UTMB 2008 Tour of Mont Blanc (1)
Friends, shadow of beauty, wonderland and the shrike thorn tree (1)
Aloha ami(e)s traileurs,
Here I am, back again in Chamonix, standing and glaring at the starting line. Shooting pictures among the other medias of the so called elite athlete. I feel a little awkward in this situation as I hold a tiny camera compared to the
other professional photograph gears. I am no free lance, just a guy with a thing for landscape beauty, photos and
friendship.
I really do not know if I should consider it as a race. Elite guys could say that in a way, however even the top notched racers admit the special atmosphere of respect mixed with friendliness around the competition spirit. In addition, I would rather say, 166 km around the mount blanc, crossing three countries, climbing more than 9500 meters height constitute a challenging journey...
You'll bet ! How could I imagine at this very moment I will explore such opposite, but enmeshed, realms in a single
race ? I am not talking about geography...but the underlying sentiments that surface up during extraordinary
conditions: let me introduce the shadow of beauty, the friendship, wonderland and the shrike thorn tree.
First of all, the ultra trail of mont blanc race is considered as the outdoor racer's Mecca. Something that we desire for its legend (10% finishers on the first edition five years ago) and despise for its inevitable business oriented craze. I could say that I enjoy the loneliness ride in the calanques near Marseille, conversely my presence here paricipate to this craze. UFO magazine (specialized in ultrarace i.e beyond the marathon distance) granted me a press badge to cover the event as a runner-photographer. Quite a good spot to live the event back and frontstage. Therefore my focus is oriented inside-out the race, however could this posture represent a drag or an advantage? Could I have even both? Like an electron jealously hiding behind a quantic cloud, knowing that no physicist could ever define its position and speed simultaneously, the race will alternate the inside and outside phase of my consciousness...until ?
[the sequel Wonderland and Miss Delirium.....!]
Aloha ami(e)s traileurs,
Here I am, back again in Chamonix, standing and glaring at the starting line. Shooting pictures among the other medias of the so called elite athlete. I feel a little awkward in this situation as I hold a tiny camera compared to the
other professional photograph gears. I am no free lance, just a guy with a thing for landscape beauty, photos and
friendship.
I really do not know if I should consider it as a race. Elite guys could say that in a way, however even the top notched racers admit the special atmosphere of respect mixed with friendliness around the competition spirit. In addition, I would rather say, 166 km around the mount blanc, crossing three countries, climbing more than 9500 meters height constitute a challenging journey...
You'll bet ! How could I imagine at this very moment I will explore such opposite, but enmeshed, realms in a single
race ? I am not talking about geography...but the underlying sentiments that surface up during extraordinary
conditions: let me introduce the shadow of beauty, the friendship, wonderland and the shrike thorn tree.
First of all, the ultra trail of mont blanc race is considered as the outdoor racer's Mecca. Something that we desire for its legend (10% finishers on the first edition five years ago) and despise for its inevitable business oriented craze. I could say that I enjoy the loneliness ride in the calanques near Marseille, conversely my presence here paricipate to this craze. UFO magazine (specialized in ultrarace i.e beyond the marathon distance) granted me a press badge to cover the event as a runner-photographer. Quite a good spot to live the event back and frontstage. Therefore my focus is oriented inside-out the race, however could this posture represent a drag or an advantage? Could I have even both? Like an electron jealously hiding behind a quantic cloud, knowing that no physicist could ever define its position and speed simultaneously, the race will alternate the inside and outside phase of my consciousness...until ?
[the sequel Wonderland and Miss Delirium.....!]