Footprints

by Budd Glassberg

Reprinted with permission from the Zionsville Times Sentinel on February 27, 2008

This Year’s Anti-Mini Will Be Special

There is something unique and wonderful about the metamorphosis of the Zionsville Anti-Mini Marathon (ZAMM) run. May 3 will be the sixth running of the event that was created in 2003 because I got locked out of the other Mini (the one in Indianapolis (IMM) that sells tee-shirts). The ZAMM began its first year with only 49 participants. Word spread about this free event and it rapidly grew to over 300 runners/walkers. It has been featured on several radio shows and in newspapers and magazines. Zionsville is now firmly on the map of counter-culture running events due to the distinctive nature of this run. Is there another event that charges nothing to participate and then actually pays all finishers cash money?

The Anti-Mini has reached such a level of interest that there is talk of it becoming too establishment. Those rebels who think the Anti-Mini has grown too big have considered starting another race called the Anti-Anti Mini. The Anti-Anti Mini is so “out there” that the organizers have refused to disclose its time, date and location to those who wish to run it. The expectation is that it will be a very small race.

For those unfamiliar with the Zionsville Anti-Mini Marathon, it is run in both Nancy Burton Memorial and Starkey Parks. The starting line is at the picnic table just off Starkey Road across from the water treatment facility. The ZAMM course is the old Zionsville High School cross-country course of five kilometers (3.1 miles). Participants may choose how many 5k loops they wish to run/walk. For those going the whole distance (4+ loops) there is always a generous cash reward supplied by a unanimous (we all are in favor of him/her) donor. Participants must bring their own liquids (you can leave bottles on the picnic tables).

There are a great many contrasts to the two competing events. The ZAMM course is beautiful. It winds around the woods on dirt and gravel trails as opposed to the IMM’s ugly asphalt jungle. ZAMM is shaded while IMM provides zero shade. The IMM gives all finishers medals, we give cash. The IMM has tee-shirts as part of the package; we choose to go without them. Their race has thousands of volunteers and plenty of medical assistance. The ZAMM participants must fend for themselves. There are hundreds of porta-potties at the IMM while the ZAMM has only one available (when it is not tipped over) in the Nancy Burton parking lot. Chip timing is used at the IMM, but the ZAMM runners may bring chips (potato or corn) if they want them and use the big clock for timing (you write down your time on a clipboard when you finish). IMM has a registration that involves filling out a form and paying a bunch of money. The ZAMM has no registration. Just show up at the start of the run and write your name on the clipboard. Pay nothing. Results of the ZAMM will be posted that evening on www.runz.com.

Now is the time to begin training for the Anti-Mini. I have already received emails from several people inquiring about what changes they might anticipate in our run this year. Each year, the ZAMM offers something new and better than its IMM counterpart. In 2003 The ZAMM undercut the $40 IMM registration fee by $40. The IMM went from two starting lines to one in 2004 and the ZAMM responded with changing from one starting line to two. That year the IMM increased its size from 25,000 to 30,000 and the ZAMM countered with unlimited participants. The 2005 IMM changed their starting time from 8:00 AM to 7:30 AM in order to deal better with the heat of the day. That same year the ZAMM changed its starting time from 8:00 AM to 7:25 AM allowing our finishers to leave the finish line area five minutes ahead of the crowd from that more congested race. In 2006 the ZAMM added entertainment to the run by enlisting a stand-up comedian to greet the runners with one-liners before the runners headed out on the course for another loop. Last year’s change was the generous four figure cash rewards given to the first 23 finishers, while all others who completed the full 13.1 miles received somewhat less, but still a generous cash amount. This year’s new wrinkle is so special that I cannot divulge it in this column. There will be a surprise announcement just prior to the event and only those present will be privy to the change.

Budd Glassberg is a 23 year resident of Zionsville who works and volunteers in the community. Visit www.runz.com for reprints of all his columns. You can reach him by email at budd@runz.com.