Joyeuse St-Jean Baptiste! and Race Rehearsal

June 24 is La St-Jean Baptiste in Quebec.  That is La Fete Nationale, our 4th of July.  The holiday marks the summer solstice and honours the patron saint of French Canadians—Jean Baptiste  (John the Baptist).
Celebrations start on the 23rd with big outdoor concerts.  In Quebec, the concert is on Les Plaines D'Abraham (huge green area on picture below).  The concert is followed by fireworks.

People arriving at the St-Jean Baptiste concert in 2007
This was the year of the 400th anniversary of Quebec and that picture was taken at around 8 am on the 23rd.  The concert started at 9 pm.

On the 24th, people have the day off and they get together with friends and family the same way people do here on the 4th of July.  The Canadian National holiday is July 1st and that is another celebration but in Quebec the big one is June 24th.

I am sure by now you are sick and tired of reading about where I am from and how great I think it is. I am proud of where I come from and  June 23/24 are not easy days for me so bare with me one more time!  Music is a huge part of this holiday and so here are 3 clips I found on YouTube that I wanted to share with you.  First one is a bit old, June 23rd 1976 and it is 5 of the most well known folks singers and poets we ever had  (the one on the far left passed away last week),  singing what is considered to be our National Anthem:
Gens du Pays. (People of the Nation)

Pour toi Anne! Joyeuse St-Jean!!!

And this one from one of my favorite: Paul Piché singing Heureux d'un Printemps (Happy it is Spring)

Last one from a group called Beau Dommage singing La Complainte du Phoque en Alaska. (The Seal's lament from Alaska) I was at that concert in 1995.

  

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Running:
Yesterday I did a rehearsal for my next race.  I am running a 5k on the 4th of July and it is local so I can run the course a few times before the race.  It went well.  The last mile is all uphill and my quads were feeling it.  I think negative splits will be hard to do for me.  I will bank time on the flat portion and the 2 ultra mini downhill.  I have a hard time to pick up the pace going uphill.  I am going back tomorrow for another try.

Today: speework: 10x400, 5 miles total.  I ran those a bit faster then the ones I did last week,  I want to push on these to see how fast I can really go.  On the last one, I went to my limit and almost fell of the TM and scared the gal next to me...oopsy.
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GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE RUNNING SEATTLE!