Country's Midnight Run

There is this local, well-established Bar-b-que restaurant that sponsors a foot race on the last Saturday in August every year. It's been going on for about thirty years, with proceeds going to programs that support the vision impaired. In recent years, they have branched out to sponsor 'beep ball' competitions with balls and bases that beep for the vision impaired to play soft ball. And golf for the visually impaired, with the blind paired up with a sighted person who talks them through their game, as well as sighted scoring team. I volunteered one year to help score, pretty interesting, though once was enough - I'm not much interested in golf. Over the years, the number of participants in the race has grown, from practically nothing when they first started sponsoring the Midnight Run, to literally thousands of runners this past Saturday. As you might assume, from the name of the race, it takes starts at midnight, due to the heat.

I started doing it ... oh, I'd guess about twenty years ago... and taking my kids by the time they got in middle school. The idea of wandering around - legitimately- in the middle of the night was a great novelty. I have continued to do it every August, supporting a good cause and being a good sport. My friend, who can usually be persuaded into stuff I dream up, told me last year that she was done with that. So, sadly me, with no partner to walk in the dark with - though the whole course is lined with little candle-lit luminaria to light the way.

But I thought I wasn't done just yet. So I sent in my entry fee, and started practicing resting up so I could get myself to the midtown area, and walk the 3 + mile course again this year. I had a really hard time finding the enthusiasm to want go: not due to the crazy timing, but because of the huge crowd. There were about 2500 people entered in the event last year, and I am sure even more runners this time. And at least that many people just milling around in the streets, parking lots, neighborhoods, wandering aimlessly, imbibing copiously, acting crazy. It was not the fact that I would probably be in the last 100 to finish - but the wading through the crowd before, during and after it was over that persuaded me to just go to bed early.