Traditionally, around the holidays on non-pandemic years, some 700 people, age 21+, with a strong out, proud, LGBTQ turnout, gather in Boston on a December weekend for a half-hour jog down Newbury and Boylston streets wearing Santa hats and speedos. The Santa Speedo Run directly supports the Play Ball Foundation, which provides school-based sports leagues for middle school students in under-resourced communities.
This being 2020, the Santa Speedo Run will be done in small groups — one-to-three runners — across Greater Boston. In these days of COVID, the Run’s being held from a multitude of places, socially distanced. But it all starts from everywhere at 1 p.m. this coming Saturday, December 12.
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“There’s always a pretty large LGBT contingent,” said David Chen, a long-term participant of the event, told Boston Spirit before last year’s run. “I don’t know if that just speaks to the general philanthropy of the community. I do think there’s a greater sense of wanting to improve the community. But there’s plenty of straights who do it too.”
“I think gays in general like good costumes and the opportunity to do something creative for a good cause,” he added.
In a nutshell:
What will the run look like? In this age of COVID-19, the Santa Speedo Run will be made up of individuals raising money and running in small, socially distant groups of 1-3 runners
When will the run happen? As has been tradition for the past 20 years, the run will take place on the second Saturday in December (12.12.20) and will be run at roughly 1pm, EST.
Where will the run take place? All over the place! Run locations will depend on each runner/small group of runners. We anticipate runs taking place all over the Boston area and beyond. Each runner will map out its own route. The route should be the same grueling “slightly less than a mile” distance (so training should begin immediately!)
How does the fundraising work? As is traditional, runners will raise money from friends, family, coworkers, teammates, former bowling partners, ex-bosses, favorite bank tellers, and others using their peer-to-peer fundraising page.
I get all that, but, like, who wins?
“The Rudolph” leads the Play Ball Sleigh, lighting the future with their glowing noses and raising the most money from their peer to peer fundraising page. It simply doesn’t get any more prestigious than this.
“The Blitzen” will go to the runner that has the most donors support their peer to peer fundraising page. It takes a lot of folks to power the Sleigh, and the Blitzen trophy winner shows there is no “I” in team. Or there are lots of “I’s” in team. Or something…
For the complete run-down, click here.
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