Legends Don't Cry – Legends Trail Seen From The Dropbag Van

Déjà vu

I hit the motorway at Baraque de Fraiture. At about 650 m a.s.l. this is the Legends Trail course highpoint with the tent of CP4.1. We got properly snowed in here last year. Now only rain is lashing against my windscreen. I reach the HQ at Mormont just before the arrival of the fifth racer, Frédérick Hardenne from Belgium. His family awaits him with a huge champagne-like bottle of local beer. Stef and Tim add another La Chouffe fourpack with a souvenir goblet and of course a medal. The Big Four is already fast asleep in beds.

I get my warm food from the HQ chefs in the persons of Ania, Fré, Anissa and Vicky. Just like last year, without the kitchen crew all of us volunteers and racers would just die the miserable hungry death. Those tireless ladies with big help of other volunteers cook day and night and the logistics team drives their products to all checkpoints. With my stomach filled I can set off for my last shuttle.

It has already become dark. At the top of Baraque de Fraiture rain turns into heavy, melting snow. And at CP4 the same last four racers get ready to leave. The Welshman Allan Rumbles whinges about the quality of tea. But he does it with such a style that it brings laughter even to the faces of volunteers who patiently attend to his every need. No wonder that it all earns him the letter G added at the beginning of his last name. Since the very beginning he has been one of the lanternes rouges but still relentlessly pushes on. No further ago than last January he finished the 431 km long Spine Race in northern England. Using his lingo, does he recover while tabbing?

As soon as they leave we close the checkpoint, take the dropbags and all the stuff and go to the HQ in all our cars. With a bit of sadness I hand in the Bad Boy key to Joop. Together with Neil we further volunteer to help the CP4.1 crew. I feel strangely low-seated behind the wheel of my Skodovka. At Baraque de Fraiture we first walk the wrong road aiming at the last year's place. Now the tent is half a kilometre aside, lit up like a Christmas tree. A handful of volunteers is already there with hot soup, tea and coffee.

Just before midnight the first apparition shows up in the constantly falling sleet. The ghost turns out to be Allan who immediately helps himself to coffee and tea and starts to complain about their quality. For a long time he has been hallucinating about his client walking him in the woods and showing places. He was calling the pesky bastard all names. Soon after Allan arrive three flying Dutchmen. First is Rinus, and then Harold and Dennis who close the field. All seem already a bit out of touch with reality. As soon as they set off, already after 1 pm we take down the tent. It turns out to be quite an effort in what has become a proper icy snowfall when our hands are cold and our feet wet. A wee bit of déjà vu from last year.

Nobody is asleep at the HQ, all are watching dots. The racers finish alone or in groups. Both ladies, Sarah and Willemijn, receive the loudest welcome when they arrive together with Tom. Sarah is of course awaited by Buzz who supported her at all checkpoints. Just before them came the indestructible duo of Theo and Pascal, preceded by Ryan Wood, the first British runner to finish the Legends Trail. That's why he gets the warmest welcome from the safety coordinator Stu Westfield. Ryan first entered the dining hall from the opposite side. He was convinced the race should be finished by touching the giant inflatable kabouter or leprechaun, the mascot of La Chouffe brewery. A burst of laughter taught him about his mistake and he obediently walked round the building to find the proper finish gate.

I go to bed after 5 am but wake up less than three hours later. Allan and Rinus have arrived and sit with their feet in buckets of water, eating pizza and sipping their beers. The Welshman entertains the company with his stories of the race. Soon come the last two of 29 finishers – completely knackered Harold and Dennis, who had some navigation troubles at the last section of the course. The second edition of Legends Trail, the legendary Ardenne carnage, is about to close.

The finisher rate was exactly 50 per cent. Much better than last year's 15 of 47. This could be thanks to milder weather conditions, but even more due to significantly better prepared competitors.

Full race results together with the course map can be seen HERE.

And a five-part documentary of Legends Trail 2017 can be watched HERE, thanks to the media crew Astrid Claessen and Joost Mulders.

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The race directors Tim and Stef insist they do not want to exceed the limit of 100 racers. A team of over 80 people was involved in organising the race. It is not an exaggeration to say that the participants, organisers and volunteers make one international family. I have twice had a privillege to be in the middle of the action and watch the racers in their fight, highs and lows, victories and losses, and doing my little best to help them. Will I ever try my luck in this carnage? If I only manage to reach my goals at „shorter” distances – I don't say no.

Kamil Weinberg