Crazy 8s: The Pizza 2-mile in the books

Runners can do crazy things. Our runners are no exception. Last summer, we detailed the unique but questionable Munchy Marathon. Several of the same cast of characters from the Munchy were back to their tricks, this time at the Smithtown East High School track on Long Island. This time, it was a “race” with the number 8 as a theme. Call it the Pizza 2-mile.

Here are the details, from race director (?) and race winner Mark Valentino: “It’s simple. 8 slices of pizza. 8 laps on the track. Eat a slice, run a lap … repeat, 8 times and you have 2 miles (actually 18 meters shy of 2 miles as it was 3,200 meters, for those keeping score at home … and I KNOW you are!), and you will have consumed a full pizza pie. Enter at your own risk.”

INDEED.

Here is Tino’s race report: “8 people competed in the race (fitting, as 8 seemed to be the themed number for the day). Six of the eight competitors completed the entire race. Fellow Red Fox, Bryan Buttigieg (Gregg), got the third podium spot with an impressive 22:49 finishing time (9:10 running time, 13:39 eating time...WOW). AND, he closed in an IMPRESSIVE sub-60 lap of 59 seconds). Bianca Luparello was victorious for the ladies (kudos to her for being the only female competitor, but demerits to her for being the only one in the photo not repping Marist gear). A fun (fun?) evening on the track. Got a lot of very odd reactions from the different groups of people walking around the track. They certainly witnessed an event that they could not have expected.”

Tino won the “race” in 17:57 and he reportedly “spiked up” for this nonsense. R. Willi (also in this photo) was a reluctant DNF. But at least he got dinner, right? Gregg noted in a post-race text that he somehow managed to close his last lap faster than some of his best 800-meter races. How can this be? Pizza Power? Also, it should be noted that although Gregg looks ill in this photo, Tino claims he simply was not aware the photo was being taken.