Looking back on St Jacques...

Race organizer Patrick Bonnot gave us a wonderful and cheerful send-off at last night's awards dinner. (The French really dine in style, an art which seems to have been lost in our anglo culture. Every evening we had delicious, plentiful, freshly cooked food served at a leisurely pace; nice aperatifs, wines, cheeses, desserts.)



So I have my shell, finisher sweatshirt and very sore feet to prove that I just ran 450 miles in 12 days. Today I experience the joy of doing absolutely nothing except eating and sleeping in a real bed. The race was a difficult one for me given the conditions we faced - cold, rain (and thus mud!), and wind. I confess to being a fair-weather runner. But the scenery, companionship of runners & volunteers, and the sheer history of what we passed through was unforgettable. I will forever be on the lookout for more of these trail signs!



I thank my French friends for their warm welcome, and apologize for my dilapidated French. And also thanks to my new Dutch friend Bram who made the wise and insightful comment that you should not spend more time running each day than you would expect to spend at work. Ultreia!!

Location:Place Floquet,Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port,France