• That was true for a few last run •
[1 MIN READ]
Wikipedia defines a “debutante” as “a young woman of aristocratic or upper-class family background who has reached maturity and is presented to society at a formal ‘debut.’” That definition from the French is old fashioned, elitist, and just a little narrow. I like Merriam Webster better: “one making a debut.” Think of the debut of a movie, for example; its first appearance.
Celine and Odessa were debutantes for last week’s Saucony event @ Growlers Group Run. They were coming to GGR for the first time. The word applies without all the historical snootiness.
(Front, L-R: Odessa, Taylor, Stacey, CtCloser. Middle, L-R: Mike [standing and leaning], Shoshana, Jason, Celine [stroller], Gracelly. Back: L-R: A.A.Ron [Phillies shirt], J’Adam, Dray, Jane, Julianne, Leslie, Saucony rep James)
Dray and Mike were debutants last week, too. The previous final “e” specifies a female. The word without it specifies a male. That’s the way French works.
Saucony’s James was not appearing for the first time. He did that back on 2025’11’05’W. What was debuting for the first time at GGR was the pizza he ordered for us from Jules Thin Crust. We’ve ordered from a couple of different pizzerias in my time, but never from there. Voilà, Jules’ debut.
The rest of the runners were all returning: les habitués. That noun is plural masculine, regardless of the presences of females. I don’t make the rules. I’m just the (high school) Francophone.
Incidentally, everything was très bien: pizza, running shoe trials, and newbies.
Mentioned (iCandybyWangC.com unless otherwise specified)
Wikipedia (Wikipedia.org)
Merriam-Webster (Merriam-Webster.com)
2025’11’05’W
Jules (JulesThinCrust.com)
–CtCloser (Calvinthe), “Negative split or positive splat” #dothedue
FINE PRINT ¶Text and photos (unless otherwise stated): Calvin Wang (Wäng), CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 (CreativeCommons.org). ¶Cross-posted: (1) Facebook JRC Growlers Group Run (2026’08’19’W Run Message), (2) GGR email list, (3) Cerebruns by CtCloser. ¶This website posting: Cerebrun with added caption and enumeration.
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