It never disappoints, this perennial OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon, when it comes to people-watching. That’s not bound to bystanders simply reviewing the thousands of runners and walkers as they pass by—oh, no. The participants themselves have the luxury of regarding every single song-and-or-dance act that sets up along the route, from downtown to Speedway and in between. That means belly dancers shaking their stuff to “Blurred Lines,” cloggers kicking it to Rihanna and country tunes, and a band of musicians dressed like they’re heading to a renaissance fair who seem to sing songs about ships and pirates.
And the signs. We have to talk about the signs. A Chicago friend—sensing that she wouldn’t come near her personal-best time in the race—opted to stop and take photos of the many amusing signs she saw along those 13.1 miles. Ryan Gosling graced one of them, another instant classic from the “Hey Girl” series.
Photos courtesy Sarah Kretzmann
