flashing females

Thursday night we couldn't run around the track because it was frosted over and slippery. We have this outter dirt track we train on now, which is convenient as the flood lights (just) let you see where you are going. Bummer, no excuses for canceling "vital" interval training. Thursday it was pyramid intervals: 1'/2.5'/2.5'/4'/2.5'/2.5'/1' with 30-60 second lighter jogs to get your heart rate down between sprints. It's too cold to walk and the point is surely not to get sick. Trainer said I could never have kept up last month like I do now - so I was naturally pretty excited. Still, I could tell it was going to be tough to get myself psyched to run outside in the bitter cold (wet) at the Corrida Saint Inn' on Saturday night - about 1h away from here in a place called Brison Saint Innocent / France. So many excuses in my head seeing as this is indeed the last weekend free before the end of the year.
.
Still, I told myself I'd go and invited KC, an American "au pair" friend to join. It was great she was there since she replaced one of the girls from the club, who had fallen sick.
.
In the end, the race was just a blast. So.much.fun.
.
The organizers even gave some of the women participants orange flashing "tags" to run with - just for the fun of it. The 7km winded around people's houses including street torches, a few houses with Christmas lights (!) and music blasting.

Before the men's veterans & juniors, they had this mini formula 1 and concept car parade. Kinda random, but just fun.

Two cold girls after a wet battle:
..

Silly snapshot of some of the "loisirs" section on our way back from Brison. In total approx. 25 athletes from St Jules joined in this race - the others were I guess in the Douvaine and La Clusaz races.

.

Athlé Saint Julien was once again ranked way up there in all categories. 5 individual podiums and 1 team prize. Such a privilege to run even in their "loisirs" section. Here are the bionic women (elite section), who just can't get enough of running - they have already run in Chamonix since!

. The results are up here. It was a good 7km battle through the hilly roads of Brison - a good point of comparison to the men's Escalade. And a (long) evening of prizes and food and party followed. And, yep, I got another sports bag :). Could have done without the long evening but did get caught up today - including catching a vital airplane ticket problem at the airport, which could have caused plenty of grief come Friday! You heard it, I am flying to San Francisco on Friday. Oh.my.gosh. So excited, yet still so much to do before then! eeeeek..
Still, no regrets about participating on Saturday.

(Should be pictures of the race up on the club's site soon.)

PS: Added a picture in previous post entitled shortly said.. just because I am freeing up my camera for some crucial pictures.. yodele hi hoo!!!