As you know we were raffling off a pair of tickets to the Arkansas/Alabama football game that was held on September 24th. Thanks to Fleet Feet, we were able to host a super fantastic tail-gating party where we drew the name of one very lucky winner. Naturally the party was set to follow a fun-filled group run from the store. Several things were going on that night...three different training groups were meeting (New Balance NOBO, Brooks Next Steps, and Mizuno 13.1), a Ragnar rep was as the store to provide information on their upcoming relays, and it was Thompson Tuesday (people meet to run from the store-usually 3-6 miles). Not to mention, WE were there putting on a tailgating bash!!
The day started out pretty dreary to say the least. As I was driving over to the store the rain was POURING to the point I almost pulled the plug on the party. However, I know runners...we find a way to our thing, rain or no rain. Barring lightning, there would certainly be hungry people to feed and hydrate with post-run beverage! Just as we finished setting up...the clouds rolled back and the sun popped out, just in time for everyone to get their miles in.
The pair of tickets (donated by our team mate, Melissa) were for seats in a PREMO spot, to see Alabama's first SEC game of the season, and (according to Stub-Hub) were worth about $500-$600!! To have an opportunity to win them for as little as $2, naturally, many people decided to buy some last minute chances. Even people who didn't care to go to the game bought chances, because I told everyone I would buy them from the winner for $100 right then and there. (Yes, I was secretly hoping the winner wouldn't want to go to the game, because I would have LOVED to go.)
As everyone was coming back from their runs, the Ragnar rep told us all about the relay from Chattanoog to Nashville (much the same as the race we will run next August). A runner, Allison Click, came up just as the rep was about to make a drawing for a door prize so I told her to quickly put her name in the bowl for her chance. After she did that she came over, dug through her pockets to find two dollars and bought the last raffle ticket we sold.
The Ragnar rep stirred the names in her bowl and then had someone from the crowd come and draw the name....ALLISON CLICK!!!! How lucky!! She won a cool headlamp (something all relayers must wear during evening hours).
As that drawing was going on, I took the bowl-full of about 650 raffle tickets and started mixing them up. After several minutes of this...it was time to find out who would either be going to the game, or (hopefully) selling me those tickets!! We had an associate from the store make the selection (since he hadn't purchased a ticket). He's very tall so I held the bowl above my head and asked for a drum roll from the crowd. He reached up, dug his hand in and pulled out the ticket bought by....ALLISON CLICK!!!!Yes...the girl who has just run up, at the very last minute, the girl who bought ONE single chance, the girl who had just won the other drawing....won the tickets!!!
I wish we had gotten the whole thing on video. She screamed and jumped up and down as if she'd just won the million dollar lottery!!!
To my dismay, she actually wanted to go to the game (bummer for me!). From what I understand, she had a great time cheering as Alabama smoked the Hogs!
Thank you to everyone who purchased tickets. With the money we raised, we will be able to rent the two vans and (hopefully) buy the gas we'll need in order to do the race!!
