Race for the Cure - sharing love, hope, and joy

 

Of course there was a mountain of baguette!

October is all about breast cancer awareness here in Pèrigord!  Every village is decked out in pink, with cardboard ribbons, upside-down umbrellas, and plenty of creative expressions of support in community spaces.

And on the final Sunday of October, we hold the Marathon Trail - a marathon that winds runners through several Plus Beaux Villages (not to mention a lot of elevation) ending in Belvès with a huge celebration.

Just a few more steps!

Our little village is usually pretty sleepy on Sunday afternoons.  The shops have closed and most cafés are done feeding people until Wednesday.  But, on Marathon Trail day - Belvès transforms into a hooting, yelling, cheering, applauding, jumping-up-and-downing festival of well-wishers as the runners make their way down Rue Manchotte and burst into La Halle to cross the finish line.  Cafés are open, tired runners are plopped at their tables or at one of the many communal tables set up in La Halle, sucking on oranges, sipping a beer, laughing.

I stood along the final leg for a while, cheering them on in their final steps, before I headed to La Halle.  Many ran those last few steps holding hands with a spouse or small child - one even ran at least this final stretch with his miniature husky in his arms.

Made it!

The shared joy and hope were contagious.  I was happy to be alive and grateful to be a part of an event that celebrated our shared humanity and indomitable spirit.  We can do this.  We can do all of this.