Celebrations
in Oriental are known to have some odd activities. The Saturday
morning Croaker Relay Race may be among the oddest.
On Saturday morning before the parade has begun, runners –
and non-runners – compete in the Croakerfest Relay Race.
“First, second, third at the finish line mean nothing,”
says Turtle Midyette, who’s organized the race for the
past six years. It’s the competition AFTER the race that
counts, he says. And that’s where the fish come in.
 Some
of the over 50 plywood croakers that "Turtle"
Midyette has built for the 2004 relay race. First plywood
boards are shot with leftover Awlgrip paint - then the croakers
are cut out... |
Fish
Out of Water Out of Plywood
A painted board before cutting... |
The fish
here are wooden croakers.Turtle
makes them by hand. First plywood is painted with Awlgrip (that's
the expensive epoxy paint used on boats). It is leftover Awlgrip
- so a bit of almost every color is "splatted" on
the plywood boards.
He then
jigsaws the croaker shapes out - then routing - sanding - sealing....and
you have a plywood croaker. Fifty of 'em.
The fish are first used in the race as batons, which runners
pass from one teammate to the next after finishing a lap.
Then, once the race is over, the wooden croakers take center
stage. The winner is decided in a competition that involves
the wooden fish.
“It’s
all about fun,” says Turtle. “Each year we come
up with a different way to decide first, second and third place.”
There was bobbing for croakers one year. Another year, says
Turtle, each team’s croaker was put in to the inflatable
pool and then the sides were let down, which allowed the water
and the croakers to float out. Croaker that got farthest won.
Last
year was a "croaker toss" that required one to not
be overly concerned with their dignity - the “Between
Your Legs Two-Handed Croaker Toss”.
This year?
Turtle isn't saying. You have to be there Saturday to find out.
“Adults
love the competition after the ‘competition’”
Turtle says. “It reduces adults to kids!”
And Turtle says, the race is also a way for runners to involve
the rest of their families who might otherwise not enjoy running.
What:
CroakerFest Relay Race
4x1mile course.
When: 8:15am registration, 8:45am start
time Saturday July 2
Where: Lupton Park Playground
Who: Anyone who can run, walk, roll, rollerblade.
Cost: Free |
That, says
Turtle, was one of his aims when he started organizing the Croakerfest
Relay Race six years ago. A runner himself, he says he wanted
to create a race that was free of charge and was fun.
Race
Starts at 8:45am - Register at Playground at 8:15
This year’s Croakerfest Relay Race begins at 8:45am from
Lupton Park Playground. Registration at 8:15am and is free.
The course, almost exactly a mile, goes from Lupton Park down
Factory, across on First to Vandemere then back to the park.
The teams have to complete that course four times.
Beyond that, the rules get looser. Teams may consist of four
runners, three, two or one. They may also use short-cuts, says
Turtle, which may help kids. Competitors may run, walk or rollerblade.
(Dancing the route may also be done.) At the finish line, an
arc of water awaits. (Contestants should be aware that they
will get wet.)
No pre-registration
is necessary. Or possible. Teams that want to take part should
show up at 8:15 Saturday to sign in. Teams will then be assigned
their highly prized wooden croaker.
Turtle
Midyette lies prone like his wooden croakers. Behind him
are boxes of the cans of Awlgrip paint - and behind that
- those are the legs of Turtle's understanding wife Robin.
It is just another day in Oriental....
