Running Out Of Time

Dugan Dog and I just finished our morning run. And I'll tell you, we don't just do that for the usual reasons people run - lose weight, feel better, get some fresh air, because some one's chasing you. No, man. I'm training for Irish Fest.

In these final 50 days, most of my pre-Irish Fest bidness involves sitting on my butt. I'm busy mind you, we're all busy. But the prep work involves computers more than shoe leather. But Irish Fest week, it's a whole different story. Starting Thursday morning early before we open and not ending until midday on Monday, I and most of our staff will seldom stop moving. 7:00 AM to 2:00 AM during the festival is typical. So these morning runs have a very real goal beyond shaving an inch or two off the gut and working on my tan: it's to help me survive Irish Fest weekend. And with our expanded grounds (not to mention our expanding ages) this year will be especially brutal.

Which is why on August 10th you'll see a Kansas City Irish Fest team in the annual Susan G Komen Race For The Cure for breast cancer. Some of us will be walking, some running, but all of us will be getting ready for the longest, hardest, best weekend of the year.

I hope you'll join us in the Race For The Cure this year. It starts and finishes right in our festival back yard at Union Station and raises money for a great cause. Look for us in our Irish Fest shirts, training hard for the big weekend.

Maybe you could wave as you pass us.