Questions

I have never organized a run before, so all kinds of questions have been going through my head.
What time should it start? Not too early, it's cold in November. Not too late, we don't want to monopolize everyone's Saturday. Ok, 11 a.m.
Where should the course run? We don't want the hassle of crossing streets or people getting lost. Ok, down by the lake, out and back.
Do we need an authorization? The guy at the Service des Sports said we didn't as long as we aren't selling anything. Ok, great.
How do we get the word out? On this blog. Ok, there's 10 people informed. On facebook. Ok, another 70 or so know about it. By emails sent to the students of several colleges. Ok, maybe a few won't delete without reading the message. By word of mouth. Ok, who knows what kind of a turnout we will have!
This leads to some unanswered questions.
How many volunteers do we need?
How much soup and tea do we need to serve after the race?
Have I got in over my head?
What am I forgetting?

One World Run Lausanne

International 5K to benefit aids orphans in Kenya.

Saturday November 20^th at 11 a.m.

When you fill out the entry form, be sure and fill in the team name as “Lausanne” so that your t-shirt arrives in the group shipment for the Lausanne run!

IMPORTANT: sign up by Nov. 5^th to receive your t-shirt the day of the race! Those who sign up after Nov. 5^th will not receive their t-shirt until the second group shipment in January!

Cost: $18 (but you can always give more!)

Starting line and finish line at the "Pyramides" 100 meters south-east of the Stade de Coubertin

Course: from Vidy to Dorigny along the lake, 1 lap around the wood-chip loop just past the Dorigny track, then back to Vidy.

Hot soup and drinks at the finish line!

(No official timing)

Come one, come all!

He who hesitates is lost

Yesterday I happened to see that registration for the 2011 Boston Marathon had opened just minutes earlier. I clicked on the link for fun, and sure enough, there was the entry form. I read over it and thought of how cool it would be to fill it out, especially the qualifying section. Today I learned that a new Boston record was set, the 26 000-plus spots had filled in one day! I went to the website again, and there in big bold letters I read: REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED. Sorry to all those who were waiting till the last minute to sign-up.

Gotta run...

Where to next?

C.B. and I have run together several time since we met in July, but this week we ran on her turf for the first time. I've always felt privileged to live where I can be out of town in a mater of minutes, but C.B. has it even better. After just a few steps we had crossed the stream on a narrow footbridge and were running by fields and villas down to the lake. We ran along the water for a few miles before turning up through the vineyards and back to the village. After those 10 kilometers, we shared the delicious lunch C.B. had prepared. I'm looking forward to a run along La Venoge next time.

Gotta run...

The early bird

I asked M.B. if she wanted to go for a Saturday morning run with me around 10. Unfortunately she already had plans to run 15K with some friends at 7:30, but said I was welcome to join them. Having just returned from the States, I'm still experiencing jet lag, so this was going to be a challenge. I did manage to be ready when M.B. picked me up at 7:15 and we drove up to Chalet-à-Gobet to meet the others. At first we were pretty much alone on the trail, carefully watching for turnoffs to avoid getting lost in the fog. Eventually we started seeing a few other runners and walkers. Time flies when you are having fun and before we knew it we were back at the car. Even though it was almost 10 by the time M.B. dropped me off at home, it was a full hour earlier than I had even got out of bed the day before! After a great long run I still had the whole day ahead of me!

Gotta run...

Simi Valley

Of all our numerous stops on this trip, Simi is the only place I had never visited before. We were told that the canal bike route was a great place to run. My first indication that it would not be a typical city run was the stable smell. Just one block over from a busy street, we saw cattle grazing on the hillside and evidence that horses had recently been on the path. I give this run a 9 out of 10 rating.

Gotta run...