It Pays to Run

One benefit of the summer race season is the ability to race both days of the weekend, almost all summer long. In addition to myriad opportunities to check your fitness, there is always the possibility you'll win a prize. While I've won plenty of prizes in my life, this past weekend, I won the best.prize.ever. The best part was that it was in no way related to my performance. Yes, on Sunday at the Paul Mailman 10 Miler, I won a chicken in the raffle.

Now to clarify, this chicken was already dead. A surprising number of people have responded, "A live chicken!?" as though that makes more sense than a free range, local chicken frozen and donated by the race director. Although a frozen broiler is less exciting than a live chicken, it is an excellent prize nonetheless. This is a huge bird and although I probably won't roast it until the fall (perhaps at the "Booty Dinner" Jess and I thought up on our run yesterday), I'm sure it will be as exciting then as it was on Sunday.

The other benefit of the chicken was the hilarity that ensued on the way home. My ever-supportive teammates were as excited as I was, and we took a group picture with the chicken. Carlie recommended a great cookbook, Roast Chicken and Other Stories: A Recipe Book and we came up with my costume idea for First Run 2012, which will remain a secret until then.

What is your best prize ever, running-related or not?

Happy Summer Racing.
~S