Le Grand Raid de la Réunion 2013

The event, held annually at Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar, is one of the toughest 100 mile trail running races out there. Wait ! There’s more: it’s also open to all. Interested?

Also known as La diagonale des fous, literally the diagonal of the mads, this race is a crossing of the Reunion Island from south to north, mostly in a diagonal manner. Created in 1989, the race is about 164 km and has a 9,920 m of elevation gain, although the length changes a bit every year due to private property crossing and weather forecast.

The mountainous terrain where La diagonale is visually breathtaking and it has very wide cut off times making it easier for the ones who have patience and endurance to keep going, running, but walking for the most part. La Reunion is also a huge mental challenge. Some portions of the race are indeed run on very steep edges where focus is the key, even after long hours of running and walking. In the past, a few runners have even fallen from those ridges, exhausted and mentally weakened, and died.

“There’s always a free spot for the crazy adventurer” says our editorial director Gaël Couturier, who ran and finished the race in 2008 in a time of 49h20'23''

Slides © VIDOT JP

Profile © Grand Raid RéunionPlace: New Delhi