Author Archives: Joke

Winter

Le Revard

They all do nordic skiing, running, cross-country ski or whatever. I try to walk every day. After a start of the year at more than 5 miles a day, my average has dropped a lot. I have walked 1500 miles since January 1st but it is getting harder. 2022 looks bad.

Last weekend

We were in Cogne last weekend, to run (the Mistress of Frimousse) and walk (me). The Mistress of Frimousse even ran the equivalent of a half marathon 13,53M with 1532ft D+. It’s nice to be able to run or walk in nature without the risk of receiving a “lost” bullet. It is the Grand-Paradis National Park, no hunting for at least 150 years. On one road we had to stop, just like other motorists. Chamois took care of their business without being interested in us!

Summer…

If I am satisfied with my short walks near the Lake, the Mistress of Frimousse did quite a lot of mountain hiking during the month of August. But also cycling, stand-up-paddling, swimming. Elouan and Christophe compete, each at their own level. Elouan’s rôle model has just won the UTMB, the Ultra Trail du Mont-Blanc. Elouan has to wait until he’s 21 to take part. He can’t wait!

François d’Haene finishing UTMB

HT

Well, since January 1st I have managed to walk 8 kilometres every day – I try to jog less and less often and my right knee gets stuck more and more often. But, as the Mistress of Frimousse says, “Think of those who are in wheelchairs!”

For her birthday, the Mistress of Frimousse was given a home-trainer. No more excuses not to cycle when it is cold or raining. No danger of breaking ribs! She’s still not back on her bike to ride the roads here – she’s waiting for the weather to get warmer. On the other hand, she’s started running again in the mountain above our place.

Repaired!

The bike of the Mistress of Frimousse has been repaired. And her broken ribs are okay now. She just has to ride her bike! For several weeks now, I have had a sciatica. “Keep walking,” says my physiotherapist. So I walk. My son and grandson do a lot of sport. Tens of kilometres of nordic skiing, cycling, running, thousands of feet of climbing incross-country skiing for Elouan – on Saturday, one of his friends rode 170 km on his bike in the cold (starting at 7 am) and in the mountains! What is good is that they follow their activities on STRAVA (1) and encourage each other.

This morning on the Lake I saw a swan preparing its nest…

(1) STRAVA? I am prepared to explain if someone requests it.

February

The Mistress of Frimousse was able to resume running and cross-country skiing. Back to normal. For cycling… she’ll have to wait until the bike is repaired, and the weather warmer. The rest of the family and our friends are doing their sports. Since the beginning of the year I try to walk 8K everyday. And for the time being I manage to do that. There are brave women – mostly women – who bathe in the Lake several times a week. And in particular an American and an Englishwoman. The American created the club Hell’eau du Lac. Water temperature? The other day: 5.5°C.

938 & 1540

I don’t think many people will regret 2020. Neither will we. Frimousse’s Mistress’s accident on her bike, lockdowns that have impaired our freedom of movement… But we’re still alive and Frimousse’s Mistress has managed to run/walk 938 M, and I 1540 M. As far as I am concerned I’d be very surprised if I succeed to do that in 2021 ! I’m aging, ain’t I ?

December 30th

When she reads the activities of Elouan, Christophe, Kerrian and Steph sur Strava, the Mistress of Frimousse enrages! Very good snow at the moment… So she just walks with me, between 6 and 11 km [4M to 7M]. She will have reached 1500km [940M] of running/walking since January 1st. She takes a lot of pictures.

29th Nov.

Since this morning we have the right, without risking a fine of 135€, to walk three hours in a radius of twenty kilometers around us. This is more than enough to walk, run or cycle. It doesn’t change anything for the Mistress of Frimousse because if she was going to walk by the Lake she would have to… get in the car, make do with the speed bumps – her ribs love that ! – and get out of the car. So, this morning, same route as before! I had decided to walk with her and then go for a few miles near the Lake but cracks in my right knee and boredom discouraged me. Of course the ex-covid Elouan and Christophe are letting go!