The Running Man
Cap d’Antibes – Running made easy.
If you are the kind of person who finds running fun then I guess Cap d’Antibes is one of the most beautiful places in the world to do it. All year round you will see a constant stream of these people on the Cap come rain or shine. Samuel, apart form bearing a striking resemblance to Tim Roth, is one of these people.
What’s your connection to the Cap, why are you here?
I am here because Cap d’Antibes is the best place to run. It’s perfectly suited to running as it is quite flat and also the views are amazing which makes training easier. Whenever I run I come here so I spend quite a lot of time on the Cap.
I live in Antibes but at the back of Antibes. I live high up at the back of the town so I come here to the Cap as often as possible to run. Everyone comes here to run and also to train because it has everything. You have the sea for swimming, you have flat areas and steep areas for running and it’s also good for cycling. For that reason you will always see triathletes training around here.
How long have you lived in Antibes?
I have lived here since 2007, before I lived in St Laurent du Var for 10 years and before that I lived in Albi near Toulouse. I have been on the Cote d’Azur for 20 years.
Originally I came just for 1 year for work but then I ended up staying. To be honest I didn’t want to leave. The weather is always good and it’s a very different life to life in a City. Where I was before there was no sea, no mountains, it was grey and rainy. The Cote d’Azur was for me completely the opposite. I fell in love with it and am happy I had the opportunity to make my home here.
What does the logo on your top refer to?
I am a member of ASOA which is the oldest sports club in Antibes. ASOA stands for Association Sportive Ouvrière Antiboise which was founded in 1934. All the members of our club come to run here. The club is made up of many sections and I am a member of what we call the Run and Tri (for Triathlon) part of the association.
Being a member of the club is a good way to meet other runners from the area. It’s just for people who love to run rather than for professionals. We train every Wednesday at Fort Carre and then on the weekend most of us come here to Cap d’Antibes.
The club also organises a race every year on the Cap called the Cavalaire du Cap which has been going for many many years. The race begins at Plage Salis and then we run up to the phare via Chemin du Calvaire and back down again. It’s a 10km race and it’s very challenging to run as Chemin du Calvaire is a steep path with many steps and the ground is also very uneven.
Many people come from all over to take part in this race which is held in April, it’s quite famous.
If you are a runner it is a big event. There is also another annual running event which is happening next weekend called ‘Courir pour une fleur’ and then of course you have the Nice to Cannes Marathon every November which also goes around the Cap. Unfortunately I am not competing in any of the races this year as I am currently carrying an injury so I have decided not to take part.
Do you run professionally?
Not at all No. I do it just because I love to run. It’s a pleasure for me. There are many people from the Triathalon part of the club who come here to train and they often swim here on Plage des Ondes. I don’t do the tiathalon but I do sometimes join them to swim. But those guys, they are like Torpedos, they get in the water and boom they are gone, I can’t keep up with them.
Cap d’Antibes is actually perfect if you are a swimmer because you have the two sides. When one side is windy and the sea is choppy the other side will be completely the opposite so there is always somewhere on the Cap where one can train. You don’t find that anywhere else in France. The only problem we have here are the Jellyfish but apart from that it’s perfect.
How often do you run? and how far?
I run 2 to 3 times a week with the Club. The training is quite hard but it is essential that I push myself in order to progress. Training with other people really helps and in addition the atmosphere is great. Then at the weekends I will go further afield to run. If I have no races then I might also train on Monday or Friday … if I have room in my timetable! !! In total that adds up to between 20 to 30 km per week!
How old were you when you started to run regularly?
I have always run, but never with as much regularity and intensity as this year! It’s become a drug! When we run regularly, we secrete endorphin which is the molecule of well-being and happiness! That’s why we say it’s a drug !!! I’m a drug addict somehow. Being in a club is also very motivating because we support each other and we encourage eachother to meet up on weekends, to sign up for races or to train around the Cap d’Antibes.
Not being a runner myself, infact far from it, I wonder what drives you to run, why do you enjoy it?
Beyond the well being that running provides I like the sense of freedom. It’s a way of finding yourself for sure. I have time to ask myself questions and especially the time to find the answers to these questions while I am running.
After that I can’t lie … like anyone who practices a sport regularly, the main drive is to challenge yourself and to beat your last performance!
Do you work in sports?
Actually my work is not at all sports related. During the week I work in advertising. I sell digital marketing solutions to business clients in the region.
Did you ever want to enter into a career in a sports related field?
No, never! Sports and running has only happened recently in my life.
For more information on ASOA click here
Le Calvaire Antibois info
Nice to Cannes Marathon website
Courir pour une Fleur info
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