Running in a Circle with Sissors

If you've never done it, run one of Jim's (tamparaces.com) Picnic Island races. I've never done one, but now I've set up the course once, and I'm telling you, it's gotta be a hoot!

We directed people through sand, through sticky black gu-ish mud, through waist high water, under cargo nets, over hurdles, up hills, down hills, up hills and down. We also gave them the bonus .3 miles. When you're having that much fun, your 5K should be 3.4 miles long (or even a touch longer!)

But, I was sad, while I did take joy in setting up the course, I did not get to run it, I was a working man. I felt like a chef who created a great meal and was forced to watch other people eat it!

That was Friday night.

Saturday night the lovely Ali Mathews and I worked the Ultra-miles for Moffit race at the USF track. We basically just had to write people's numbers down as they circled the track. Ultra Iron-Super-Elastic Man Joe Ninke circled the most times at 299, he didn't want to go 300, because everybody knows that you turn into butter at 300! It's not easy to stay awake all night if you're just jotting down numbers, it's slightly easier if you're running in circles.

That's a lot of being around the sport and very little actual participating in the spot, but it was fun, it was worth it, and I was able to give my body some much needed rest.