Big Guys Running

I'm a little disappointed with the folks at the New Haven Road Race; they still have only preliminary results up. These results list the order of finish for the entire race, which is great. But the final results will give more information, including a breakdown of results by age group or other category. It's always fun to see how I've stacked up against other old men.

In additon to age groups, though, the NHRR is big enough to divide runners by, well....weight. Some races recognize what they call "Clydesdales," male runners of a certain....body composition. The Clydesdale category was begun when some fat guys argued that, just as it isn't fair to compare a 50 year old runner to a 20 year old runner, it also isn't fair to compare a 200 pounder to a 130 pounder. So now we have our own category. I, of course, signed up for the NHRR as a Clydesdale. After the showing that the other 40 year olds made at the Bastille Day 4 miler, I figured the fat guys would give me my best shot at an all-time high for a group finish.

The bad thing about having run the NHRR is that now I really can't go hard for a couple of weeks, which means that I can't run in a special race on Saturday.

In addition to being Isabel's birthday, Saturday is also the day of the Big Man Run in Somerville, MA (ironically, home to some of the best barbeque in the northeast, at Redbones in Davis Square. Try the White Trash Sundae for dessert). The Big Man Run is supported by the USA Clydesdale and Filly Racing Federation. (Women runners of a certain size are categorized as Fillies in some races, or Athenas in others.)

The Big Man Run is an amazing thing, from what I understand. It's a 5 miler, which is probably amazing enough, considering everyone in the race is over 190 pounds. But at three stops along the route, instead of getting water or Gatorade, each participant must drink an 8 oz. beer and eat a hot dog. Failure to keep it down results in disqualification. Also, you must bring three $1 bills with you, and tip the women who serve you. Failure to tip results in disqualification.

I can't imagine doing this race. Maybe when I was 20 and had more of an iron stomach. But now, I'm a 41 year old with three kids and a mini-van, and on Nexium for acid reflux. And that doesn't even factor in the cancer thing.

Still, it does show that running is among the most democratic (small d) of all sports, with room for everyone to feel like a winner. Or something like that.