Gilles Seni is a distinguished sportsman. He has already completed numerous races, and demonstrated rare endurance during these events. Last month, he went to the distant island of Reunion, accompanied by his wife and daughters. “It was four very busy days. In addition to the Grand Raid, we wanted to celebrate several birthdays with the family,” says the Langladois.
He ran, within the Grand raid de La Réunion, an international event, the race called Zembrocal, which includes sections in common with the well-known Diagonale des fous. The relay was made up of a team of four people: Mickaël Alves, Victor Dunande, Florian Durque and himself. It made it possible to cover one hundred and fifty kilometers, with an elevation gain of over nine thousand meters. Eight hundred runners were at the start of this gigantic adventure. All kinds of landscapes were crossed from the center of the island to the north, near Saint-Denis: volcano, sands, red rocks like the Colorado, impressive and arid.
As for the weather, heat, fog and rain accompanied the participants. Physically, nutrition and hydration were very important to perform well. But morally, it was the atmosphere, the public, and especially the family who were of great support.
“I was talking to myselfsays Gilles. You can do it. You must not give up, but always believe in it.”
A slight disappointment however, since the quartet arrived thirty-five seconds from the first step of the podium.
“But what we did together is still immense: 19:05:5 seconds, and for my part: 3:45.”
And if we ask Gilles if he rested afterwards, he replies that he rather celebrated with his friends.
Her goal is to instill in her children the values of sport: train and work to succeed, believe in yourself.
Midi Libre correspondent: 06 63 59 07 90
