25 May 2006

Running for the Roses

Running for the Roses
By Me


Jericho City, Israel (25 May) – Elijah Shunam ran away from the field to win the 17th Annual Jericho Turkey Trot 10 km Run, hosted by the City of Jericho Chamber of Commerce.

Saturday morning found 357 runners lined up for the start of the 6.2 mile footrace around the fabled walls of Jericho.

Shunam, a native of Bidon, Moab finished a surprising third overall on this same course last November. This year, however, he was going for first.

“My plan was simple, see,” said Shunam. “My goal was to run with the lead pack until the final 2km then sprint away from the field.”

Shunam let the field dictate the pace over the 10 km course. During the early going Nimrod Infodel and former University of Rohan standout Théoden Chevelle were at the front of the pack which cruised through the first 5km in a fast 14:37.

“I felt pretty good the first part of the race,” said a visibly worn Infodel. “I think the lentils and boiled yak meat for breakfast caught up with me.”

The next 2km were passed in a relatively pedestrian 5:09. Then the action heated up.
Dain and Nain Thunderfist, twin brothers, broke away from the field and lead the runners for the next 1km. It was not immediately evident that the Thunderfists were even part of the race as each one carried a rather large battle axe that kept their race numbers hidden.

Unfortunately, a company of small dark-skinned creatures chanting “Heigh Ho! Heigh Ho! Off to Saruman we go!” accidentally crossed the racecourse at the 8km point leading to some apparent confusion.

Race officials intervened, however, the brothers Dain and Nain were forced to drop out. Shortly thereafter, Elijah Shunam began to increase his pace.

“Something just came over me,” said Elijah. “I think it was my second wind.”

By the 9km mark Shunam held such a commanding lead, the others were left running for second place.

With just under 900 meters remaining Marcus Aurelius Theophrastus Octavian and Achilles Hunter battled fiercely for runner-up honors, with the former prevailing by mere tenths of a second.

“Honestly, I felt pretty good out there,” said Octavian.

Said Achilles after his third place showing: “I think I could have dropped a few seconds off my time today. I keep have a recurring problem with my heel. My physiologist friend, Dr. Freud, seems to think it’s all in my mind though. Oh well, that’s life I suppose.”

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