Hey there race fans! Tomorrow is the big day when the 2nd annual Fall Foliage Charity Bed Race rolls through town. Last year was a great start for this new event and this year promises to be even bigger.
In it's inaugural year, the event saw seven entries and an estimated 400 or so fans. As of the release of this column, there are 11 beds entered and there is no telling how big the crowd will be. With all the excitement that has been brewing around town it is almost sure to eclipse last year.
Several local merchants have donated hundreds of dollars worth of merchandise that will be used as prizes for 1st-, 2nd- and 3rd-place winners of the race. There is also a prize basket for the most creatively designed team/bed. The proceeds again this year will benefit Northern Berkshire Healthcare.
If you haven't seen a bed race before it definitely is something to see. The beds race in heats pitting one team against another. Halfway through the run, the team stops the bed and exchanges one of the pushers for the rider, who is seated on the bed. Not only do they exchange places on the bed but they also exchange "pajamas" and must be completely changed before the bed can proceed to the finish line. Oh yeah – and while all this is happening the rest of the team is running a "fire drill" around the bed.
The winner moves on and the losing bed moves into the losers' bracket. Since it is a double-elimination race all is not lost with losing the first race.
It is as much fun for the spectators, it seems, as it is for the racers. I have been involved with many of these events and teams bring friends and family to cheer them on. That combined with the excitement of those who came to just watch makes for a very fun day.
There is still room for teams who would like to participate. However, you must call 413-281-0068 before 5 p.m. today to get a team in. So come one, come all. This is a day you don't want to miss!!!
Brian Flagg is the president and co-chairman of the Fall Foliage Charity Bed Race. He was co-host of "The Sports Page" on local public access stations for nearly five years. The North Adams resident has been coaching girls' basketball and softball for 16 years.
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