Alaskans Play With Their Food

The inhabitants of Anchorage, Alaska appear to have entirely too much time on their hands. They've taken to playing with their food in a big way. But the reindeer won the first annual Running of the Reindeer handily.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – From sausages to stews, reindeer are usually a main dish in Alaska.

But the antlered animals were the main event at Anchorage's first annual running of the reindeer.

A cheering crowd of hundreds lined snow-packed Fourth Avenue Sunday to watch what was touted as Alaska's version of Spain's famed running of the bulls.

"Normally we just eat them," said Mark Berg, a spectator who has lived in Alaska since 1967. "I just made some jambalaya the other day out of reindeer sausage. I've eaten more of their cousins than they want to know."

Seven little reindeer, looking a bit bewildered, stood next to their handlers as a crowd of roughly 1,000 costumed runners chatted excitedly at the start.

We here at Blue Crab Boulevard are pretty sure that Pamplona has nothing to worry about. The costumed runners were apparently slowed down by their carrot and lichen attire, allowing the reindeer to win the race outright. Either that or the sight of giant abulatory plant life gave the reindeer's hooves wings.

We'd run like heck if we saw that.