LE BAISER (THE KISS) by Ann Walsh

Ann, Guy, and Blossom.

Ann Walsh is a native of Oregon and has lived all over the U.S. and in England. She has run Boston, New York, and Marine Corps marathons, among many other races. A world traveler, Ann currently lives in Bel Air, Maryland with her pilot husband, two sons, and the amazing dog Blossom. She recently embarked on a new career teaching math and language arts to children who "learn differently," and hasn't kissed a Frenchman since this story took place.

 

Valentine's Day is a day for kissing. Kisses come in all shapes and sizes just like the people that give them. As I turned the calendar to February, I reflected on the kisses and the people that have been part of my life and conjured up the memory of my ultimate dare to be fabulous kiss.

I was 25 at the time, an age when I owned the world and adventures were sought after on a regular basis. Running had just hit its heyday and road races for the masses were slowly popping up everywhere. England was my home for two years and I was taking every opportunity I could to branch out into the neighboring European countries. Running was a new hobby and I decided to buy a copy of an international running magazine and check out where I could combine the hobby with the adventure. "Paris-Versailles 16K; a French road race starting in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, with the scenic route taking you along the banks of the Seine, through the Bois DeBoulogne forest, and finishing next to the beautiful Palace of Versailles." Say no more, I was in!

The autumn day was perfect for running 9.942 miles. The weather was on the chilly side but not cold. Thirty thousand people were ready to go the distance and there I was in the heart of it all - in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower! The race had started and I left the silhouette behind and started looking for the banks of the Seine; but with that many people running, the banks were barely visible. Eventually, everyone found their pace and by the time I was heading into the Bois DeBoulogne forest, I had found my stride and life was grand! The endorphins had kicked in. Combined with the oom-pah-pah bands and stunning scenery, I was in heaven. At the crest of the final hill, in the forest, I kicked into overdrive. The scenery faded away and the rhythm of the running and my breathing took over. The end was only a few miles away and the adrenaline was pumping. I felt incredibly strong.

I like my space; I don't like anyone getting too close when I am exercising. I like to breathe! I could feel someone approaching me. I hadn't let anyone pass me since the crest of the hill and I wasn't about to let anyone pass me now. Suddenly this guy was on my heels. That's when the game of cat and mouse began. He passed me, I passed him back. He was running fast, I was running even faster. He would say a few words to me in French and since my lack of international language is limited to hello and goodbye in three languages, I said nothing back. I was ahead of him and that's what mattered! For two miles we chased each other. The Palace of Versailles was just ahead and I was in the lead. The finish line was getting closer and closer, his breathing was labored but he wasn't giving up. He wasn't going to let an American girl beat him and that's when the competitive side of my personality decided to show up. The pace increased, it was a full-out run, we were neck and neck, and then I took the lead and didn't give it back. I crossed the finish line and I felt like I had won the Olympics!

That's when it happened! All of the sudden I felt myself being lifted into the air, I turned around and I was face to face with the gorgeous Frenchman that I had just outrun. He laid those French lips on mine and I got an official "French kiss"!! He put me down and smiled and then he walked away into the beauty of the Palace of Versailles.

These days I bask in the glory of my family's kisses and hope to smother them with my own as Valentine's Day approaches. Running still makes me happy, although the pace is slowed and the mileage isn't what it used to be. Every now and then I think of that international running magazine and the ad for the Paris-Versailles 16K - the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, the banks of the Seine, the DeBoulogne forest, the beauty of the Palace of Versailles, and I smile to myself as I can add, "complete with a French kiss at the finish"! *: )