Last Sunday, the 11th of August, was the Great Kilted Run in Seattle. I was in the area and decided to give it a go. It's a 5 km fun run/walk. About 350 people came out to enjoy the sunny day along the shore of Lake Washington, just north of the University of Washington. Many kilts in evidence, not all Utilikilts or casual, but some heavy weight ones, some great kilts and short billy kilts (most on the women). The kids had a 200-300 yard fun dash at the beginning, then the adults took off for the run/walk. With my bad knees, it was a little of both for me. Here are the participants warming up at the starting and registration area:
Great kilt(er) at the starting line:
Later, in the beer garden, I was persuaded to play. Here I am with a couple of other finishers. From the left: John in a Earl of St. Andrews kilt (he told me he skis wearing it during the winter), a gent who introduced himself as the Laird of Haller Lake in the loud MacLeod and me on the right in modern Gunn:
The Laird of Haller Lake won the award for best kilt and the Quaich that was the award held quite a bit of beer:
The run was a great deal of fun and my playing was well received. Several of the runners were pipers and one even requested some piobaireachd. I favored her with the ground of one--simply to keep the other beer-gardeners from revolting. It's an acquired taste. The organizers liked my playing enough to buy me a couple of beers in the beer garden and try to find out if I would be returning next year. Seattle is about 300 miles from my house, but a Highland Games in the area and visiting relatives had me in town. Who knows about 2014?
JMB
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