The "Running of the Reindeer" is an event associated with the Fur Rendezvous festivities held annually in Anchorage, Alaska (www.furrondy.net). Fur "Rondy" is a two week event that precedes the start of the Iditarod when downtown Anchorage becomes "alive with winter sports and native arts and culture."
No one has ever died in the two years of Running with the Reindeer; however, who is to say the third running will not be any different?
Those of us willing to put our lives at risk (and to also get a t-shirt).
The feet of our challengers...
Lining up the reindeer for the "celebrity" run.
My team member/pastor of Amazing Grace Lutheran Church wore a hat that had reindeer humping each other.
This team was ready to run...
and the butterflies were ready to fly...
while the vikings were ready to rumble.
There were four races. The first race was the "celebrity" race (which consisted of persons I have never heard of before), the second was the male division, the third was the female division, and the fourth was the group/couple division.
The reindeer became quite feisty after being dragged back and forth from finish to start...especially by the fourth race. Our race.
Katie was sensing the danger, while Tyler was ready to run.
This is Leah's game face.
This is the reindeer charging after us...
...and a picture of a reindeer that ran past us.
We all made it through the race alive. Katie and myself were both taken out by a few antlers, but we managed to get back to our feet and finish the race.
The post party was serving reindeer nachos and grinders, appropriate, yet a little amusing considering people were eating the same species they had been running from only moments ago. We did not partake.