The Jingle Bell Run / Walk took place early in the morning Saturday December 18th. A section of Broad Street was blocked off where all the runners gathered. I knew I was in the right place when I heard loud Christmas music. Many runners were festively dressed in red and green. The group I decided to sketch were wearing shopping bags that said, “Do not peek.” The bags had Santa’s and snowmen as decoration. Apparently parrot heads were a big sponsor of the event. One man wore an amazing parrot costume that made him look like a macaw. Some people jogged down side streets to stay warm and everyone stretched their calves and midsections. There were more than a few dogs there as well and they had costumes as well. When the starting horn sounded I was still busy sketching, as usual struggling to keep up with the fast pace of life.
Funds raised by the event went to the Arthritis Foundation.I was walking back to my truck when the first runners crossed the 5K finish line. I drove around Lake Baldwin which allowed me to watch the runners on the course. It started to rain and I found the roads to bring me home.