The Banana Relay

 When I was in college I ran track and cross country.  The distance runner's would often have a 4x400 team at the end of the Taylor Invitational after we had run the steeplechase, the 5k, the 10k, and whatever else.  While the other 4x400 teams used a metal baton we used a more "green" baton, although we wanted it actually to be yellow.  It was a banana.  The anchor leg of the relay not only had to run the relay, but also had to eat the banana.  I have found that this is an extremely fun family event.  Often there is a fight to see who gets to be the anchor leg and eat the baton.  This is also one of the events in Jarathlon, which will most likely be a post or a series of posts all on their own.  It could be its own blog.  The history, the events, the past champions and MVPs could be enough to have not only a book, but several volumes of books.  So the idea is this:  Get together your family and maybe include a few families.  Have eight or 12 people willing to run and divide into teams of four.  Go to your local high school or college track.  Each person on the team runs one lap and then hands off to the next person on the team.  The last (anchor) leg must eat the banana.  The team that finishes first with an eaten banana wins.  This can often be a yearly or even monthly tradition.  And it is great interval exercise.  You could even do this 10 times in one day.  Or 45 times in one day.  Or 107 times in one day.