Here’s a trip my daughter would love to sign up for… thankfully she is only 3 years old and can’t read this blog. However, if you are as intrigued with reindeer as she is (her stuffed Rudolph–complete with battery powered red nose–from Build-A-Bear Workshop is practically Velcroed to her) you might consider booking a flight to Anchorage, Alaska.
The northern city is hosting a reindeer adventure that is akin to the running of the bulls in Spain. The big event dubbed the “Running of the Reindeer” makes its inaugural debut next month. The opportunity to run shoulder-to-shoulder with a herd of reindeer is the brainchild of a local radio host and has been incorporated into the city’s winter festival, called the Fur Rendezvous.
Participation for the big run is being limited to 500 men and 500 women (as of today they were still spaces available). The 1000 participants will run alongside about a dozen reindeer, which will be set loose on February 24th in downtown Anchorage. For $20 runners will race with the likes of Rudolph, Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, and Clarice.
However, unlike in Spain, event organizers say they are more concerned about the runners’ effect on the reindeer than the other way around. Though, the man who owns the deer has another concern, namely that the animals won’t participate in the event. The reindeer’s owner fears the reindeer will be too docile and stand there while the human participants run around like decapitated chickens.
There is the chance the reindeer might turn the event into a scavenger hunt for food and walk slowly from person to person sticking their noses in runner’s pockets, looking for something to eat. But, race participants need not worry about getting hurt since reindeer antlers are soft and curl inward.
Still, I agree with the deer’s owner who suggested event organizers should handicap the humans so they are less likely to provoke the animals. The reindeer’s owner proposed having the runners wear fur bikinis and fur Speedos to even things out.
Yet another reason I’m glad my daughter won’t be participating in the event.
Are you game?
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