The Carnival of Running #54 – Santa Suit Edition
Welcome to the 54th edition of The Carnival of Running!
Since Xenia says she will not permit photos of her in her Santa suit, Running Is Funny is left with no choice but to hold an All-Santa-Suit Carnival of Running.
Let’s begin with video of the Swimsuit Santa Run in Budapest:
Looks to me like the Zwack flowed freely.
I’m afraid you’ve missed your chance to enter Boston’s Santa Speedo Run for 2009, but there’s the Austin Santa Speedo Run is the same day. The web site says, “Click here to be an Athletic Supporter.”
The United Kingdom seems to be most enamored of Santa suit races, although one had to be cancelled this year to save money, and another town held its last one, citing declining entries (maybe because there’s so damn many Santa races). The Meersbrook Park Santa Dash featured the creepiest Father Christmas, shown below…
…while the Birmingham race boasted 400 Santas. But that’s nothing compared to the 500 Santas who crossed the Severn Bridge in the first of three “Santas on the Run” events in South Wales.
Training is required to run in a Santa suit, so the British Army sent a corporal to put these Santas into fighting trim:
By now you’re probably saying, “Mike, that’s a helluva lot of British Santa suit stories!” To which I reply, “HA!” The following stories are all from just the past week:
“Santas set for north east Scotland fundraising runs”
“Santas spring into action for fun run”
“Thousand Santas take part in Marlow run”
“Hundreds dress up for Norwich Santa fun run”
It’s a little known historical fact that the only reason Washington won the Battle of Trenton is because the British were holding a Santa run at the time. Back here in the colonies, there was a Santa run in Glastonbury, along with the Minneapolis Running of the Santas, which apparently has also attracted the participation of people dressed as dreidels and atheists dressed in lab coats.
The Las Vegas Great Santa Run sought to set the world Santa run record, and managed 8,868 participants, but Reuters reports the record is a mind-boggling 12,965 Santas. Still, the Las Vegas attempt was enough of an event to attract the Uncommon Sportsman, who provide the necessary photojournalistic account of the race as a participant.
That’s all for Christmas, but it’s never too early to get ready for the Emerald Nuts Midnight Run in New York City on New Year’s Eve.
This week’s linky love goes out Fast Cory, Running ’round Reno, and The Finish Line. All of them boast great photos on their sites, so check them out!
That’s all for this week, friends. Happy International Anti-Corruption Day! I can help you celebrate, for a small fee. Submit your posts to carnival@runningisfunny.com. Until next time, run away!
Excellent Santa roundup. And thanks for the link!
I too was amazed with the number of Santa runs in the UK. Kinda wish I’d signed up for the Edinburgh one now. :)
I do NOT want to be an athletic supporter.
I still demand Santa pics of Xenia. Work on that, why don’t ya? ;)