Mom on the Run: Seen while running

Over the years, I’ve realized that runners are a strange, but definitely fun, bunch. During races, I often find myself combining my love of running with my love of people watching. I mean, what else is there to do while surrounded by a large group of people for 20 minutes to four-and-a-half hours?

The following are some of the more memorable sights I’ve seen during races.

Seen while running the 2010 Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicago Half Marathon:

• The hairiest man I’ve probably ever seen rockin’ a pair of spandex shorts ... that’s all.

• Five people running in Vibram FiveFingers – not too strange, but have I mentioned I want these shoes?

• A girl sporting a shirt that read, “Race Entry - $110, Speeding Ticket on the way to Chicago - $150, Running with my Sister - Priceless.” I thought the speeding ticket part was hilarious until I returned to my parking ticket-clad car about an hour later.

Seen while running the 2010 Disney Princess Half-Marathon:

• Hundreds of freezing runners waiting for the race to begin, keeping warm by doing the Macarena ... seriously. Yes, this race was in Florida, but Orlando hadn’t quite warmed up by 4:30 a.m. that day in March.

• Hundreds of women (myself included) running in tiaras and stopping every five to 10 minutes for photo ops with Disney Characters.

• About 15 men wearing pink tutus and tiaras.

• A man along the route, dressed as a prince with a “Run Like a Girl” sign.

Seen while running the 2010 PF Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Marathon:

• A man riding alongside runners who fell off his bike (almost not funny since I literally had to jump over him, but still a little funny because he wasn’t hurt).

Seen while running the 2009 Quad Cities Half Marathon:

• A “Bloody Mary-thon” station along the route (I seriously considered stopping).

Seen while running the 2009 Lincoln Memorial Half Marathon:

• About 50 people dressed as Abe Lincoln (and even a couple Mary Todd Lincolns).

• A man who carried a giant “penny” on his shoulder. His profile served as Honest Abe’s on the penny.

Seen while running various Bolder Boulder 10Ks:

• Two girls doing cartwheels across the finish line.

• Two people playing leap frog across the finish line.

• A man dressed as a Marionette. Four of the five years I’ve run this race I’ve passed him in the same spot. He walks, moving as if the strings held by the wooden cross above his head are responsible for his movement.

• Two apes chasing a banana (all runners in costume, there were no actual apes or bananas running — not that I’ve seen, at least).

• Flash, running alongside Wonder Woman and Captain America.

• Each year, a house along the route has a party during the race, complete with a slip and slide, which is always open to runners.

• Each year, a man watches the race in front of his Boulder home wearing a bathrobe and drinking mimosas ­— again, not too unusal, but I’m always jealous.

• A free bacon station, which of course offered vegetarian bacon as well.

So there you have it. If you are not currently a runner, I’m sure I’ve just convinced you to sign up for a race. Where else can you receive such entertainment for the small price of a race entry, travel to the race, a hotel stay, running gear, hours of training ... oh wait, it’s not really cheap, but it’s definitely a good time!

Holly Richrath is a reporter at Times-Newspapers. She shares the juggling act that is her life and her quest for sanity in her blog “Mom on the Run.”