By Bob Braman
Note: This story takes place June 27, 1981, the year that the Tom Brown 5K was called “Wild Hair Chase” was in deference to the sponsor that year, The Hairsmith. Bob and Laura (then Ledbetter, now Mrs. Mike Caldwell, as in Caldwell Advancement of the Sport Award) won $25 gift certificates for work on their wigs. The “Recycled Bicycles” frisbees refers to Recycled Bicycles, Tec Thomas’ bike shop on Gaines Street (just down from Rick’s Oyster Bar). It’s now known as Tec’s Pro Shop.
The Wild Hare Chase, as it was actually called then, was a race that Mike Sauter (former FSU steepler) talked me into. He sold it as a party weekend with George, Cliff Cook and the “Circus Chicks.” Being young, foolish and single, I traveled up to Tally with Mike (he was teaching in Tampa and I was high school coaching) with the plan of a post-race bash Saturday and a return Sunday morning.
Well the post-race bash got moved up to a pre-race Friday night bash and we all hurt on race morning (I’m sure the times reflected this). The pre-race festivity was new to me and taught me a lesson I would remember for all my competitive days.
The race was fun and well conducted and we were glad to have done it. The post-race evening party featured no Circus Chicks, few women (Sauter had his girlfriend of course)and a bunch of tired guys hovering around a beer keg.
The story gets better. Sunday morning rolls around and Sauter says we’ll leave later on. Finally as it’s now getting dark Mike informs me he’s calling in “sick” to work and Monday morning is the new departure time. This led to me taking a 6-7 hour Greyhound bus ride home and getting back to Tampa in the wee hours of the morning.
The Sauter Tallahassee Tour was still a success as I sold the haircut for $10 and also won a nice, giant Beer stein for 1st prize.