Costumes for Juneau's 2009 Only Fools Run at Midnight race include a giant Xtratuf boot and a Gray Line bus. Runners can participate as either individuals or as part of a "centipede," in which five or more runners are connected in some way.
Story last updated at 6/23/2010 - 6:22 pm
"Lord, what fools these mortals be!" says Puck in Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Nights Dream." His words would fit well in Southeast Alaska on the midsummer night of June 26, when fools of all ages will don elaborate costumes for a midnight run through the streets of the region's three largest cities.
The annual "Only Fools Run at Midnight" race is a fundraiser for Southeast Alaska Independent Living (SAIL) and takes place simultaneously in Juneau, Ketchikan, and Sitka.
Fools of all ages can run five kilometers or walk one mile. Awards are given for top finishers, but for many participants it's more important to have a creative costume than to finish quickly - how else can you explain people choosing to run in a sumo suit, or attached to at least four other runners as part of a "centipede"? Sitka's annual "Running of the Boots" gets people to run in Xtratufs, but last year a Juneau fool ran in a full-body costume of an Xtratuf. Sounds, well, tough.
Some costumes are timeless - a six-pack of beer, a sled dog team - while others reflect current events: an avalanche chasing a power line in Juneau in 2008, for example.
Whether you run or not, you can compete for donated prizes, including Alaskan Airlines tickets, by participating in the pledge drive.
All funds raised by the race and the pledge drive stay in the community in which they are raised to support SAIL's services offered to Southeast Alaskans with disabilities. Some of the services SAIL offers include loan closets, from which people can borrow wheelchairs and walkers; subsidized rides and accessible transportation; assisted technology, such as amplifying systems; brain injury and low-vision support groups; and information referral. SAIL also runs ORCA, a recreation program.
Event Details
The annual Only Fools Run at Midnight race begins at 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, June 26 in Juneau, Ketchikan, and Sitka. Costume judging begins at 11 p.m. Early registration by June 24 is $10 for youth under 18, $20 for adults, and $50 for a family of four. Registration after June 24 or on the race day is $12 for youth, $25 for adults, and $60 for a family of four. There will be prizes for top costumes, centipedes, and finishers. For more information and online registration, visit www.sailinc.org.
Juneau: Race begins at Centennial Hall. Register at JRC/The Alaska Club, Pavitt Health and Fitness, First Bank, Nugget Alaskan Outfitters or the SAIL Office (3225 Hospital Dr., Suite 300). T-shirts for the first 500 to register. For more information, call 586-4920.
Sitka: Race begins at the Fire Hall. Register at Old Harbor Books, First Bank or the SAIL office (514 Lake Street, Suite C). For more information, call 747-6859.
Ketchikan: Race begins at the Southeast Alaska Discovery Center. Costume judging will take place at 11 p.m. Register at Fat Stan's, First Bank or the SAIL office (602 Dock St, Suite 107). T-shirts for the first 120 to register. For more information, call 225-4735.
