In Case You Missed IT

1st - Coyote

2nd - Red Fox

3rd - Raccoon

The open trophies were a good part of the inspiration for the name of the race. First the coyote, then the raccoon, were genuine "roadkill finds" that we made while on runs before we were really looking. Otto, our dog, was happy to help us find these dead animals. We moved them off the road a bit and tried our hardest to keep him from rolling in it. Meanwhile, the bugs did their work.

The most common finds are skunk, armadillo, opossum, frog, and raccoon. Things that creep at night and are blinded by your headlights. Deer and cats are fairly common, too.

We (and by this, I mean, "me," more than I mean, "we.") wrapped the skulls in cloth and plastic and collected the loose teeth from the side of the road and trucked them home while on the run. Nature does some amazing work. Bugs did most of the work of naturally cleaning the carcasses. The sun did a lot of the work, too. Wait too long and even the bones start getting chewed by rodents and insects. But if you retrieve the bones at the right time, a small amount of hydrogen peroxide solution and patience will do the rest. Getting the teeth back in their spots was a bit of a trick. They get loose and fall out. It's like a little puzzle.

For the record, boiling the bones is not the most efficient thing. It takes many hours. It causes nausea while you do it, and makes it difficult to use your pans for other purposes, if you enjoy retaining your victuals. I Don't recommend it. Rather, if you find a Fantastic Road Kill Specimen - do this:

1. Take some photographs.

2. Get it off the road, somehow, and outside the mowed right of way.

3. Note the location.

4. Wait about 2 weeks, in warm weather. Then check on the progress.

5. Turn it over if you need to.

6. Let it go until it looks really clean, and mostly white.

7. Bring it home. Be careful and get all the teeth.

8. Leave it outside, perhaps in a shallow grave, and the bugs will do more work.

9. Soak it in a light 3% Hydrogen peroxide for 1 to 2 weeks.

10. Let dry and whiten in the sun.

11. Glue the parts together.

That's it!

Next year will be more impressive. Let me know if you have, or if you find, any of the following:

Whitetail Deer.

Mule Deer.

Black Bear.

Beeves.

Wild Hogs.

Coyote.

Pronghorn.

Antlers, horns, tusks, and big teeth are all appreciated.

The Money

In addition to trophies, gifts, and sundries, prize monies are as follows.

Open - Regardless of Sex

1st - $150.

2nd - $100.

3rd - $50.

Open Women (stacking with above, if 1, 2, 3 men get "chicked")

1st - $150.

2nd - $100.

3rd - $50.

Step Up and Win a Prize!

Before you ask, the answer is yes. It is real. It is roadkill. For real. And someone had to clean it up. This time, it was me. And yes, there is more where that came from. Does anyone know the animal? Let me know if you think you do.

There will be some unique trophies for this race. There will be some unique prizes. Some are desirable, others are questionable.

So far, this race has seemed to appeal more strongly to women. That is interesting to me. Are the men not up to the challenge of a hilly race? Are the men only interested in a "PR" course? Men just care about the numbers? Perhaps the response speaks more to women's competitive nature. Is that right? We'd like to nurture that nature. The response thus far has inspired us to up the ante. Our race flyers say that the prizes are stacking. Let us explain.

If you are a masters woman, (45+ in the rules of this race,) and you come in third overall, and first woman, you will win the cash associated with third place open PLUS the cash associated with first place woman. In addition, you will receive the trophy for first place woman. In other words, the cash prizes are stacking. Guys, if you get "chicked," she'll win your prize-money. If you get "geezered," you will lose your prize-money. Everyone is competing with everyone. We do not expect there to be an overlap, but you never can tell. You might want to tell the fast women you know that there is the a chance to win a substantial prize for less than an hour's work. It could be the biggest payday in running in Oklahoma. We'll let you know as we get closer to the race.

There is a caveat, however. All trophies go to separate individuals. If a 45 year old man wins 3rd overall, he will receive the cash for 3rd overall and the trophy for third overall. The next fastest man 45 and older will then be the recipient of the first place master's trophy.

There will be a lot more prizes and awards than those, though. We have found an awful lot of stuff on the road this year. We plan to give it to you! We have surely observed over 400 empty cans of beer carelessly tossed out the window along the route. But it doesn't seem fair to give away an empty can now, does it? A chilled keg might be a better award. You might not like beer, though. You might like golf. Or smoking. Or transmissions. Or hubcaps. Or fine furs. Or scrap lumber. Or oil. We are not sure. Regardless, we have seen it all on the road and we will find a way to give it away. If we catch you running fast up a gruesome hill, or taking the time to smile at and encourage your fellow runner, or you are especially tough in any way, or you are just a random runner having fun, we'll let you know we appreciate your efforts. There's even an extra-special prize for the last finisher under 2 hours. We call this one "The Roadkill." You might not want to get that prize, though.