“Organizing a Trail in the desert is easy!”
That’s what I’m often told.
Well… that’s not so true… or at least not completely true!
The reality is far more complex 👇
When I say that I organize La Boucle de l’Étoile, people often imagine :
🌅 desert scouting
✨ inspiring moments with the riders
🌍 spectacular landscapes
🎉 festive evenings under the stars
Yes… that’s right.
But before these pleasures… there’s the backstage.
👉 This is my daily life as an organizer:
🕕 5h45. Wake up.
A glass of water, and already I’m checking emails, WhatsApp, logistical updates. The mind lights up even before the second glass!
📋 7h00. Schedule.
Service providers, authorizations, sponsors, hosting, security, com… every detail counts. The slightest flaw is costly.
💻 7h15. Dad mode ON: school starts 👦
Then visios, technical coordination, content creation, digital management, registrations… (sometimes) a quick lunch in front of the screen.
📞 3pm-6pm. Unforeseen.
I juggle French schedules 🇫🇷, Moroccan 🇲🇦, European 🌍. Emergencies? Always. I block 15 min of renfo 🏋 to breathe.
👦 4pm-5pm. Return to school.
My well-deserved family break. But the day’s not over…
🌙 18h00. Evening event.
I reread articles, fine-tune concepts, fine-tune every detail. I want to be as close as possible to runners and walkers.
🙅♂️ Weekends? We try to balance…
Family first ❤️ but always connected. Being at 1000% means respect for my participants and service providers. I’m ultra-demanding (especially of myself) because I carry this race like a flag.
🏃♂️ 10 km outing to keep the cardio up and get away from it all.
💥 Pleasure + adrenalin
Organizing a major international race is a passionate profession. The dream is even more beautiful when you understand what it costs in energy, commitment and heart.
💫 I love organizing, taking knocks too (it happens!), but above all giving pleasure to others. Because La Boucle de l’Étoile is much more than a race: it’s a human adventure, a vision, a crazy gamble.
Cyril Marchand
#BoucleEtoile #Trail #UltraTrail #Morocco #Adventure
