Interview from Another Something
Last year, Parisian running boutique DISTANCE published its first book, titled ITEN , with photographer and art director Thibaut Grevet, to offer a unique perspective on iconic locations linked to running and its culture. Earlier this year, they published their second book, this time in collaboration with photographer Wendy Huynh: a beautiful hardcover and 170 pages of images taken on Reunion Island during the incredible Grand Raid, known as “La Diagonale des Fous.” We asked Distance’s Yoann Wenger to ask Wendy a few questions about the genesis of the book.
Yoann Wenger — I'm going to play the real journalist and ask a boring question: did you feel any "pressure" to write this book? Did the first volume influence your approach?
Wendy Huynh — Of course, I felt a bit of pressure, because I love Thibaut's work and what you've done with ITEN ! But I tried not to look too much at the first book before the trip, so as not to be influenced by what had already been done. What I found difficult was the production of the shoot, the research, and the adventure of a journey into the unknown. Some stories in the book were targeted, which made it easier to organize, but most of them were pure documentation: it was a bit stressful not knowing if I could capture exactly what you had in mind… I guess that's also the exciting part of documentary! How did you come up with the idea of going to Reunion Island for the Diagonale des Fous?
YW — I'm not sure, but I remember the name of the race made an impression on me. "La Diagonale des Fous" isn't a common name, and I had a kind of legend surrounding it, an almost mystical vision of the course and the landscapes. Then I came across a documentary on French television: François D'Haene won hand in hand with Benoît Girondel in 2018. At that time, I wasn't yet working with Guillaume and Distance, so I never would have imagined documenting this race on site with one of these two athletes!
We knew we wanted to do a second book on trail running, in an "exotic" location. The debate was long within the team. At first, we thought of Mont Blanc for the UTMB, but Reunion Island seemed more unique. After some debate, I suggested calling the book "FOU": the title was so striking that everyone agreed! You had never really liked running or trail running when we started talking about FOU. It's great that you got into it to condition yourself for the book. I remember telling you to prepare, but I didn't think you were actually going to do it!
WH — I joined my local gym the day after you first mentioned Réunion Island! Initially, I wanted to train to build strength and endurance so I could physically keep up with the race. It was quite challenging at first, especially running outdoors, but I ended up enjoying it: I did my first 5K race and signed up for the (now postponed) Hackney Half Marathon. What really carried me through was training for a specific goal and better understanding the athletes I would be following and photographing. Obviously, I'm not comparing myself to them, but it gave me a clearer picture of their mindset: putting in the time and effort to train for a challenge, a goal, and/or a time. Also, the Grand Raid isn't a "typical" race: it's a 166km ultra-trail with 9,600m of climbing. These athletes are "crazy" (they're called "Crazy") and train for years to participate in this race, or even just to finish it! Did you find running easier when we got back, after seeing what they had been through?
YW — I'm lucky enough to travel a lot for our pop-up stores and for this project. Every time I come back, I feel like running will get easier and I'll become a better runner... even if I don't see the results yet! During the trip, we kept telling ourselves all week that we needed to rest in the evening to be ready for the start of the race. But at what point did you realize it would be a difficult shoot? Do you remember a specific moment?
WH — Early in the morning, in Cilaos, when the first athletes were already approaching the 65 km mark. It was the first night we spent in the car: I woke up with dry contact lenses, it was freezing. In Réunion, there is a wide variety of microclimates: you go from dry to humid, from hot to cold. It was the start of the race and I was already feeling very tired—nothing like what the athletes were experiencing. But the landscape was magnificent: that big orange sun over the mountain was undoubtedly one of the most beautiful sunrises I've seen. Guillaume and you were driving on the island: it was quite an experience… Do you remember the road from the day before?
YW — Yes: that's when we saw Benoît abandon, and it was difficult on many levels. We had met Benoît and his team as soon as we arrived, followed him to the press conference and during the preparation—our whole program depended on him, we almost felt like part of the team. Driving from Saint-Pierre to the first 25 kilometers, walkie-talkies between our car and his assistance, it was a mission, the adrenaline was pumping. The abandonment was very hard for him emotionally and placed us in a documentary dilemma: should we capture this true moment of sport, or leave Benoît and his team alone? It was 1 a.m. when we returned to the car, wondering what to do next. Since Benoît had planned split times, we decided to stay on the race and follow the top three. With the radio on in the car, everyone was wondering what had happened to him; We drove for about two and a half hours to Cilaos along the famous "400 bends" road. There are literally hundreds of them, with no lighting: driving at 3 a.m. is exhausting. But I loved it: it was exactly the kind of experience we came for! What was your favorite adrenaline-pumping moment during the race?
WH — The start, without hesitation. The Grand Raid is undoubtedly one of the most intense ultra-trail races in the world, and you can feel how proud Reunion Island is to host it. Thousands of supporters, families, and locals gather; the streets are full of musicians and dancers, and every corner smells of meat grilling on barbecues. The race starts at night, at 10 p.m., but the island has never been so awake. When the countdown began, my heart was pounding, as if I were on the starting line: anxious, excited, stressed, a little scared. Can you imagine what the athletes feel at that moment?
YW — What did you find interesting and powerful about photographing such a competition? You tend to photograph urban life and/or fashion. It's a completely different type of work: how did you experience it?
WH — It was a unique experience, and probably one of the most challenging projects I've ever worked on. An ultra-trail isn't a marathon: athletes don't run continuously, many walk; it's slower—that's what I found difficult. You have to constantly make sure you're in the right place at the right time to capture a particular runner, because the time gaps can be enormous. The real challenge of this race is finishing it, more than breaking a record. And it's a collective effort: athletes take the time to thank you when you cheer them on; some cross the finish line hand in hand. The Grand Raid really changed my view of sport. I was also struck by the runners' journeys: most of them are not professionals, they each have a "normal life" (the 2019 champion, Grégoire Curmer, is a chef in a restaurant in Chamonix), but for a few days, they are the kings and queens of the island.
YW — A word about Jessica Pichet, who worked on the graphic design of this volume: how did you meet and how was she essential in the process?
WH — We met in London two years ago through a Facebook group: she was looking for a room and I was looking for a roommate. We didn't end up living together, but we became very close friends. I showed her the photos first to get her feedback, and she ended up designing the book—I'm so grateful for that. She has a real sense of storytelling through images and helped me "tell" the book, even without having traveled with us. I edited the images based on the layout, with a lot of back-and-forth: a first for me, which made editing more organic and helped me better understand the context and place of each photo in the whole.
Thanks again for involving me in the project — looking forward to the next one!