La Mulhousienne
September 25, 1994
La Societe des Coureurs Morts
DRS in the News
Well, mes amis, I'm back from a two week trip and am proud to report that
last weekend I carried les couleurs of the Dead Runners Society through
the streets of Mulhouse, France in the "3e Mulhousienne", a 6.15K (!) race
through the old city of Mulhouse in eastern France. I even got my picture
(o.k., I was only 1 mm**2, but am definitely identifiable in my headband
and cool triathlete sunglasses) and name (well down the list of finishers,
bien sur) in the paper (Journal d'Alsace) the next day. And there, next
to my name, is my running club: "Runners Society". Hmmmm...they seem to
have left something out. Either their computer didn't accept long names, or
they couldn't believe what they were reading and left it out. In any case,
really nice to be in a country where even a local 6K race gets a quarter
page of coverage in the sports pages.
Race Entry Fee
40 FF (~$7.50), *including* a T-shirt.
The St. Louis Connection!
Just before the race was about to start, I walked past I guy
wearing a St. Louis Track Club singlet. An omen! As it turned out, I
think St. Louis took 1-2 in the race. Well, ok, make that Sahn Louieee!
The Race
Started in the extreme back of the pack (I mean, last row - see below),
resisted the temptation to start out as if shot from a cannon, which
seemed to be the inclination of most of the pack. I guessed from
observation that at least *some* of them were in my league, even though
there were clearly not as many "recreational runners" as there would be
in the U.S. I was right, as I moved up steadily through the race. Despite
non-negative splits (6:44, 6;56, 7:13, 7:00 for the four laps), I spent
the entire race passing people, until 50m before the finish when just one
managed to pass me back with a final sprint. Finished in 27:54, really
not a good time for me although not as bad as it sounds because of the
many turns in the race. As far as effort, I was redlining the entire way.
Good for 118/161, a miserable 24 in 40-49.
Porta-Potties
Not one! Here were two races (also a 2K) involving more than
200 people, and not a single portapotty anywhere! After taking a practice
lap to familiarize myself with the course, a started sauntering around,
casually looking for a secluded bush. Hard to find in the center of an
old French city. Finally I saw a restaurant - didn't feel too guilty
since I had eaten there the day before. When I came out, everyone was
lined up for the race, leaving me in the last row. Well, as the esteemed
Dr. Pangloss once said, "Toutes c'est pour the meilleur dans ce meilleur
des mondes possibles!" Or something like that.
Language
I almost didn't go to this race. In the paper the day before, it
was listed as a "Course pedestre". I had a also seen a notice for the race
in a French running magazine, so I was pretty sure it was a running race,
but I went to the race thinking I might find a walking race instead.
Fortunately, I had just read a book ("Six Kings of Distance", by Peter
Livesy) about six runners through the years, starting in the 1860's.
Because of that, I knew that, at least in England at that time, the sport
I know as running was then known as "Pedestrianism." So I kind of figured
that "Course pedestre" might mean running. It did.
Language, II
The magazine I first saw the race mentioned in is named
"Jogging International." In addition to that title, several conversations
with French people made it clear that they use the term "Jogging"
basically to refer to any road running (as distinct from track running,
which, as in England, is simply "athletics"). So, the next time someone
calls you a jogger, just reply: "Bien sur!"
Refreshments
Afterwards there were orange slices and bottled water.
Unfortunately only carbonated was left when I finished, and that is darn
tough to swig down when you're thirsty. Then I spotted this brown liquid
in cups on the table. Looked like defizzed Coke or something. Grabbed a
cup. Through it down my throat. Spit it out. It was warm coffee! Ugh.
Distance Snobbery
Become a distance snob lately? Doing longer and longer
races? Maybe even a 50K like I did last month? Go try a 5 (or 6)K. Don't
make the mistake of thinking races that short are "easy". Oooh, that hurt.
Loop Courses
This course took four loops through an old city (*many*
turns!). Usually, the fast runners are people I see disappearing in the
distance the first few seconds of a race. Here, I got to have the dubious
pleasure of being lapped during my third (their fourth) lap by the
winners. Rather humbling to have the racehorses go whipping by and realize
how slowly I am going at a time when I am running as fast as I can.
Racing While Travelling
Tough proposition! I consumed more alcohol (wine,
mostly), more cheese, more meat and more desserts during these two weeks
then I do in several months at home. The day before the race I had barely
been able to plod through a 35-minute training run. Thank god for
adrenalin!
Other Trip Highlights
The Parc de la Tete d'Or in Lyon where I spent the
last week was quite nice to run in, and is clearly *the* running spot in
Lyon. Fortunately my hotel was just 1K down the street. I also got to run
up the Dipsea-like (in both flatness and number) steps to the Notre Dame
cathedral on the hill, and then got to pass a huge and very largely intact
Roman Theater on the way back downhill. Oh yeah, the most important
highlight of all - perfect weather (no rain and good temperatures) during
my entire trip. Absolutely remarkable because I was surrounded, both in
time and geography, by lousy weather.
Trip Lowlights :`(
Missed a chance to meet up with Lindy since she was
in Berlin for the marathon on my free weekend. Missed meeting up with
Robert Anastasio even though he was in Frankfurt when I was in Darmstadt,
just 40K or so away. Other bad timing: As I learned from a copy of
Triathlet magazine (that's right, no "e", we're speaking German now), I
just missed by a few weeks the Darmstadt Triathlon. Then, if had been
able to stay in Lyon one more day (through today), I could have watched
or raced the Lyon Marathon. Ah well, enough excitement for one trip.
Steve "Call me Etienne" Patt
in sunny, perfectly pleasant (comme toujours) Cupertino
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