New Year's Day has barely dawned, while many are still thinking about their good resolutions, others prefer to offer themselves a challenge. This was the case for Frédéric Parise, an athlete known both for his diversity of disciplines practiced and his solidarity commitments.
For six years, he has offered his friends a very dynamic challenge. “In 2019, I launched the idea of running 19 km passing as many Bisontine heritage sites. Each year, we add a kilometer and a site. Afterwards, the calculation is simple, for 2025 it will be 25 km and 25 sites.”
Good-natured atmosphere
Having become a tradition, this friendly race through the city celebrates the new year, but especially their sporting year. “We all play different sports, but we usually get together to run together. There, it's a delirium where we take the time to appreciate these places that we pass dozens of times without ever really seeing them, appreciating them,” adds Frédéric. This is how this Wednesday, January 1, with a handful of friends barely recovered from the fun of the day before, a group of runners found themselves in Temis. In a good-natured atmosphere, hats on their heads and well-laced sneakers, they set out to discover the course, not forgetting to sprinkle it with breaks in “favorite” mode.
Selfies for posterity, snacks to keep up, jokes to motivate, the gang followed their “2025” list: observatory, statues, museums, squares, city gates, churches, Saint-Jacques hospital, Citadel, etc.
The generous layout welcomed the astronomical clock for the first time. But what will it be for the next few years? “Above all, we will see how we will be because Besançon has no shortage of sites to extend the course, there is plenty to take on other challenges,” laughs the athlete. However, once the finish line is crossed, the group enjoys one last moment of relaxation. “Have a drink to the health of the new year, friendship and sport,” smiles Frédéric Parise. A little comfort after so much effort.
