"There's only one hard and fast rule in running: sometimes you have to run one hard and fast."








Monday, September 17, 2012

Picnic, Anyone?

I was thinking: a lot of people are coming in to St. Paul the day before the Twin Cities Marathon (Oct. 6) to pick up their numbers, with no plans for what else to do that day. Most of them have never seen any part of St. Paul not on the race course. Why not have a progressive picnic, taking in several tiny and obscure parks just blocks away from Summit Avenue? It'd be a chance to meet others running the next day, give everyone something to do and something to eat, and what I have planned would involve about a mile of walking, which would help defray the tapering jitters and get in just enough movement to stretch the legs the day before the race.

The plan would be to take in 6 parks, with a 6-course meal. I could handle preparing food for maybe 10 people; if more were interested it would have to be a pot luck. I'd lead people from place to place, carrying a picnic basket with the next course. The places I'd go (for those who really want to look them up): Crocus Triangle (at Goodrich and Dale), Oakland Oval (at Grand and Oakland), Oakland Terrace Park (South of Grand Avenue, north of Highway I-35E), Point of View Park (32 Summit Court), Crocus Hill Terrace Park (41 Crocus Place) and Kenwood Park (38 Kenwood Place) - but, not in that order.

Proposed menu:
1) Appetizers, lemonade (or other fruit ade, or cider)
2) Chicken (or seafood) salad and crudite' and dip
3) Pasta and/or potato salad
4) Green salad, vegetables
5) Pastries
6) Cheese and crackers, coffee
I can accomodate those with food allergies/intolerances and vegans, if notified.

There are very good reasons none of these parks have ever been used for a picnic! Still, it should be an amusing time. Let me know if you're interested.

1 comment:

PiccolaPineCone said...

this sounds like a very cool idea! sorry i cannot partake.