Baghdad by the Bay
Yesterday was the annual Bay to Breakers race in San Francisco, but you don’t want to read about it, you want photos, so go here.
Categories: What's New Tags: bay to breakers, costumes
The Nun’s Run
You missed your big opportunity to run a 4-mile race through London dressed as a nun. Organizers raffled off tickets to the musical Sister Act, and proceeds benefited the Barnardo’s children’s charity.
Next year: A race through Cordoba dressed as the Spanish Inquisition!
Categories: Outpost of the Odd Tags: barnardo's, costumes, nun's run, running in costume
The Running Food Chain
In the last Carnival of Running, I highlighted the “battle of wills” between London Telegraph sports editor David Bond and a giant pink nurse during the running of the London Marathon.
Now we have the other side of the story, though we learn that the giant pink nurse was blissfully unaware of her duel in the sun with Bond. Instead, she was deep in competitive battle with a large rhino.
“I thought there’s no way I’m going to be beaten by a rhino so that got me going again.”
No word from the rhino yet, but no doubt he was striving to stay ahead of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.
Categories: Outpost of the Odd Tags: costumes, giant nurse, london marathon, rhino
Always Overdressing for the Wrong Occasions
OK, this “world record for running a marathon dressed as a (fill-in-the-blank) character” is getting out of hand.
It was good news for Ryan Desgrange, who completed the Glass City Marathon in 3:04:48 dressed as Rocky Balboa. Ryan won his age group.
But it was bad news for Guy Cockroft, who ran a very good 3:38:29 in the London Marathon while dressed as the Cat in the Hat. Unfortunately Guy was edged out by Darren Stone, who finished with a 3:36:07 while dressed as Bananaman.
“I checked on the internet because I wasn’t sure how the other cartoon characters had done,” Stone said. “I scouted out before that Danger Mouse would be my main competitor but I have heard that I’ve got the record.”
Danger Mouse could not be reached for comment.
Meanwhile, Paul Simons ran a 2:55 dressed as Santa Claus, Jack Lyons managed a 4:22 dressed as a leprechaun, and Sally Orange squeezed across the finish in 4:32 dressed as, well, an orange.
Things didn’t go as well for the poor slob in the pack mule outfit, who DNF’ed.
Categories: Outpost of the Odd Tags: bananaman, cat in the hat, costumes, marathons, rocky, ryan desgrange
We Can Have Lots of Good Fun That Is Funny
Evidently there is an entirely different category for marathoners dressed as cartoon characters – a mark Guy Cockroft will attempt to set in Sunday’s London Marathon. Guy will be dressed as The Cat in the Hat.
“I’ve told myself I’m going to do it but I think half the battle is psychological,” he said.
No word on whether Guy will hop up and down on a ball with two books in one hand and a cup on his head with a cake, and milk on a dish with a fish on a rake.
Categories: Outpost of the Odd Tags: cat in the hat, costumes, guy cockroft, london marathon, marathons
Yo Adrian!
Ryan Desgrange is a very good marathoner, but just short of the speed necessary for elite status. Undaunted, he is seeking another claim to fame, by attempting to become the fastest man to run a marathon in a film character costume. (Why don’t women ever think of these things?)
His choice was Rocky. Not this Rocky…
…this Rocky.
The choice of costume would seem to give Desgrange an inherent advantage over someone dressed as, say, the Tin Woodsman. But there is a drawback.
His biggest challenge has “Rocky” scrawled across it: the boxing gloves. He can’t take them off during the marathon.
“I have no idea how to pick up water” along the race course, he said. If he can rig an interior gripping system, he’ll practice with help from his wife, Heather, near their home in Howell, Mich.
Fortunately, the Internet has instructions for everything.
Categories: Outpost of the Odd Tags: costumes, marathons, rocky
Running Flat Out
I noticed in the May Runner’s World a little blurb about Krusteaz sponsoring a race in which the winner gets a year’s supply of pancakes. What an awesome prize! And accompanying the blurb was a photo of a guy wearing a pancake costume. Being the compulsive researcher I am, I managed to discover that not only did Flap Jack (his real name) run the Eugene 5k last year (in 17:34!), but he was interviewed afterward, saying, “This was actually the first time I have ever run since I was batter.”
Last October he started a very short-lived blog, called Life as the Flat Man. Evidently he was consumed by something else.
How would you like to have been the other runner in this photo?
Categories: Outpost of the Odd Tags: costumes, krusteaz, pancakes
