While Emmanuel Macron deplored Thursday that the French take "lightly" the confinement instructions aimed at slowing down the coronavirus epidemic, some have found a way to make their usual activities coexist and respect the rules. This is the case for the Toulousain Elisha Nochomovitz. At 32, this accomplished sportsman runs a marathon ... to say the least original.
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Seven meters long, one meter wide
Rather than spend his confinement in slippers, the thirty-something opted for his running shoes. Elisha Nochomovitz is indeed used to marathons, he has already run 36 in his career and ten just last year. But with the arrival of the Covid-19, he had to change his habits. Impossible for him with the confinement of going to run in Balma, in the Toulouse region. So he had an idea ...
Rather than defying the ban, he decided to run a marathon ... at home, on his balcony! 42 kilometers in a space of seven meters long by one meter wide. According to his calculations, more than 6000 round trips ... "I have a notion of distance", he explains to Europe 1. "I was prepared to do those of Paris and Barcelona, which have been canceled unfortunately, so I had the condition. This is a bit of a culmination. (...) The word itself, 'balcony marathon', is inappropriate, but I am a defiant man and as soon as I have something in mind, I want to go all the way, "he explains to the Europe 1 microphone.
"In terms of logistics, it's great!"
"I am fortunate to have the view of the heights of Toulouse and the Pyrenees in the background," continues the sportsman. "Then the neighbors watched me go back and forth on the balcony, it made it possible to keep a 'down-to-earth' link ..." And in addition to the landscape, the runner was able to find several advantages to this long race in such a small space. "Running, there are ups and downs and sometimes it can lead to gastric problems," he points out first. "So having a home marathon already has a toilet next door!"
Another positive point according to him: "In terms of logistics, it's great! No need for transport, overnight hotel, to find how to eat, I tell myself that ultimately it's not bad." His companion was even able to prepare supplies for him as he went along. "Aside from the atmosphere on the course and back and forth on the balcony, I would say that it doesn't change much, it's just a little bit longer. "
"I wanted to play down the situation"
Beyond sporting performance - the Toulousain completed its 42 km in just under seven hours, against four usually -, Elisha especially wants to raise awareness: "Above all, I wanted to entertain and bring a little balm to caregivers who are fighting on the front lines to save lives. I wanted to play down the confinement situation with a little bit of humor. We have to follow the instructions of the government and the caregivers who ask us to stay at home. house, "he explains.
Followed by nearly 21,000 followers on Instagram, Elisha admits that this challenge was also a way of proving that he had "really still under the hood". "I hung on, I went all the way, it was not easy because it was long, but I received messages all day on Instagram, it's true that I was very helped complete this challenge, "he breathes.
From now on, the Toulouse athlete does not forbid anything if the confinement were to last for a few more weeks. "In my mind, it's germinating as not possible, it's a plantation of ideas as far-fetched as each other," he describes. "On the one hand I would like to improve my own record, because I think I have not given the best of myself, and perhaps increase the distance, a 50 or 60 terminals, an ultra."