Doo-Dah, Doo-Dah

September 11, 2016

My Gram was a part of the Camptown community for many years before coming to live with my family, so going to the Camptown Races was just something we always did.

I remember as a kid (and young adult) piling into the car and going to my gram's to set up our lawn chairs at her house on 409 to see the runners. We would go to the start line to watch them take off, wander around the various vendors and then get a chicken dinner with some dessert before heading back to take our place in our lawn chairs. We would wait and make guesses on how long before the 1st runner would come through and when would the first female pass by. As the runners filed by we would cheer and offer encouragement.

This year marked the 50th running of the Camptown races and I was excited to be able to photograph this event.

I loaded up my photo gear and my mountain bike so I could get some shots from the trails. I arrived in Camptown, and the tent was a bustle of activity as runners were registering and warming up.

Some members of the LeRaysville Volunteer Fire Company were singing the song made popular by Stephen Foster and the crowd joined in with the doo-dah, doo-dah's.

Then just like that the whistle blew and they were off. It was a hot, humid day for running but that didn't dampen the spirits of the runners, some of which stopped at the bottom of the ravine to pose for me. As I photographed the numerous participants some conversed with me about the race. One runner asked if I was in the ravine just to capture everyone falling. I was glad no one toppled down that steep, slippery section of the race. Others offered smiles back to me as I dished out some words of encouragement. One lady even said after looking down the hill and back up the hill "Oh sh@#, and you can quote me on that!" One runner told me that he was running this race for his mom and yet another told me the race was much easier back in 1973.

I leave you with some of my favorite shots from the day.