Dumpster Dash

Two-legged horses prohbited from Dumpster Dash runs

Don't bother bringing them on Tuesday or Thursday, as they will not be allowed to run.

We'd let two or more of them run in an exhibition race, but only if their owners agree to clean up after them, if you get my drift.

Gregory beats Dave in Th 5/22/08 Dumpster Dash

The race is 100 yards down the hill to touch the dumpster on the left, then back uphill to the starting line. Jeremy is the starter and timer. Chrissy is the photographer. Aaron is the downhill traffic guard.

Jeremy (yellow shirt) is standing at the finish line. Gregory has just crossed it. Dave is at his maximum possible closing speed.

Gregory (21) beat "Dumpster Dave" (62.5) by about 2.5 seconds in a running of the Dumpster Dash Thursday evening, 5/22/08. Gregory's official time was 33.5 seconds, well off the record of 27.5 seconds set by 32-year-old Tate in 92-degree heat last summer.

Gregory played football in basketball in HS and is now preparing to join the Navy. His comment on beating a guy almost 3 times his age by 2.5 seconds: "I've got to get in better shape."

See the embedded video of the race in the continuation, if interested.

Dave beats Carrie to start 2008 Dumpster Dash season

"Dumpster Dave" (62 1/2 years old) beat Carrie (mid to late 20s or early 30s?) Thursday night in the first Dumpster Dash race of the 2008 season.

It's most appropriate, for Decatur, that the 2008 season start with a cross-gender race between two people of very different ages. Hopefully, the diversity will magnify as the season goes on. The Dumpster Dash is an equal opportunity challenge. There are no restrictions, other than one has to be human (not a race horse, a greyhound, a puma, or something like that).

For anyone not familiar with the Dumpster Dash: You must run 100 yards downhill, touch the middle dumpster, then run 100 yards back uphill, finishing at the start-finish line. It's a 200-yard sprint, complicated by the grade of the track. Oh yeah: You must have drank two adult beverages within one hour before running [a rule which scares off professional runners and helps the Corner Pub recoup the $10 "Dash Cash" prize for the winner in advance -- something Dave will have to receive later, as Angel couldn't find any "Dash Cash" certificates.] As is customary, Dave bought Carrie a Sweetwater 420.

Dave's time was 36.9 seconds, considerably off his best time of 34.5 seconds last year, and well over the record time of 27.5 seconds set by Tate (30 something) last year. (He's out of shape, and really didn't need to shovel in the coals toward the end.)

Carrie stopped at the steps before ever making it back to the finish line, so we have no official time for her.

more details in the continuation, if you're that interested

Luke the Landscaper (left) is the standard starter. Alaina (Carrie's friend) was standing in the middle.

As usual, some Corner Pub patrons (most notably Chrissy, Happy, and Dale) observed the race from the observation deck a the top of the steps. You can hear some of their comments in the video.