Run for the Ridley

This past weekend was the annual Run for the Ridley, one of the major fundraisers for the Riverhead Foundation.  I volunteered to help with the race, was the least I could do after shaking down 2 sponsors and passing out applications everywhere I could think of.

I've spent the past month or so in the office making phone calls to random strangers.  First batches were to potential sponsors.  You would be surprised how many business do not actually answer their phones during business hours.  I have no real idea if any of them ever called back, I hope a few did.

The runner calls were far more fun.  Most of them did not answer but the ones that did were super nice and very enthusiastic.  Everyone loves the "turtle race"!

Day of the race we're to get there at 6am.  That's right 6am.  You know what I usually do at 6am?  Sleep.  I give myself extra time to get ready and of course the dogs refuse to cooperate.  Sophie goes outside and will just not climb back up the stairs to get in.  I had to go outside and practically carry her in the house.  She weighs 70 friggin pounds that's so not something I like doing at 5:15am.

Dog crisis averted and I'm off to Riverhead.  Its dark and its cold and I'm on the LIE with no other cars so I cannot speed.  That sucks on so many levels I can't even explain.  I arrived in the general vicinity of on time and they had many things ready for us to do.  Set up tables, put big sticks with signs in big pots with dirt and rocks.   For a break around 7ish I went around with Lauren to see if any of the local businesses could give us change for our merchandise table.  The guys at the stationary store near the Aquarium were really excited about the race.  If you're in Riverhead and need a lotto ticket they're the guys to see!

We were more than ready when the runners arrived.  I admit it was a little hard to hand out the numbers when my fingers were so cold.  Yes I had gloves but I left them in the car and yes they kept the car nice and warm.  I'll remember them next year.  So many people and all of them in such high spirits.  You don't often see that many happy New Yorkers in one spot.  Unless its say a Grateful Dead concert and then the happy really is just high.

I wasn't at the starting line but the other volunteers said that it really was an impressive site.  When the race started all of Main Street was flooded with runners, all there to help raise money for the Foundation. 

While we flipped over registration for raffle/awards I snuck over to refreshments and snagged an apple.  *Note to self find vegan food sponsor for next year*.  Jerry and the Mermaid arrived with their crowd pleasing chowder.  If I'm really honest that chowder may be half the reason most of the people run.

Clean up went quickly and I snuck out to my car before I made eye contact with Lauren or Ali and got recruited to unload the truck. The final count numbers came in.  431!  Yeah baby, 431 runners blows past all the other races.  Hopefully a few of those came from my phone calls!