Focus on the walker of the extreme Gérard Bertin, a kilometers's swallower who launched, in 2019, the challenge of the march of the angels to the two organizing associations.
Trying to count the kilometers traveled by Gérard Bertin would make you dizzy.At 71, the Normand of Saint-Jean-de-Folleville (Seine-Maritime) notably crossed France seven times.
Long distances lover
But what interests him Gérard is the long, even very long distances.For example, he connected Lillebonne (Seine-Maritime) to Lisbon in Portugal.Or just over 1,700 km.But that was not enough for him.So he decided to go again from Lillebonne to join Moscow this time in Russia.A journey of almost 3,000 km retraced in a book.
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"I need these long distances," says Gérard.The Norman can also boast of being the record holder on the Saint-Malo-Mont-Saint-Michel-Sète circuit, 1,000 km traveled in 11 days without sleeping.So much so that people sometimes recognize it all over France.
"It's always a mental battle to go further and further.I experienced mind-blowing things, "he said.Recently, he passed near the latequières, place of arrival of the Angels' march, since he completed the Tour de Normandie (450 km) in a week.
Of all these races, Gérard holds a hell of a bunch of anecdotes.He tells in particular:
"Going to Moscow I slept in the forest where I met trappers with their big Russian 4x4s who brought me home.I met monks and sisters in Poland.During a race in the desert, I got lost.The army had given us 3 hours to survive if we got lost.I found my way safe and a half day later.»
But how does he communicate during these impromptu abroad meetings?"The important thing in these meetings is understanding that emerges from gestures and looks," says Gérard.If his last race should have been the sand marathon in Morocco, he is preparing today to complete a round trip Paris-London."I'm just waiting for the queen's authorization," he jokes.
What is his secret?
The septuagenarian says he himself "indestructible".And during a race in Monaco, Prince Albert himself wanted to ask him the question in person.But what is Gérard Bertin's secret?
"I have no particular secrets.I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't eat fatty, I don't drug myself.And above all I train all year round.Which allows me to remain very tonic.»
The initiator of the angels' march
If the idea was born in Gérard's head, she materializes thanks to her feet and her collaboration with the association Petit Ange together against meningitis and KelailesCore.It is on an edition of 24 hours non-stop from the Roman road in Lillebonne that Gérard meets Rémy Orain almost ten years ago.
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Then in 2019 he launched the challenge that will become the march of the angels."I wanted to surprise Patricia, the president of the Petit Ange association, to help her continue to fight against meningitis.» Et quand on lui demande pourquoi il s’investit autant, il répond humblement : “À la fin ma récompense ce ne sont qu’un t-shirt et verre d’eau.»
The challenge launched by Gérard therefore quickly became reality.And when in 2020 the Covid disturbs the event, he does everything to make the angels' walk held.“You should never drop.Associations are fragile.» Il se met donc à relever le défi des 135 km depuis chez lui sur son tapis de course.But it is very happy that walking normally resumes this year.
“En physique c’est un autre regard, confirme Gérard, c’est du vivant, du concret, des mairies à l’écoute, des discussions, des pots aussi…» C’est bien cet esprit que voulait mettre en place Gérard Bertin.
"I always want to talk, to communicate ... it's hard to stay alone when you walk.I invite families affected by the disease, or in mourning, to come and share a moment, a discussion, to dare to express themselves and not to ignore what they live.»
The main objective of the event being to raise awareness of meningitis and to inform as many people as possible on the subject.“Do not hesitate to shake up people to inform them about the disease.» Ainsi, des photos et noms d’enfants décédés de la méningite figurent cette année sur l’affiche de l’évènement.
The one who was an insubmersible tennis player on clay, and who was previously 10,000km of mountain bike per year, "I'm not ready to stop, I still have as much under the sole".He would also like to complete the course of the Angels' walk in a round trip on a day.
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