OSER 2h24’12” – Méline Rollin

On October 15, 2023, Méline experienced a poignant disappointment by finishing the Amsterdam marathon just 5 seconds shy of the qualifying minimum. Yet, rather than letting herself be discouraged, she chose to channel her disappointment into unwavering determination.
Four months later, this determination guides her as she stands before the last door that will lead her to her sporting dream. ⚡️
Stepping into the light, seizing her destiny, her chance.
DARE.

Suddenly, I was disgusted… and I didn’t really want to go train after the race. Why I’m going to go train, suffer… they’ve all passed me by. It’s only on Marathon where I feel these sensations. The fact of lasting so much in the effort, of drawing on your resources. You’re going to warm up

On the other side over there. And Azis is on the ledge on the left. Come on It’s always the night before bed when I’m a little stressed because I say to myself “well actually, it’s tomorrow”. I was less stressed than in Amsterdam, I think it was the fact of having been with Simon

The last week and even on the weekend, he was with me in the room, he took the shuttle with me, he warmed up to me. He’s someone who doesn’t stress at all. So actually, I think that also calmed me down. Afterwards, I heard my mother screaming at the end of

The warm-up area, already going full blast. It made me laugh, I said to myself that it’s okay, they’re ready. Were we talking about his loneliness? Because she trains alone… I don’t know if I get that from myself, but I like being alone. At 18, she had already left home. In fact, all week

She was at school. She only came back on weekends. She did it for two years in Reims and after the games in Lille, she is a very independent girl, very mature from a very young age. The fact that I train alone means sometimes you can go faster on sessions

With someone who trains with you or who pulls you through the sessions. But mentally, it really trains your mind. The internship didn’t seem that long to me. So being alone is not a problem for me. Méline also likes to be left alone a little too. You shouldn’t be there,

You shouldn’t oppress her, otherwise she’ll piss you off. I think if I stop athletics, I would go on bike rides. Not for the competition, to surpass yourself, you’re having a big outing, I think it’s good. And my boyfriend loves cycling too, so maybe this summer, either after the Games

Or if there are no Games, we’ll go on a cycling vacation. But this summer, we had already done that after the elites, the elites over 5000 meters. I had cut a week, we had done it: suddenly, it was Albi, the elites. We had done Albi, Cap d’Agde,

Ardèche and we went up to the north. Afterwards with my brother, we are not very expressive. When we were young, we always had disagreements, we are three years apart and I am older. And we are super different. But it made me laugh so much because we never really say what we feel.

And at New Year’s I think he had a little too much to drink. He texted me “Happy New Year! It will do it for the Games and everything “Easy!” and as a result, I was laughing too much with Simon because it’s not at all, he wouldn’t normally say that.

And I tell him yes, it’s not a given, it’s going to be complicated. He said to me “but no, besides, it would be too classy to have your sister at the Games!”. And then I said to Simon: Oh yes, he drank too much. I don’t think he usually would say that.

And so, what do you eat? Ooh, this is something super quick. It’s shrimp with a frozen bag of seeds with carrots, vegetables and everything just to put in the pan, but it has everything you need. Me, in any case, I knew since October 15 that I was

Very likely going to have to run a marathon, that it would not pass in terms of the ranking and Valencia was quite early in the race, so I said to myself I I’m going to train after the race, I’m going to watch, I’m going to watch the whole race.

I see the girls moving on to the semi, but clearly, below the minimum paces and I say to myself wow all the same, There are four of them… little by little, But I’m starting to say to myself “Ah, that’s It’s going to be, it’s going to be complicated there.”

When I saw that the four did the minimums and what’s more, they don’t do the minimums except for a few seconds. They do them in a minute. They are one minute below the minimums. I admit that frankly, we’re not going to lie to each other at the time, I was disgusted

And I didn’t really want to go and train after the race. I said to myself but in fact it’s dead, why am I going to go train and suffer. They all passed me by. There was my boyfriend who was there. He knew he shouldn’t tell me anything.

That I had to digest the thing. And afterward, I went to train anyway. And that day, I remember, in Lille, it was snowing. I went to do my session in the gym and in fact, I evacuated everything during the session. Then I went faster than I should.

I cleared everything out and afterward it was better. I said to myself “Okay, well, in any case, I was going to do a marathon again, so that doesn’t change much”. Just good, I no longer have to do the minimums but do one minute better. I said to myself: if they do it,

I can do it too . There’s no reason why I can’t arrive. In Amsterdam, really, the weather was horrible and the route was not the most obvious. But here, it’s true that I still have to gain more than a minute. Of course, there is the weather, it’s super nice in Seville,

It’s bound to get better. But you still have to manage to gain three seconds per kilometer. It’s not nothing either. And in Seville. We can’t be sure that the weather will be like that in Valencia either . In the partnership that I have with KIPRUN what is good is that

There are quite a few interactions, exchanges, where they make me test products, prototypes especially. And I give them feedback like this. Two days ago, I gave feedback to the textile team on a bra and shorts. They often ask me my opinion on products, so that ‘s really cool.

And they take this feedback into account. Whereas I think that with other brands, this is not necessarily the case, there are more athletes, there are more of them and I think that there is less collaboration between the athlete and and the brand. So it’s really an exchange in fact.

And then I wear the products, I run with them every day, whether it’s clothes or shoes. Over the past two years, if I don’t say anything stupid, I have still seen a big evolution. There, these are the split shorts that they made for me on purpose in Valencia With pockets behind to put the gels and that I wore on my two marathons and that I’m going to wear again because that I’m really good in it. And then no pockets, it’s still practical for gels. Plus we don’t feel the gels, so it doesn’t bother and it’s still quite easy to grab

Even if it’s on the back. So this is the third version, let’s say. This is the second version of the KD900X LD. This is the version in quotes for me, because as I have orthopedic insoles, we tried to modify because I had tested the first prototype.

I had some minor problems, and afterward, when it took time to redo a prototype, the weeks passed quite quickly. So, I just received it and I’m going to test it this week. But as a result, it’s not 100% sure that I will run with it even if I would

Really like to run with it, but I have to see if I have any discomfort and if also muscularly I accept it on quite a long session. Every time you run you wear shorts : shorts/t-shirt? Yes yes. I’ve already worn sleeves a little in the evening, but not long tights.

Are you in S at the top Méline? Yes. On the tank top, I mean. Yes. We have the first prototypes in the office, but basically, that’s all the big order we will receive for February. We make the necessary small modifications to your shorts and the bra and ideally we will send you

The package with bra/tank top, and therefore shorts, by express. Ok. So are you going to relax a little anyway? This week I think, it will be more 140km and the week after 120km or 100 and the last week it will almost be a marathon. I’m going for a little jog every day…

We can’t wait for the big day. I too can’t wait for the big day and afterward too. It’s because it’s a bit of a pressure all the same… In any case you will have given yourself the means I think, because there, yes, that’s what I tell myself, I won’t have any regrets.

Basically, I wanted to do a marathon in January, but it was marathons. It was Dubai, Marrakech, Miami, well, marathons that were a little far away, exotic, where the weather was often a little hot. Seville seemed to me to be the best. Well, April there are also big marathons, but it’s

More in the north of Europe so, I was thinking about the fact that in Amsterdam, I had bad weather, I went to Seville, that’s it. is less risky. That’s why I went to Seville and it’s still a marathon where many French people have set records. In general, there is density, so

It was, it was the marathon that seemed better to me. There we left from Monte Gordo. And as the track is under construction. We have to go to Lepe, half an hour from Monte Gordo. It is a track that is open to all and free. And so,

I’m going to do my sessions there. We are going to do a session of 20 x 500 meters. Normally there is a small group of Belgians who will be there too. So maybe I’ll do the warm-up with them. I couldn’t have done more. Thank you so much anyway.

I’m not used to finishing faster. In general, I stay constant… unless I have a progressive session. But the goal was to stay at an average of 1’34. What I have done. And how much did you throw there? 1’29” But it was cool, I didn’t suffer. It’s a little tough muscularly. Was it Méline?

It’s good and you? First series, quite tiring, second series, I manage to go faster, but there is the fatigue of the week. Yesterday I was almost better than today. Me too, really. Come on, back to Monte Gordo. So, if there are a lot of countries sending their three girls,

We will reach more than 80 and there are already all the big countries they have at least three girls, or even like us, more girls… I think that in 2028 they will increase the minimums, which is normal. But in fact, they absolutely want there to be half qualified

At the minimum, and then after the ranking. This is unprecedented, there have never been so many… but already in France, at the last Olympics there were no girls and the one before, there must have been a girl. And there we are… There are already four who have done the minimums.

For example if Margaux does them and I do them, Margaux is 24 years old, I’m 25 years old and when you see that there are 40 year old girls who do 2h22′, who have two children and everything, you say to yourself: at 25, I actually have time. Azis: Did you feel tired today?

When I saw your jogging look, I guess not. My calves are a little tight, but overall, it’s okay. But when I got up this morning, I felt… not necessarily physically tired, but actually tired, overall. And then in the end, when I went jogging , it was just the calves, the calves, a little

Still loaded. But I’m going to put on the boots. Whatever happens eh… I went to his house. Fred you don’t really know him but your father knows him because he’s someone I trained and who was at the club. So he’s my hairdresser, so I went to his house

And obviously when I’m at his house, people talk about you. He follows He follows, but without being on the networks, without being on the club page… He follows. And so he knows very well that you are going to run on February 18th. And then afterwards, I had a discussion with him,

I told him, now we have to, and I think it’s also your philosophy. We’re going to do everything so that you have a big performance, then after that it won’t depend on us. What. We’re not going to hang ourselves afterwards. Too bad. It won’t depend on us.

Yes, yes, you have a good race, let’s imagine then with potentially less than 2h25’ in Seville, and that after you fought, well we couldn’t do anything. This is the sporting level. Then he looked at me at Fred and said: “Ah anyway, it’s the Olympic Games. And she can’t resort afterwards?

And I tell him “no”. They don’t realize… And he says to me “yeah but still, it’s worth it” and I tell him, no, it’s not worth it, it’s not worth it. It’s impossible, on top of doing it again in April, then in August, finally… No, no, no, no,

But there are some who would do it. I forgot to turn it over… I hope it’s not toasted… No it’s not toast, great. I was afraid. I’m making food there. Yeah, I heard that right, but I’m also going to make food. On the line I already felt more stress.

So I was into my thing. I found myself next to it, just behind Zach and next to another French girl, Émilie. So, even on the line, we chatted a little. Yeah, I was, I wasn’t stressed at all and I just couldn’t wait for it to be gone. Five seconds. Three, two, one.

Obviously, we did the first and second kilometer a little faster, but it was time to relax a little and very quickly, we were at roughly the pace we were aiming for. 33’58” at 10km, at 3’23”/km on average, so the program is good, we’re even a little ahead, it’s perfect.

If she is not in the rhythm at the semi level, she stops. Fifteen kilometers, where are we then? 51’04”. Right on time. I’m relatively optimistic but still inevitably have questions because it’s still a marathon, meaning we’re going to start at 3’25”/km. So we start from there and then we see what that gives.

Transition to 20km, 1h08’06”. I think that’s exactly what is needed. Still a good fifteen seconds ahead, we’re only halfway there eh. She’s in the straight line there. Go Méline! Yeah she looks pretty good. There if she gets to 34 in the planned times she will let go more. The goal is so beautiful

That she will grit her teeth, but she will see it through to the end. On. It makes you happy? I think I think that there, yes, we will have tears I think, or close to it. It’s already been eleven weeks and I’ve already been doing at least 140 kilometers per week, so

The preparation is longer and with more kilometers over time. I also tried to work on my weak points, so I started working with a fitness trainer. Because I felt in Amsterdam that the end of the race, in fact, it’s not super flat at the end of the race

And as soon as there was a small hill, muscularly, it was really hard. I felt like I had to climb a mountain, so I tried to work on everything that was strengthening, but not just on the legs overall. And then afterwards, I tried to progress in all areas, whether it was speed,

My threshold, my marathon pace. I was trying to go faster in all these sectors. After the physical preparation, it’s been a month and a half so I’m starting to feel a little difference. But it’s still quite short. So I think it will still help me in Seville, but it will also help me,

Especially for the next competitions, the next marathons. So I hesitated for a long time between going to Kenya or here. But like Kenya, I don’t know yet. I didn’t know how my body would react. I was also a little scared about the health side. I think yes,

I have an infection something like that and I’m bedridden for a week. Well, that’s not cool. And above all, I had already started my preparation before leaving for my internship. That was the difference compared to to the other preparations and therefore, if I went to Kenya, I had to cut my preparation

To acclimatize before continuing to resume the rhythm of the preparation. And I still lost more than a week. I think that in Iten, it takes a good ten days to be acclimatized and you acclimatize, never really, I think. So I said to myself, hey, I’m going to Monte Gordo. But what I did,

Actually, I took a hypoxic tent with me. In fact, I didn’t want to do a prep course without the effects of altitude because I did my two prep courses at altitude. I told myself it was very beneficial to me. If I don’t actually have that in my head, I couldn’t

Beat my record without it. Basically, the hypoxic tent is a tent. You put your bed in it, your mattress in it. It’s a closed transparent plastic tent that is connected to a generator and in fact, the generator allows you to lower the oxygen level in the tent, which actually simulates the altitude.

And so, with the generator, you can adjust more or less oxygen saturation. It is a more or less high altitude. There, I sleep quite high up, but I train at sea level, which means I can go faster too. It will be the same conditions as Seville. But at night,

I sleep in the tent and my oxygen saturation drops, which still causes me to produce blood cells. Give me the approximate mileage please. For the second crossing of the bridge it is 12. 12.5 when they pass over the bridge. Third point is the square under the station, just after the half-marathon.

This is the 22nd. 22 is very good. After the place we are at 35. There is no way to… We have to make an intermediate point. Ah yes, 22-36, that’s where it gets stuck eh. This is where it can get stuck. If you go there, I think you have time

To go back there. So she didn’t like the little Monte Gordo-Kenya, Monte Gordo-Kenya period. She likes it, she’s your daughter. There are many things that are organized, that are square and therefore tried to find solutions so that it is, that it fits into the two qualified on January 30.

Because if you’re in both on the clock, you’re qualified, you have priority. So there is only one place left. Suddenly, I found myself all alone because we had come to overtake a group of girls, 20 girls and boys. And in front, there was no one 100-150 meters away

In a huge boulevard where there was n’t much wind, but there was a little wind all the same. And the girls we had just overtaken didn’t want to take over from me because they didn’t feel it. But suddenly they stuck to their feet. They kicked me in the feet,

But they didn’t take over and I did a kilometer like that. Telling myself, damn, it’s not possible at all. I look at Riad with a look of distress. Has the hare stopped? He told me no, he’s coming back! Then after two kilometers, he told me:

In fact he can’t come back, he can’t come back. I said OK, so there are ten kilometers left, this is the moment where it becomes the hardest around 32. Well muscularly. I felt it and I told myself I still have ten kilometers to keep up the pace. But I told myself

I wouldn’t last, that’s for sure. And suddenly, I arrive at this famous Spanish Steps. 32ᵉ kilometers Where there, I was really not well and suddenly, I saw my father on the square. He starts running, running across the whole place, cheering me on. I just wanted to tell him that I was dying.

But I didn’t see anything. Oh yes she is there. Go Méline! Go Méline! Come on, don’t give up, you’re in there. The objective is good, that! Don’t give up. Come on ! Come on ! Come on, don’t give up! You’re at the end! All in my head now. Come on. Go relax, relax!

Go, go Méline, until the end. A kilometer later, I say to myself, there’s nothing left. There are 25 minutes of racing left. Seeing my father run, he was all in. He was out of breath, but they made the move for you. They’re even more out of breath than you, running everywhere,

I can’t give up. I didn’t want to disappoint them. It’s starting to get a little harder… She lost a little there. Ah she lost seven seconds… Ah seven seconds, ah… it’s hot huh. What really re-motivated me was that I said to myself, finally, all the sacrifices you have made, to do marathon preparation

Again just after Amsterdam. Go alone, train alone, far from your family, far from home, see almost no one for a month and a half. I said to myself, but you did all that, and now, it’s nothing compared to all these sacrifices. And you have to do it so you don’t regret it.

The vla I believe, the vla, the vla. Go Méline!!! Come on ! Come on ! In Seville, I achieved even more than the goal I had set for myself to beat my record and do better than the third girl. Finally it was… I broke the French record, so that’s really cool. And then,

Now, I just have to wait until the end of April to see what the other girls are going to do. See if I qualify for the Games, so I don’t get carried away. But in the meantime, I will, I will continue to train. And then we’re going to compete

A little more for the pleasure of giving out a bib and then we’ll see. We’ll see at the end of April. I don’t necessarily have a role model or athlete who motivates me or with whom I identify, but on the other hand, Christelle Daunay for me is a marathon legend in quotes.

Finally, European champion all that. And to beat his record, I find that it has even more value for me because really, he is a person that I appreciate, who was hardworking, humble, finally super super nice, et cetera and who likes to share . He’s really a person for me with whom I can,

In quotes, identify by saying to myself: with work, I can perhaps try to have a bit of his track record.