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Trail heads : portrait #3

Adil is sure about it now: whatever his handicap, hope and determination always help him finish races. His next target: the 80km of the EcoTrail Paris.

Adil, 45, is like all men his age. He has dreams and passions, including trail running. His sporting resume is so impressive one could easily forget he has a handicap. Adil is blind. He lost his eyesight when he was 25 years old, after a retinal detachment. Nothing that prevents him from running though, even if he has to win the battle against himself during each race: "It’s usually very difficult for me, but the most important thing is that I am running with people who are seeing. I’m suffering, but we are sharing the same world." And that is essential for this fighter whose personality is so touching.

The story

There was one dream he wanted to realize: running a marathon. It was a challenge Adil had already set for himself before he became blind. His handicap only pushed him even more towards accomplishing his goal. And in 2011, Adil finished the Sénart marathon in 4 hours and 11 minutes, accompanied by a seeing runner of the "Courir en duo" association. Even though the young man ran his first practice kilometers in solo, he quickly had to accept being guided in all situations. It was too dangerous for him, but also for the others. "At the beginning, I ran alone, with only a cane. People called me "the stuntman". That gives you an idea of how I ran my courses and of the falls I could not avoid. " That first 42km had a great signification for him and he still can’t believe he ran it. "I took it all to the next level with this race. I achieved my goal. But I didn’t stop there. " Came a second marathon that he could not run in the end, and a third one in Paris in 2012, finished in 4 hours and 14 minutes. His dedication and commitment never fail to impress. 

30, 45 and now 80km

Adil’s success is indeed dizzying. He ran (and finished) almost all races in Paris. But it’s not that surprising when you know that this running bulimic fully dedicates himself to preparation, with 4 to 5 practice sessions per week, in Saint-Cloud or in the Bois de Boulogne. Nothing can stop him, neither the rain, that amuses him, nor the mud, that makes him slip. Adil is ready to take on all obstacles and easily elude each one of them. The ideal approach for a first trail. "It was like a revelation. I had the greatest time at the EcoTrail Paris!" It began with the 30km in 2017, finished in 3 hours and 18 minutes. Then, the 45km in 2018, that he was so happy to finish in 5 hours and 51 minutes with four of his buddies. "I can’t see, but I can smell the trees, the mud, the race. That’s what carries me on." Adil’s objective for 2019 is the 80km. A new target. A dream. Yet an objective less crazy than the 100km he hopes to run the same year. But still a great challenge that will force him out of his comfort zone once again and that will require him to go beyond his own limits while being even more careful. "I have to provide a much bigger effort than those who see to make it to the finish line. But sharing all of this with them is priceless. And it’s proof that whatever the struggle, you can always change your life." Beautiful words to live by.