This weekend, I made the trek down to Iola, Kansas (no, you shouldn't know where that is) to visit a college friend, Kara (she's in the "something blue" picture from yesterday) This is a trip I've made a couple of times in the several years she has lived there, but this time I was going, not only to spend some time with Kara, but to participate in a 5k race they have down there each July. Now, this is a long way to go just to run a 5k, but this one caught my attention for one reason: this race starts at 12:26 am. Yup, a midnight 5k. And naturally, because it's something most people would call crazy, I had to do it.
So, I went down to Podunk, Kansas, thinking I'd do this 5k with about 50 other people, and that would be that.
It wasn't until after I got there that I realized that this was actually a huge deal in this town. They had an entire festival set up around this: bouncy, blow-up thingys for the kids, a car show, a "drag race"...that involved local businessmen racing down the street, dressed in women's clothing, snow cones, cotton candy, a outdoor movie on the courthouse lawn, etc, etc. I'm pretty sure the whole town was there. As well as everyone from the surrounding counties. The kicker: a few hours before the race, they called people to the gazebo on the courthouse lawn to hear the story of Charley Melvin, inspiration for this event.
As told by a barbershop quartet.
And this guy.
It's all about how this guy couldn't sleep and so he tried drinking but that didn't work, so he finally just decided to blow up a bunch of saloons in the town. Used, like, 150 sticks of dynamite on one and then 220 sticks on the joint next door. Pretty much destroyed the entire town square. So, now they commemorate it with the
Charley Melvin Mad Bomber Run For Your Life
So, anyway. Not only is it this whole big festival thing, there were way more than 50 people running this race. Try about 1o00. Here are a few pictures from my night: (you'll have to excuse the quality on some, they were taken with my cell phone)
As told by a barbershop quartet.
And this guy.
It's all about how this guy couldn't sleep and so he tried drinking but that didn't work, so he finally just decided to blow up a bunch of saloons in the town. Used, like, 150 sticks of dynamite on one and then 220 sticks on the joint next door. Pretty much destroyed the entire town square. So, now they commemorate it with the
Charley Melvin Mad Bomber Run For Your Life
So, anyway. Not only is it this whole big festival thing, there were way more than 50 people running this race. Try about 1o00. Here are a few pictures from my night: (you'll have to excuse the quality on some, they were taken with my cell phone)
the runners
before the run
how I was REALLY feeling
and after
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