You walk into Fontcouverte on tired feet. Almost 30 kilometres lie behind you, and you can feel every one of them in your hips. There wasn’t much climbing: today’s little ascents are nothing in themselves. It was the distance that counted, kilometre after kilometre across open country from Saint-Jean-d’Angély.
Around 8 hours is a long time, even when the terrain feels flat. The rhythm of the day carries you, but you do have to keep it going. Take your breaks seriously and eat before you get hungry. At the end, you’re allowed to just sit for a while. Step by step, you’ll get there. That’s all it is.