spicy sports

Keeping in step with the "sporty" theme of life... the other day a few of my students, Mercedes, and I participated in Sevilla's Carrera de la Mujer (Women's Race) to support breast cancer research. Translation, a 5k (about 3 mile) race that both started and ended in the Plaza de España. The experience was rich, to say the least.

Highlights:

The fact that any woman who actually desired to run this "race" had to navigate through a sea older Spanish señoras who placed themselves the front of the starting line wearing long skirts and tennis shoes, carrying purses, and sporting their women's race t-shirts with their official numbers pinned to them.

It is also worth noting that these same señoras did not actually complete the 5k as I saw them mosey-ing through the park on the other side of the race barriers as I was completing my second loop of the park. Cunning foxes they are. Foiled again.

At the end of the "race" was what I consider a fairly good representation of the female stereotype in a society attempting to break-free from its machista roots. That's right... a massive AEROBICS class held in the middle of this national monument. Let the record show that the majority of the class was led by MALE aerobics instructors. Ha. Ha.

I must say, participating in a gi-normous aerobics class with hundreds of Spanish women in the middle of a renown Spanish superstructure (featured in George Lucas's Star Wars: Episode II, which I have never seen) was nothing short of hilarious. Not many can claim that. However, after a few grapevines and box steps, it did lose its luster and we peaced out, but not before milking all the sponsors' booths for all the sweet free stuff they were distributing (ie the BEST part of any race.) I am now the proud bearer of a number of things that no women should live without such as pink breast cancer awareness shoe laces, a tube of chapstick on a cord to hang around your neck, a new pair of socks, a pink quick-dry towel, and a pink sporty knapsack thing in which to deposit it all.

Good healthy fun had by all.

it's good to have American friends in foreign countries...

... because then you can have a conversation such as the following and fully appreciate it.

Scene: Julie Ann and Beth walking down typical Spanish street filled with motorcycles (motos).

Julie Ann: You know, I have to admit... motos are pretty hot.

Beth: Well, that depends.

Julie Ann: On what?

Beth: Well, like if it's a Harley or if it's a "got-room-for-one-more-if-you-still-wanna-go-to-Aspen."


Few things satisfy more than a well placed quote from an endearing American classic such as Dumb and Dumber... even more so when the people with whom you interact daily are (to no fault of their own) incapable of appreciating such genius.

"LLOYD, when I think you couldn't be any dumber, you go and do something like this... and TOTALLY redeem yourself."

Now Beth and I play the "hot or not" game with the motos we see. In case you're wondering, the new Vespas = hot.

Special thanks to Beth Smith, Lloyd Christmas, and Harry Dunne for making this blog possible.