The Camino by Fernanda Maciel. 900km of trail running in 10 days. “Whiteflow”: From St Jean pied de port to Santiago along the Way of Saint James.

Posted by mayayo oxigeno on October 12, 2012 in camino de santiago, caminodesantiago, fernanda maciel, the camino, the north face, the north face athletes, trail running, trail running spain, ultra running spain, Ultra Trail, way of saint james, whiteflow project | 1 Comment

The Camino de Santiago has always been a trail to travel within ourselves as much as to cover the 900km that end at the great cathedral where the relics of Saint James now lie in Spain. Fernanda Maciel has just completed it running for a charity as one more of the pilgrims in just 10 days. This is her story.

The Camino finishes at Santiago de Compostela. Fernanda Maciel savouring the moment.

THE CAMINO: THE WAY OF SAINT JAMES. 900km pilgrimage to Santiago.

The Camino was born with the discovery of Saint James’ (“Santiago Apóstol” in spanish) grave, in the 9th century, in the place that nowadays is known as the city of Santiago de Compostela in Spain. The Way of Saint James became the most important pilgrimage course of the Medieval Europe. Countless pilgrims, moved by faith, took on the trail from their homes all over Europe and followed it all the way to Compostela, (“Field of the stars”) In the process, the pilgrimage melting pot provided for a great artistic, social, cultural and economic development taht can still be enjoyed along the way.

The Camino at Navarra, first kilometers into Spain.

The Camino de Santiago live on. It is nowadays stronger than ever, with many thousands of pilgrims from all over the world sharing the trail for days and weeks in end on their way to the Cathedral where the relic still lies. Actually, the trail is not about reaching the end, but rather about what happens in between. Its more about The Camino passing by ourselves, rather than the other way around.

FERNANDA MACIEL: A TRAIL RUNNER´S LIFE.

Fernanda Maciel and TNF teammate Seb Chaigneau, winners at Transgrancanaria 123km

Fernanda was born the 24th June 1980 at Belo Horizonte in the state of Minas Gerais, a land of mountains and waterfalls in the Southeast of Brazil. She remembers when a child talking to her friends about her dreams to “travel the world”. At the age of 8 she began practicing artistic gymnastic, and two years later she was already training and competing in the United States. Later she took on capoeira, jiu-jitsu and running. At the age of 23 she discovered adventure racing, and thus began to tackle long expeditions around the world.

In 2008 Fernanda started focusing her activity upon trail running, particulary into the ultrarunning specialty. Since 2009 The North Face sponsors her, and she has therefore been able t0 run professionally through mountains around the world. She is making her dream come true, a step at a time. Nowadays Fernanda lives in a small village of the Spanish Pyrenees, Coll the Nargó, but still feels very connected to the rivers and mountains of her homeland.

Fernanda Maciel Ultra Trail top results:
7th Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc 2012, 103km/France
1st STY Ultra Trail Mont Fuji 2012 / Japan
1st Transgrancanaria North Face 2012 123km/Spain
1st The North Face Lavaredo Ultra Trail 2011 90km/Italy
5th Ultra Cavalls del Vent 2011 85km/Spain
4th Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc 2010 166km/France
1st TDS – Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc 2009, 106km/France (2009)

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FERNANDA MACIEL´S WHITEFLOW PROJECT

White Flow was Fernanda Maciel’s personal project of running the 900 kilometers that span the Way of Saint James from the charming dieval french city of St Jean Pied de port to Santiago de Compostela. All in just 10 days of true pilgrimage. That is, sleeping at the pilgrim´s hostels along the way and carrying on day after day without any external support. She tackled it and finally carried it out succesfully, running from 2nd to 11th October 2012.

Fernanda was running for a charity: Three years ago Fernanda guided an Outward Bound’s program with politicians from Israel and Palestina through the Camino. At the end of the program, the participants committed themselves to make something solidary and for the peace. It was then that Fernanda decided to run the entire Saint James’ Way in order to raise money for two associations that help children with cancer. The Afanoc, a Spanish association, and the Brazilian Abrale.

THE CAMINO BY FERNANDA MACIEL VIDEOS. Whiteflow project

Over the 10 days of pilgrimage, Fernanda shared her trip with all people interested by means of this short but highly revealing videos of the Camino on the run. See here the very last stage as summed up in little over 2 minutes.