You may know, every year I go to New York for the NYC Triathlon. You may not know that every year I also go to New York City for the Central Park Underwear run. They just happen to be on the same weekend and put on by the same people. This year marked my 4th Underwear Run appearance and I was super excited because this year’s event had a theme of Jamaica. The best Jamaican costume (as well as underwear) would win a free trip for 2 to Jamaica. Once I heard about the contest, it was on.
I immediately got my thinking cap on and brainstormed the most obnoxious and eye-catching costume out there. My first thought was to borrow the double baby stroller of race director and friend John Korff, turn it into a bobsled, put his two little kids into it and then run around pushing them in it. This idea got flushed down the pooper real quick. Next, I found some Jamaican flag “boy shorts” online that were super awesome and would definitely steer a few eyes their way. As I placed my order I got to the shipping cost and it turns out they would be coming directly from Jamaica. Shipping alone would be $65. That idea was a no go as well. As I dug further on the web I finally found the perfect costume. It was a giant Rasta Man parade head with dreadlocks, a Rasta hat and the most enormous face you will ever see. He was a for sure “yes”. Rasta Man was coming along good but I needed accessories as well as the all important whitie tighties. Jamaican’s love tie-dye, or is that hippies? Either way, I found some tie-dye briefs and couldn’t pass them up. I then found Rasta wristbands, a headband and Rasta shoelaces. I arranged to have a boom box playing the tunes of legend Bob Marley as well. The costume was all set, or so I thought.
I arrived in NYC early Friday morning to find out that my tie-dye briefs didn’t make it and my Rasta man face came broken in the mail. It was a frantic chase for substitutions. Rasta man was the “money item” and there was no way we could leave him out. His face got taped back together like Humpty Dumpty and he was as good as new. After long pondering sessions, we decided we would paint a big Jamaican flag on the back of some nice clean whitie tighties. Agent Carrie Goldberg got the honors of painting the flag. Oh, the many jobs of a sports agent!
When the artwork was finished, I was ready to perform on the big stage. At 6pm we headed over to Tavern on the Green to meet up with the NYC TRI girls and of course the infamous Naked Cowboy. We took a bunch of pics and then headed to the start line where there were nearly 1,000 people making a scene in their undies. My costume was definitely not the most safe and comfortable of the bunch but sometimes you gotta take one for the team to win a trip to Jamaica. Rasta Man had a small hole to look out of but it was pretty much worthless because it didn’t line up with my face. I had to hold guide Jenny Fletcher’s hand the entire time. I looked like a total goof and was loving every minute of it.
There were many other great outfits including a large bunch calling themselves the Annapolis crabs. There was also Usain Bolt “look not alike” who ended up running around saying “am I going the right way?” Probably the biggest competition for the contest was a woman with a Jamaican swimsuit and fruit basket named “Jamaican Me Crazy.” The two girls in the box walking around and calling themselves a bobsled team were a good after thought but they took the underwear out of the underwear run.
When it was all said and done a new record would go in the Guinness Book of World Record for the largest group assembled to run in their underwear. Oh yeah and one more thing. I’m going to Jamaica!!!!! Rasta Man Jamaica or Bust was voted the best costume!
