Dement 3.0 2016. We keep learning

1 de December de 2016

Not long ago, a good friend asked me, “What are you doing in Dements? You’ve only known them for four days,” and I really didn’t know how to give him an answer. The fact is that one thing has led to another and as you make your way you know where you start but never where you’ll end up, and after a little more than a year after getting involved in this mess, I may be finding the answer to the question.

I suppose it’s about professional training, I always try to get close to where I can learn something, and if this edition has given me anything it has been a few lessons, from which I have taken many, many notes and many lessons from the almost 300 collaborators who have made it possible to make this mountaineering dream come true, and although I would like to name them all, I will group them by the lessons they have taught me.

A lesson in perseverance, stubbornness and knowledge of mountains and races from the leaders of this adventure. They have given us many slaps, especially in the last month, but these guys have managed to solve it brilliantly. In addition to a balanced way, they have managed to form a team of completely diverse mountain people, but tremendously cohesive and coordinated, creating the Dements family.

A lesson in professionalism, Andrés (photographer), Enrique (Speaker), David (Timing) and the little one in security and all his team, who in a complex, long and very hard test have been fulfilling before, during and after.

A lesson in knowing how to behave, responsibility and passion for a town that is carried in the heart. Enormous and admirable work by all the people of Eslida who have collaborated in one way or another in Dements, almost all the people from Eslida feel joy and pride of what the race has contributed to the town. Most of them do not even have a relationship with the mountains and races, but they have been there all weekend to make sure that nobody lacked anything, with a big smile and always willing to help. I was insisting to the final refreshment teams, finish, last part of the race, that they were organized in shifts, the day was very long, and everyone was there practically from the start of the race until everything was packed, almost 15 hours without stopping working, skipping the established shifts so as not to leave their assigned places, and doing any task that we entrusted to them.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH PEOPLE OF ESLIDA!!!

Mountain lesson. All those clubs that have altruistically spent the day in the Serra d’Espadà, at the refreshment stations, without any benefit, just responding to our call, wanting to participate in this trail running party, clubs that will be friends forever. This week closing the evaluations with them, all the same final phrase… if you continue with this approach to the race, count on us for whatever you need.

A lesson in trust from all the sponsors and patrons who have helped us to the best of their ability and who have repeated or joined in this edition.

A lesson in mountain madness. The entire team of mountain people who have made the group «Organització Dements 3.0» boil, who have spent a whole year participating in training, marking, re-marking and each one looking for their companions and teams to make the «Territori Dement» full of blue vests, giving security to the race, accompanying all the runners, encouraging and pushing them always forward and upward.

A lesson in unconditional love, respect for my passion and “until death do us part”. For my family, especially for my life partner, Laura. Dements has not lasted just one weekend. It’s not enough that I’ve been absent from long training sessions, meetings at odd hours and endless race preparations. The whole family has been involved 100% and they are just another Dements. Laura, Marcos and even grandma Lolita, who stayed with Aleix all weekend and helped us make chocolate on Friday, have been living for Dements 24 hours a day for many days, preparing meals, handing out race numbers, receiving us at the finish line, collecting us at the end until Sunday night… I will never, ever, ever be able to thank you or repay you.

To the runners, we’ll be waiting for you all at Dements 4.0. If you come back it’s our greatest reward and it’s hard to find a negative comment. Welcome to La Marató dels Dements: Eslida al cel d’Espadà.

I’ll try to close the book of Dements 3.0 soon, and continue learning at Dements 4.0, which has already written the beginning.

By the way, old friend, I don’t know if I have answered your question… but I will stick with a phrase that one of the volunteers answered me when at the end of the day I apologized for having kept him out of his assigned place all morning, alone and with a great responsibility: “Let’s go!!!”

Signed, one of those volunteers.