Running in France

[JaySeeSkinny]

Holidays are pretty cool! And despite far too much food and drink I'm keeping up my running (and also doing vast amounts of walking). Sunday saw me slipping and sliding on very muddy paths in vineyards near Carcassonne. The weather was not brilliant, a bit damp and I was very slow, partly because I didn't know where I was going. But I did 5k and flabbergasted the friends and family I was with! Yesterday I stole a few names of people in this community as I became a canal runner and was running with dogs (well one dog). Me and my sister headed off to the "canal de midi" to walk her springer spaniel. I said I would run, she would walk and that's what we did. Poor old Flora was very confused by this and spent the first ten minutes running between us, leaping up at me to try and make me go back and join the pack. In the end she gave up and stayed with me. Glorious weather, quite warm and hardly any people on the towpath. Ran for less than 5k, but over 30 mins and loved it. Another run due tomorrow - should I go for the hills?

We are also doing loads of walking, which I love. The weather is perfect, sunny but not yet too hot and we've been heading into the hills every day for anything between 5 and 15 k. Views over the little towns in southern France are fantastic. I love the landscape with the cypress trees, the gorse just starting to blossom and the first spring flowers coming up. The first days the ground was very wet and we all gained about three inches in height as the mud - well, it was more like clay - stuck to our boots. We scrambled up hillsides, sometimes on hands and knees, hauling ourselves up on tree roots. I love it. Today we hiked for about 15 k, up hills, through valleys in gorgeous pale sunshine. Tired now as it was a bit up and down, but a good tired feeling.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Yeay.. La Belle France. Wow...lucky, lucky you!!!! I cannot wait until I go in the Summer..

Your run sounds amazing... astounding family and friends and the locals too no doubt.! I love it down there...hope it dries up a bit for you too!

Have a wonderful holiday and maybe have a small glass of wine for me.. ? But, do not have too much, I did, and  last Autumn when I came back, that is when  began  Couch to 5K... the start of it all..

You enjoy...!!!! Maybe post again... with pikkies...?

Bon vacances!

[JaySeeSkinny Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Thought about pickies, but the canal ones were from the day before without sunshine. And the walk ones today often had people in them and I don't want to do that ( not without permission anyway). Will get some good photos for the next post

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to JaySeeSkinny]

Brilliant...now get up those hills!

[JaySeeSkinny Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Bit hung over this morning. So may put it off till tomorrow (coward). Or it might blow away the cobwebs (ease the headache, calm the bowels, settle the stomach etc - yes it's a proper hangover). Won't be able to run fast up a hill anyway, so I can blame my poor performance on self-induced ill health and not the fact I can't do hills!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to JaySeeSkinny]

Oh dear... the trouble with France, is, certainly for me anyway, the wine! That and the delicious food

A strong coffee and croissant..then maybe a gentle ramble...to, as you say, clear the head and calm the body?

Then, just relax and soak up the ambience... the runs will be there tomorrow.

PS

Raining here

[JaySeeSkinny Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

The trouble at the moment is that we're with a large group of 14 people, friends and family. And we all love our food and drink, plus we have an excellent chef who loves his cooking. Got playing silly card games with the youngsters (all grown up, but still young in our eyes!) and there was far too much wine - and G&T. Should know better, actually I do know better, but I don't see my niece very often and it was a very amusing evening. 

Probably more of the same today! Said niece turns 21 today and we're all here for the birthday party. 

[Rignold]

Ooh, lovely. I adore the area around Carcassone. I lived for  a while down that way,  near Perpignan. We are going in May with the kids for a weekon the border. All my daughter can talk about is whether we might bump into Kilian Jornet running on the trails around Puigcerda. All my sons can talk about is going to the torture museum in Carcassone.

Sounds like you are having a fab time. And should you run hills tomorrow? Abso-blinking-lutely.

[AncientMum Graduate]

What a wonderfully evocative post. I haven't been to that part of the world for many years but your words brought back how lovely it is *AncientMum dashes off to consult various travel and holiday sites* . So glad you're enjoying your holiday 😄

[Curlygurly2 Graduate]

Lucky you! I know that area pretty well too, I adored Carcassone, had a gorgeous cassoulet up at the top there. It's not a million miles from me, Cordes is a bit similar to look at. Cours bien!

[JaySeeSkinny Graduate in reply to Curlygurly2]

Merci!

[Curlygurly2 Graduate in reply to JaySeeSkinny]

I know they don't really say that, but it's near enough!

[JaySeeSkinny Graduate in reply to Curlygurly2]

It's a pretty cool area to run in - better weather than we've got. But probably too hot in the summer. Pity we're going back on Saturday!