The Daffodil Walk
Spring HAS comes which means it’s time get outside and take advantage of this great weather! I know I sure am as not too long ago I participated in Nagashima’s annual Daffodil Walk. Once year our town holds a 12 Kilometer walk where people of all ages come out to enjoy both a little exercise and a chance to take a close look at the zillions of daffodils which have been planted along the main road throughout the island.
This year Curtis and I were chosen to staff the event. As staff, we were entitled to a free lunch after the walk and also to an official blue staff hat which made us look and feel really important. Our task, by the way, was important and it was not to be taken lightly for we had what easily could have been the most difficult job of anyone there. So what was this task you might ask? Well, Curtis and I were the pacemakers for the walk. That’s right, we set the pace of the walk and we did it with the wind blowing in our face whilst holding a giant banner at the same time.
We were to abide by 2 event rules. The first rule of the walk: No one was allowed to run. Of course the kids didn’t seem to be bothered by this rule and immediately they ran past us from the start. That’s when other staff members watching from the sidelines yelled out, “What are you doing? Don’t let them pass you. You are the leaders of the walk!” To try and catch them, we walked faster and faster until we overtook the kids and then threatened them. It worked, but not for long so we gave up on trying to chase them down. Besides, they were having fun so we abandoned rule # 1.
The second rule of the walk: We were supposed to set the pace of the walk fast enough so that any of the power walkers could still walk with speed, but not be able to pass us. We quickly learned that old people walk really REALLY fast. And it wasn’t too long before they too, just like the kids where trying to pass us by. I had no idea how much of a struggle it was going to be to stay in front of the old people! At the end of the walk one man even remarked that the high school boys who set the pace the previous year had set a more competitive speed than we had. He went on to say that he wished we could have walked a little faster. Sigh.. . I think that next year the old people should set the pace for the walk.
Granted we had a few struggles, all in all, the Daffodil Walk was an enjoyable way to spend an early morning. I shared conversation with some new people, played with the kiddies a bit, and now I have a sweet staff hat that I can wear anytime I want! It just doesn’t get any better than that!! ( PS - I just realized none of these pictures include the daffodils. Just trust me when I say that they were lovely .)
