5 MAR 06: RUNNERS TAKE YOUR MARKS
Saturday was a beautiful day for running - and you could take that statement in a couple of ways. One campaigning candidate came to Columbus. Another announced his campaign. And someone went running so far, he's still adding up the score in a bit of disbelief.
We'll start with the candidate who came to town. Cathy Cox made a campaign appearance, as she runs for Georgia Governor. Perhaps she cited her newest advantage point - none of her aides have tried to set her office on fire.
Georgia Secretary of State Cathy Cox is still arguing against the new "Voter ID" law. Yet there's a simple way to turn this to her advantage. Ms. Cox should pose for pictures with everyone who attends her events, and tell them to take those pictures to the polls on Election Day.
As Cathy Cox campaigned in Columbus (try that one, tongue-twister fans), a local man made an interesting political move. Urban League President Reginald Pugh announced he'll run for Ed Harbison's Georgia Senate seat. Does the winner also get to host that "Public Agenda" TV talk show?
Ed Harbison has run unopposed for the Georgia State Senate for 14 years. Reginald Pugh says he's running to give voters a choice, if they want change. Of course, this also will give Harbison supporters a chance to finally see their campaign donations used for something.
Reginald Pugh has several key points in his campaign platform. He told WRBL one of them is providing health care to everyone. You'd think Rep. Debbie Buckner would arrange this - since after all, she's the spokesperson for Doctors Hospital.
Reginald Pugh says he also wants to reduce local poverty. So is HE the one who put up all the billboards, saying the Opelika Wal-Mart distribution center is hiring 200 workers?
I didn't realize until Saturday night's news that Reginald Pugh is a retired colonel. This could make him more electable in Columbus than other leaders of civil rights groups. Some of us aren't even sure if Dr. William Howell of Rainbow/PUSH supports the song "Onward Christian Soldiers."
If you think about it, not many civil rights leaders seek political office. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton have run for President. But Jackson left it to his son to enter the U.S. House - since once you've been in charge of something, it's hard to be under anybody else.
Reginald Pugh's decision to run for Georgia Senate is different from other local civil rights leaders. Edward DuBose is now Georgia President of the NAACP. Antonio Carter of the National Action Network co-hosts a daily radio talk show. And Bill Madison - well, has he stepped anywhere near Port Columbus lately?
Both Ed Harbison and Reginald Pugh are Democrats -- and it will be interesting to see how they campaign against each other over the next four months. Will there be any name-calling? Any rough-and-tumble debates? Any bragging by Harbison that he has more hair?
After the candidates did their "running" for the day, it was my turn - and I'm thrilled to report my Saturday night run was the longest since I moved to Columbus. I went about 5.25 miles nonstop! And thankfully, no one ran over me when the sidewalk ran out in the Streetscape section of Broadway.
The record-breaking course went down the Chattahoochee Promenade, across the Dillingham Bridge, up the Phenix City Riverwalk, across the 14th Street pedestrian bridge back to Georgia, then up the Columbus Riverwalk to 18th Street. Thank you to whomever turned the lights back on north of 16th Street -- because there was only a quarter-moon.
We turned around at 18th Street and First Avenue, and jogged back down the Riverwalk past TSYS to 14th Street. You may be surprised to learn on a Saturday night, panhandlers kicked out of the Salvation Army did NOT follow me asking for money.
The running course continued east to 14th and Broadway, then south on Broadway toward home. I had to jog in place while waiting on a couple of traffic lights to change, but the jogging DID continue. Even a bicyclist stopped with me at 13th Street - although he should have been on the street, not the sidewalk.
The most awkward moment of the run came with the sidewalk ran out in the 1100 block of Broadway. Thankfully, the path on the street was wide enough that I could keep going with no cars close to me. Sometimes late-arriving Saturday night party crowds can be a good thing....
The last time I jogged five miles non-stop, it actually was a SIX-miler in suburban Atlanta - on the last Monday night of February 1997. Only two months after that, I moved to Columbus. So I suppose you can stop submitting the job offers to me now....
While I celebrate my surprising long-distance success, let's check news headlines from the last couple of days:
+ Columbus area Boy Scouts staged a "Camp-a-Ree" at Lakebottom Park. You mean they didn't follow the example of true urban campers - the homeless people who sleep on Riverwalk park benches?
+ James Taylor performed before a sellout crowd at the Columbus RiverCenter. He may sing, "Don't Know Much About History," but he certainly knows something about making money in business.
+ The Kendrick girls and Spencer boys lost close semifinals games at the Georgia high school basketball tournament. We commend both teams on good seasons - but we have to ask why the Georgia High School Association needed rolling signboards along the side of the court. The NCAA and the Olympics aren't that tacky.
+ Instant Message to the pranksters who poured soap in the fountain at 4th and Broadway: Are you THAT desperate to see snow this winter?
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