Two silhouettes slip away in the darkness. 8:15 a.m. and 8:19 a.m. The real ones are already at work. Before daybreak. A fraction of a second before “Sud Ouest” comes into action. Notebook and pen drawn too late. Nevermind. They’ve been here, they’ll come back there.
This is Florida, a popular starting point for joggers from Bayonne and part of the Basque Country. Site on the banks of the Nive chosen to verify this Ipsos survey, with the same result for 14 years: sport is the first resolution of the French. Let’s see.
Not crazy about the robin, who prefers to squat on his bench while jogging on January 1st.
Émilie Drouinaud
Taking temperature. On the thermometer: -1°. On the troillometer: of the world. Per kilometer: no one around. 8:30 a.m., the city lights go out. 8:35 a.m.: a plump robin lands on the track, takes a few wild steps then declines the invitation to the asphalt. It’s not okay, you bunch of degenerate humans? Hey, here are the two insomniacs taking long strides. José “the machine”, who imposes a loop of “10 to 15 km every day” on himself. It’s said in the movement. The man is already far away. With these people, we don’t stop, we run. Also to keep warm. “I’m cold,” shivers Clémentine, the other suicide bomber of January 1, 2025.
The faithful at the meeting
In the meantime, the sun has finally released its first rays above the Ansot plain. 8:40 a.m.: a well-covered walker rushes onto the towpath. Septuagenarian Marie-Jeanne: “I’m here every day at 8 a.m. normally, but I couldn’t come last week, I was looking after my grandchildren. I’m taking advantage of January 1st to start again. » Let’s go for 6 terminals and an hour of physical activity.
Émilie Drouinaud/ South West
The sun rises above the Ansot plain, a little after 8:30 a.m.
Émilie Drouinaud/ South West
Marie-Jeanne, first walker of 2025 on the banks of the Nive: 8:40 a.m., let’s go for 6 km and an hour of physical activity.
8:45 a.m.: while the Nive is smoking everything it can, a late party-goer arrives with a cigarette in his mouth from the city center. The back of the eye is tired. A little morning jog? “No, I’m going to bed now. » Good night Benjamin. “Yes and happy new year!” ” Similarly.
From 9 a.m., the regulars’ ball begins, a good fifty over three hours. It politely declines the microphone. “We’re not here on purpose today!” ” Note. In the middle of Caroline, who “walks (fast) from January 1 to December 31” and this group of talkative cyclists, Florence on vacation with her parents happily finds “the path of (her) childhood”. “But hey, I only run 10 km, I’m a big lazy person.” Um… We shouldn’t have the same definition of laziness.
Émilie Drouinaud/ South West
First group of cyclists at work on the towpath this January 1, a little before 9 a.m.
Émilie Drouinaud/ South West
Florence, early in the morning on the “path to her childhood”.
Two determined to fight
The first resolution appears at 10:35 a.m. It is now deep blue. Her name is Stéphanie and she smiles at life: “I don’t run regularly enough. With this magnificent weather, it’s a good way to start the year, in one of the most beautiful places on the Basque Coast. Yes, it’s a good resolution, like every year in fact: play sports and enjoy the good times. »
11 a.m., second determined to do battle with himself. It’s Jean, almost 55 years old and a long New Year’s Eve in his legs. Cleaning operation, 10-12 km: “I came to curse myself for yesterday’s excesses,” he laughs. I started at 12:30 p.m. and finished at 1:15 a.m. We think we’re young when we’re not anymore… Well then, resolutions are made to be quickly forgotten…”
Pierre Mailharin
Cleaning operation for Jean, after the feasts of the day before.
Pierre Mailharin
He sets off for his good resolution, 10 to 12 km.
At least he tried. Him. A moving thought for the weak-willed people of the day before, the “I will go running at dawn, promised, sworn, spat”, between two toasts and a cocktail. It’s noon, let’s face the facts: you won’t come anymore. Don’t panic: you have 364 days left to avoid giving up.
