One of the things I love about Germany is that the festivals and holidays are still referred to by their liturgical names. You may or may not be a Catholic, but if you're here you probably know when St. Andrew's feast day is, or the second weekend in advent and so on because the signage for events often leaves out actual dates but will just name the feast day.
Silvester – named for Pope Sylvester I – is one of those events, and everyone here knows that is New Year's Eve. It is also the date of an annual 10k. Those 10 kilometers brought my husband's total miles run in 2011 to 1000. The boys and I went to cheer him on. Very cool.
(I think I say that alot.)
Kaffee und kuchen. Not sure if Runner's World is up to speed on this yet but cheesecake seems to top the list of pre-race, carb loading choices here. : )
Likewise, there was no free water afterwards, as is the American race norm, but rather hot tea all around. And a lot of steam from hot runners on a really chilly morning.
Speaking of hot runners….. ; )
Did I say that, or was I just thinking it? <g>
Anyway, it wrapped up just as the sky opened and buckets of rain fell. Half and hour earlier it wouldn't have been pretty. As it was, it was perfect.
Starry Sky Journal 
Your husband fits right in there! Love the guy in the top hat — I guess you always need one of those at a race. 😉
I remember a wonderful cheesecake from my childhood. We would stop on the way home from Mass at St. Boniventure’s, in Cincinnati, with my grandma at a wonderful German bakery. The cheesecakes was more cake than cheese but so wonderful. I’ve never been able to replicate it.
I thought I had commented on this post when you first posted it but must not have hit the button. 🙂 I wanted to congratulate Allen on the achievement and also I think it is so neat that they serve hot tea after the race. I think I would be more motivated to start running again if they’d do that in the states!
The woman holding the little girl is my friend and neighbor. How funny.