I am writing to inform my loyal readers (reader) that I will be temporarily employed (working for free) at another blog for the month of May: http://www.socialworkout.com/community.
This is a website devoting to providing lazy, unstructured, undisciplined, would-be exercise buffs with a daily dose of accountability. I am a proud subscriber.
For the month of May, I have signed up for the May Challenge, which involves working out 26 days in May and blogging about it. There are prizes to be won, but, of course, I am doing it only for the prize of increased cardiovascular efficiency. I am not sure if there is a way to link to my posts alone, but perhaps if you search for my username (invadecanada), you will find me. I will endeavor to post several of the days here as well. Below is the first.
Bon jogging!
France (Hearts) Holidays
May 1 - May Day is not a holiday in my provenance, Les États-Unis (USA). And even on the American equivalent - Labor Day, many stores and facilities are still open. But for the French, May Day marks the beginning of a glorious month of official holidays, bridge weekends (got Thursday off? one must take Friday too - 2 days in Brittany is just not enough), and general reluctance to show up at work. This is not to be confused with the month of August, in which every person with a drop of French blood are genetically compelled to shut everything down and vacate Paris and head for the closest country home.
So, due to my American-citizen status, I neglected to consider the likely possibility that my gym would be closed on May Day, as I packed my gym bag, complete with a change of clothes and towels for shower. My gym is about a mile walk from my home, and I realized my mistake about 20 feet outside my apartment. I turned the corner of my street and greeted a silent, empty square. If Paris had tumbleweed, it would have been rolling down the boulevard des Invalides. I knew what awaited me at the gym, but I was skeptically hopeful that if any branch of Club Med gym was open, this one would be. I kept walking. At any rate, it was a beautiful, calm day, and my gym bag was packed and heavy, so at least the walk would be a nice warm-up for a run if the gym turned out to be closed.
It was closed.
A 2-mile walk later, I ran out my front door towards my usual route, the north side of the Seine. At the esplanade in front of Invalides I figured out where all the people in Paris were: every meter of grass was covered with sunbathers, lovers, or soccer players (the latter being my favorite to watch). It was not only May Day, it was the first truly warm, summer-y day of the year. Running on the sidewalks over Pont Alexandre III and past the Eiffel Tower meant running a tourist gauntlet. At more than one spot, I had to just stop jogging and walk behind the fanny packs and (I kid you not) swine flu masks. By the time I got home, I was hot, sweaty, and misanthropic. I can't wait 'til Bastille Day.
4.5 miles + 2 mile walk
