We miss Gary Larson. The ingenious anthropomorphous antics of his comic creations are no longer a staple of our everyday life: Since 1994, our morning coffee and cornflakes have been accompanied instead by the god-awful Garfield and the please-let-them-all-be-slaughtered-in-a-home-invasion-robbery Family Circus. Fortunately, we have Run to the Far Side, which not only reminds us of Larson's genius (in the form of scampering amoebas and mobile talking cows), but also raises money for environmental research and educational programs with an annual 5K/10K event. In celebration/memoriam, feel free to dress as your favorite Far Side character – be it protozoan, boneless chicken, or bespectacled woman with a beehive hairdo – and run around with other like-minded compatriots. The jocular jog begins at 8:30 a.m. in Golden Gate Park, JFK & Eighth Avenue, S.F. Registration is $20-30; visit www.rhodyco.com.
– Kevin Chanel
Trotting Around
THURS 11/27
Lots of families go for walks between dinner and dessert on Thanksgiving, figuring exercise will allow them to eat more pie. Ingenious! And you thought that fitness crap was all about eating less. The Turkey Beach Trot takes it to a new level: If you run all morning, just think how much food you'll be able to stuff down in the afternoon. Even if runners' intentions are health-related, race organizers are giving away turkeys, pumpkin pies, and wine. The metabolism kick-start begins at 8 a.m. at the foot of the Cliff House, 1090 Point Lobos (at the Great Highway), S.F. Registration is $20-25; visit www.woohoo.org.
– Hiya Swanhuyser
Santa Skates!
Follow the rolling cavalcade
SAT 11/29
When you're on roller skates in the city you're everybody's target. Try to skate on the road and cars honk and swerve; take to the sidewalk and pedestrians scream. Back in 1989 a group known as the Midnight Rollers formed its own solution, gathering hundreds of celebrants for the "Friday Night Skate." Anyone who has attended can attest to the gleeful, Critical Mass-like atmosphere as a crowd of skaters careens from the Ferry Building to the Marina and back again. Even more fun is the club's annual group skate at the Union Street Christmas Parade: Expect more manic joy than usual, since participants turn up in elf costumes, led by a be-wheeled Santa. Join the holiday parade at 4:30 p.m. at Franklin and Gough streets, S.F. Admission is free; call 752-1967 or visit www.cora.org.
– Joyce Slaton
