Galloping Green Beans, Batman!

Things we do for a discount.

Thanksgiving 2005 saw Ted and I in Jenkintown for a holiday-themed 5K. Thanksgiving 2006 saw us at the same race--this time a bit more festive.

As Dave's gift for being inducted into the National Honor Society, Ted and I paid his entry fee into the Gobble Wobble 5K. This event served double-duty--not only did it give Dave a chance to run another 5K, but it provided Ted and I with the opportunity to serve Dave humble pie. This 5K was not a 30-person race where he was guaranteed to place. This 5K consisted of almost 500 runners on an anything-but-flat course. He still ran it in 23 minutes...but hardly was a threat to the winners, who were finishing in 16 minutes.

The entry form allowed for a 10% discount to groups of 3 or more, and promised prizes for the most creative group name and costume. The discount attracted us, and I told the boys we had to come up with a group name to get the discount. And it had to be creative. Nothing with a turkey--everyone does turkeys. This had to be different.

After much discussion and brainstorming, someone came up with Green Beans. And to make the running theme? The Galloping Green Beans.

Enter the costume contest. We will dress in green. We will dress in green and it will be obvious we are the Galloping Green Beans.

After it was all said and done, we ended up spending more on the green attire than we saved with the discount. We even had face paint (which came off fairly quickly into the run). I didn't account for rain, and had to wear a non-green hat, but I think that hardly mattered. We were one of the winners, and each received a chocolate turkey.

So I guess it was worth it. I didn't do too good--I think I was still in the half marathon mentality, where pacing is key. By the time the 5K was over, I was just getting started.

But we got a chocolate turkey. And that was worth the 10% discount.

Everyone else was...shall we say...green with envy?!?!