Red Bull X-Alps 2007: The Running Man
E365> Running Man - Tuesday August 28 2007
E365 -- Ok, this story's not exactly fresh, but it's sure as 'ell worth a read. This is what happens when an energy drink begins appealing to the most hardcore multi-sport athletes in the world to take part in a pretty hardcore event. There were many inspirational stories that emerged from the Red Bull X-Alps 2007, but possibly the most mind-boggling was that of Romanian athlete Toma Coconea, who finished second behind Switzerland’s Alex Hofer.
A totally unique adventure race, the Red Bull X-Alps was held in July and August. Its 30 competitors from 22 different nations have to hike or paraglide their way across the Alps from the Krippenstein Peak near the Dachstein glacier in Austria, to the sea in Monaco.
Coconea is by all accounts a good paragliding pilot, but he is not the strongest and he knows it. But the Red Bull X-Alps is an adventure race, not just a paragliding event, and he makes up for distance lost to his rivals in the air by running at ground level.
The race route passes five turnpoints and is 838km long as the crow flies, but add twisting roads, 4000m high mountains and most athletes cover a staggering 1300km. Coconea covered over 1000km of that by foot alone, including one stretch of 130km in 30 hours.
His sheer determination was enough to win him the Peak Performance Red Bull X-Alps Man award, aptly reflecting his never-say-die attitude.
‘Coco’ has participated in the Red Bull X-Alps twice before, but has never reached Monaco. After eight days of racing, he confirmed his ambitions as being not just to make goal, but to win outright when he wrote in his diary, “I must win this competition.”
The 31-year-old flight instructor from Petrosani invested considerable time and money preparing for the event. He spent three weeks scoping out the course with his supporter, Razvan Levarda, and put in many hours of training.
Levarda says that Coconea regularly ran up one of his local mountains with his glider on his back. As a side earner, he used to bet tourists that he could beat the cable-car to the top, which he unfailingly did.
Coconea’s strategy during the race was quite astounding. Sleeping on average three hours per night, he would run in bursts, with short stretches of walking in between. Using multiple sets of shoes on rainy days, he would put a fresh pair on at least once per hour to avoid blistering his feet. Meanwhile Levarda would dry the wet trainers with his support vehicle’s heating system on full blast.
"He sleeps in the back and I sleep with my head on the steering wheel in the front seat," Levarda said. "He actually gets more sleep than I do. There is so much to prepare before he goes to bed and before he wakes.
“Then I have to get on the road and make sure he goes the right direction."
“When he’s running, he doesn’t like to carry too much.” Levarda continues. “So every 30 minutes I have to run alongside him as he is moving and fill up his water bottle, give him a snack and a Red Bull.”
The tactics nearly paid off. Coconea, exhausted, but still setting a strong pace was just a few kilometres from getting to Monaco in first place when Hofer put in a phenomenal eleventh hour flight to overtake him and grab the win.
But the ‘Running Man’s’ efforts did not go unnoticed, and he flew into Monaco to a tremendous welcome from fans and spectators. His courage and determination helped to make the 2007 Red Bull X-Alps the most exciting yet and to all who followed his race he was a worthy winner of the Peak Performance Red Bull X-Alps Man award.
 FURTHER SURFIN' |
|
| EXTREME INSPIRATION |
| "Man, an animal that makes bargains."
|
|
Email Us
Mail article
Print article
