30th Cross des Amis de la Nature

Last Saturday was this year's first spring race. It was a beautiful day, so I biked down to Chavannes. I picked up my bib, greeted other runners I hadn't seen for months, then warmed up. I had only run this particular race once before and remembered it as being challenging. The women were running twice around the 2K cross country course, then an hour later the men were running three laps. Soon after our race started, the gaps began to widen between runners; by the time I finished the first lap, there was no one within 50 yards ahead or behind me. We were strung out that way till the end of the race. I was pleased to see several of the men encouraging us as we ran by. I would have stayed to cheer for them on their three laps; but with company coming that evening, I hopped on my bike to get home to cook dinner.

Gotta run...

Walk, don't run!

Monday morning Husband ran back into the house to get something he had forgotten, then ran back to the car and drove off. Meanwhile, our next-door neighbor came face to face with a thief in her apartment. She screamed and the robber fled. She called the police, who arrived in no time. A jogger who happened by at that precise moment saw Husband run to the car. Doing his civic duty, he gave the police the licence number. Husband was stopped at a red light when four police cars, sirens blaring, pinned him in. Weapons drawn, they questioned him: "what's in your pockets?" - oodles of cash (he was on his way to the bank to make a sizable deposit); "is this your car?" - no (our car gave up the ghost last week); "what's in the car?" - a set of licence plates (removed from said deceased car). They had him get into their car and drove him back to the scene of the crime. Our neighbor, who was waiting to identify the suspect, was horrified to see Husband emerge from the police car. She said, "that's my favorite neighbor, let him go at once!" All's well that ends well. Now Husband has a new story to add to his repertoire.

Gotta run...

Vague de froid

Because of the current cold spell – the longest and most bitter in 25 years – I haven't been out running as often as usual. Last Tuesday we had a high of -7° C (20° F) and the north wind was blowing hard, but it was the only day C.B. and I could run together. I admit I was tempted to chicken out! We met down at the lake and headed south-east. It wasn't so bad until we turned around. I gasped at every gust of wind. By the time I reached home after we parted ways, I had run 10 miles. The temperature may not have hit any all-time lows, but it was certainly the coldest long run ever for me. That record will no doubt be long-standing also.

Gotta run...

Trophée Lausannois 2011

Last week all runners who had completed at least seven out of the thirteen 2011 Trophée races were honored at an awards ceremony, hosted this year by the Romanel event. The top five finishers in each age group received prizes (it was my first time to break into the top three!). Only those who ran at least 12 of the 13 races won a trophy. Runners who had accumulated the most trophies over the years got special recognition, the crown going to Neighbor who has not missed one single Trophée race this millennium!

My favorite part of the ceremony was watching two young girls, who had been waiting so patiently all evening, walk proudly down the aisle to accept their trophies. I wished I had a camera to capture the expression on their faces for their moms who were snapping pictures from the back of the room. It was a precious moment!

Gotta run...

Happy trails

Husband and I have been working in Bulle for the past two weeks. It was easy to find a good place to run here because our hotel is next to a woods with plenty of trails. I followed the 3.9K blue train solo, with Husband, then with C.B. Each time was like being on a different trail since the ground went from being frozen, to slippery, to muddy. Yesterday I decided to try out the 6.9K green trail. It wasn't as well marked as the blue train and I somehow got off track. I stated to back track, which meant I wouldn't reach the trail head until close to dark. It was getting misty and I confess I was starting to feel nervous before I "run into" another runner (the only one I saw) who showed me a direct way back. I wonder if he is blogging about saving a runner lost in the woods!

Gotta run...

2012 Cross International de Lausanne

Last Saturday was the kind of clear and beautiful day where you feel the need to get outdoors. Husband and I got down to Vidy in time to see the elite international runners finish their race. I had just enough time to warm up and say "happy new year" to friends before all us regular runners lined up. The men were running eight 1K laps, the women five. The cross-country course was flat as can be, with four logs to hurdle along the way. Fortunately, it was quite cold, so there was no problem with mud on the course. Each lap went by surprisingly fast. I was careful to count my laps. Unfortunately, against better judgment, others listened to the volunteers who told them to go around one more time. I know of at least one woman and one man who ran an extra kilometer. I was very sad for them.

Husband, who had not entered the race to encourage me, waited in the cold with me for a hour before I got my fourth place prize: a big box of winter vegetables. Lots of good vitamins to keep us healthy!

Gotta run...

New year

Leafing through the Swiss Athletics Guide des courses populaires 2012, I marked 22 races I plan on entering if all goes well. (That's nine more than I ran in 2011, but I was injured for two months.) Ten are Trophée Lausannois events, five make up the Tour du Pays de Vaud series, and the rest are races I've done anywhere from once to twenty times. I start with a cross country 5K down by the lake this coming Saturday!

Gotta run...