2nd annual Runners Without Borders, 10/28

2nd annual Runners Without Borders

It's back!

Please join me for the 2nd annual Runners Without Borders!

Let's do a recap for those who may have forgotten:

Last year about this time I said to myself, "Self, how's about we raise some money for Doctors Without Borders?  Gee, that'd be swell, huh!"

Then this happened:  RWB.

And now it's going to happen again!  With a few minor changes to the format, because, you know, I like to mess with success.

Let's start with the basics.

It all goes down on SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28th, 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

Get yourself to Lory State Park on Sunday, October 28th.  You don't have to be there for the whole day.

Start at the "Eltuck" picnic area.  See map here:  Lory map

Run to one of the very lightly defended "borders" between Lory State Park and Horsetooth Mountain Park.  You choose the route.  There are two border crossings as you know.  Valley and Mill Creek, we'll call them.

Pick up a poker chip at the border crossing, there will be a bag of them at each crossing.

Return to Eltuck with your poker chip.  This represents a "lap".  One poker chip per person per lap, people.

Repeat.  Or don't.  (yes do...)

But wait, there's more!  So much more...

The Pledges

Me:


Just like last year, I'm donating one dollar per "lap" per person to Doctors Without Borders.  Up to $250.  Last year we combined for 168 laps.  I know we can get to 250 this year.  Don't let me down, people.

You:

Express yourself, people!  Please show up and get one or more of those poker chips and bring them safely back to Eltuck.  It's worth money to DWB!  And I encourage you to pledge as well.  You can match my pledge.  You can pledge for yourself.  You can get your friends and family to sponsor your laps.  You can make up some insanely complicated formula (Laura B, I'm pointing at you; well I'm pointing in the general direction of the Vet Hospital right now.  Well I'm typing, actually, but you get the visual)

What else is different?

New starting point:

This year I've rented out the Eltuck picnic area in Lory, it's about halfway between the Lory st park entrance and the Arthurs Trailhead (our base of operations last year).  I wanted more space and more amenities, picnic tables and the like.

No fixed route:

That's right!  I continue to turn the concept of an organized run on it's head.  Just get to the border.  Or the other border.  How you do it is up to you.  Clearly there are speedy and slower ways to get to the borders, but part of the fun should be to explore the trails.  Which is why I'm dispersing a as-yet-to-be-determined number of...

Magic Tokens!

Magic tokens will be placed in secret locations along the trails of Lory state park.  Find one on your lap, and bring it back for a fabulous prize.  One magic token per person, please.  What prizes?    TBD.  How many tokens?  TBD.  Wha-?  Quit asking so many questions.  Friggin MAGIC TOKENS, people!  Go find them!

Still with me?  Good.

Here's what I need from you.

RSVP

Please let me know if you're planning on showing up.  I'll add you to my online RSVP list.  There is no charge to participate, other then the Lory State Park fee ($7 per car, so carpool).

Wait, when is it again?

Sunday, October 28th, anytime from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.  Get there early if you want to find a (friggin) magic token though.

Pledges:

You don't have to pledge but of course I encourage it.  Last year we raised over $4,000 for DWB.  Yeah that's right.  I think we can top that this year.  Give me some sugar, people.


For point of reference, here are last year's participants and pledges:
2011 Participants:



2011 Pledges:



ok that's it for now.

FCHPBTH

5^th Annual Human Powered Brewery Tour for ALS

Saturday, February 4^th, 2012.  10:00 am.

On July 27^th of this year, the finest, most handsome competitors from around the world will gather in swinging, rioting London for the Games of the XXX Olympiad!  Oh that we could be there, to hurl a silvery spear into the steamy yob-filled night, to toss aloft the gossamer weight of a gleaming white plastic ball, to swim, swim synchronously and true in costumes scant, yet somehow tasteful.  I fear I’m mixing up synchronized swimming and ice dancing.  Maybe they should be mixed up.  No matter, off subject as usual. 

But alas we are no Olympians, merely mortals who like to compete.  So compete we shall, in the Fort Collins Human Powered Brewery Tour Heptathlon!  In honor of this being an Olympic year we will transform our annual brewery tour into a quasi-competition and celebration of international costume and bad accents.   

Here, then, are the rules:

1)      Choose a country and align yourself with that county.  Lean their dress, their customs, their favorite sport, their favorite beer, their favorite accent.  Come prepared, come dressed up.  Medals will be awarded to the three best representatives.  More than one person can be part of the same country.  Then you will be a team!  Organize yourselves accordingly.  My inclination is to represent Ghana of course!

2)      Give generously to the ALS Association.   Every year we do this as a fund-raiser for ALS and this year, particularly this year, is no exception.  5 years ago Celeste lost her cousin Annie to ALS.  Last fall she lost her cousin Bob to the same disease.  We honor their spirit and memories by hosting the brewery tour and raising money for the ALS association.  We raised over $400 last year, and we want to raise over $1,000 this year.  Medals to the top three fund-raising countries.  That’s a good reason to get together and join a team!!

3)      Visit all 7 old town Fort Collins breweries by human powered means only.  This means anything not motorized!  Bike, run, walk, skate, roller-blade, big wheel, pogo stick, kayak, you get the idea.  You will cover about 4 or 5 miles if you hit all 7 breweries so crawling or leap-frogging is not totally encouraged.  Obtain a coaster or a photo of yourself from each brewery and bring your coasters/camera to the Trail Head Tavern for verification.  Sampling of beers at each brewery is technically optional, but, you know, whatever.  Participants who visit all 7 breweries will be eligible to medal in the FCHPBTH (Fort Collins Human Powered Brewery Tour Heptathlon).  It is not a speed competition.  It’s a style competition.  A, dare I say, competition de panache.  I’ll know it when I see it.  You will be competing in the following events at each brewery. 

4)      The 7 breweries and competitions, you ask?  IN THIS ORDER:

a.       New Belgium Brewery. 10:00 am.  Competitions:  Frivolity, Punctuality.

b.      Fort Collins Brewery.  10:45 am (ish).  Competition:  Generosity. 

c.       Funkwerks Brewery.  11:30 am.  Competition:  Panache.

d.      Odell Brewing Company.  12:15 am.  Competition:  Levity.

e.       Coopersmiths Brewpub.  1:00 pm.  Competition:  Brevity.

f.        Pateros Creek Brewing Co.  1:03 pm.  Competition:  Orienteering.

g.       Equinox Brewing.  2:00 pm.  Competition: A certain daring-do, a certain je ne sais quoi.

Yes, everyone starts at New Belgium at 10:00 am.  We have a lot of stops on this year’s tour, so get cracking (remember on the first year, when there was only one brewery in town?  Me neither.).  Everyone meet at the Trail Head Tavern after it is all over for awards.  Believe me, they’re the only place that will accept us by then.

Oh and, special prizes for legacy members, you know who you are!  The prizes will be even more special than last year!

Here are some pictures from previous years:

2008, First, uh, annual!

 

 2009, 2nd annual!

2010, 3rd annual!

 

2011, 4th annual!