minute descent in rafting on Río Pacuare is cancelled.
This stage was supposed to be a day off. A “small” fatty morning to relax in this exuberant and exceptional nature before leaving, easy, on board of rafts on the river Pacuare classified among the best worldwide rivers for the rafting. In reality, today is not the day since the agitation of his rapids, classified level III and IV cannot guarantee the security of the descent for neophytes.
So, again, we had to set up a new stage that we had recognized the day before in anticipation of the cancellation of the rafting. A new transfer in vehicle to by-pass another road collapsed, we “loaded” the runners at the back of a pick up under a tarpaulin, which protected them from a torrential rain, change of scene obliges.
Departure is given in a local grocery at the angle of a street which looks like a torrent. On competitors faces appears tiredness and lassitude, the bad weather is going on, but our runners are Extreme runners who will not give up because of climatic conditions and they will keep on smiling nonetheless! They are brilliant!! In reward, we offer them a nice stage, going down the track with many passages of rivers overflowing and with the appearance of waterfalls and sometimes a torrent is replacing the track, direction the Atlantic coast, in the rain, certainly, but very appreciated by the sprinters. Dominique Bordet (FR) arrived comfortable followed by Salvador (SP), Martin (CAN) and Roiny (CR).
The beach of Bahia Estrella where had to make the camping being completely flooded, we all ended up to sleep in the rancho room of a restaurant in Limon, where we even had the sea view.
Nov 27th – Bahia Estrella-Puerto viejo de Limon: 30 km of beaches
It was due to be a dream finish!!
A straight course following the Caribbean Sea: a baby Rio to cross, by boat, in the middle of crocodiles and sharks, with again kilometers off beaches, then a little refreshment on 9 km of track of the teeming forest of the national park of Cahuita following the ocean where some fans will not miss to support you (monkeys, sloths, reptiles, raccoons ” Mapache ” etc.) and the beach again, immaculate, the sand changing of color almost instantly black, white, beige, no one as far as the eye can see ,a pleasure to run on progressive grounds, tough at the beginning then soft later and an arrival in the small seaside city of Puerto Viejo de Limon in Creole colors, another facet of Costa Rica.
Unfortunately, this will not be for this year, we are disappointed to be unable to give this final to our runners who deserve it, but there is nothing we can do, the beach is gulped down by the sea which arrives directly on the forest, a sea charged with alluvium coming down from the mountain and spreading over the mouths of rivers.
We decide to visit the park Manuel Antonio who is partially closed and will leave from our hotel together to make an epilogue of a kilometer along the beach of Puerto Viejo de Limon to finish in cohesion, hand to hand, filmed by the national television sharing a collation with local natives, a final in apotheosis where the emotion due to a successful edition is shown on everybody eyes.
Nov 28th – Closing ceremony, French Embassy, San José
We all meet to the hotel comfortably installed in the city center to make the last purchases of souvenirs.
At 18 o’clock, the French ambassador gives a reception in favor of La Transtica for the awards ceremony.
Classifications are issued and rewards are distributed. The ambassador thanks us for having brought back our competitors save despite of difficult climatic conditions.
By being able to stay humble while facing awful weather conditions, this first edition of LA Transtica had never behave as a conqueror in a country where needs are huge. Humility, sympathy and solidarity of all the athletes allowed this Trail risk to rise beyond purely sports mind.
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