Having a hard time starting that exercise regimen? Rather have a cold beer instead? Well, the Beer Mile might be for you.
An annual postseason ritual for serious runners and triathletes in Ottawa, the Beer Mile begins with each participant drinking a beer, then running a quarter-mile lap, the Ottawa Citizen reported. Once they do that four times in succession, they've completed a Beer Mile.
Sounds simple enough, but there are certain rules to abide by in the Beer Mile, including one that was aptly stated by race organizer David Markin, "If you puke, you have to run a penalty lap."
Competitors can drink canned or bottled beer, but it must be at least 12 ounces and 5 percent alcohol in volume. Also, no specialized cans or wide-mouth bottles may be used that allow the beer to pour at a faster rate.
Jamie Stephenson jumped out to an early lead in his first Beer Mile and held off defending champion Ryan Grant to win this year's race in a field of 22 competitors.
"Jamie outdrank me," Grant said. "He's got that gift."
But Jim Finlayson of Victoria, British Columbia, still owns the world record in the race, finishing a Beer Mile in 5:09 two years ago.
• VICK'S RETURN -- When Michael Vick plays his first game in Atlanta since 2006 on Sunday as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles, the former Falcons quarterback said he expects to receive a warm welcome.
"I'm going to get a great reaction from the crowd," said a smiling Vick, who was named to three Pro Bowls in six seasons with Atlanta before serving 18 months in federal prison for running a dogfighting ring. "It's going to be a standing ovation. It's still my city."
A standing ovation for Vick is about as likely as him making the Pro Bowl this season. Vick has 65 yards rushing on 15 carries and has completed 3 of 9 passes for 6 yards.
• FAN FOR SALE -- After the Toronto Maple Leafs went winless in their first eight games this season in their worst start in franchise history, lifelong Leafs fan Lee Kirby put his "allegiance up for the highest bidder" on eBay and was paid $25 for it.
"I will remove all Leaf memorabilia from my home and replace it with the team of choice of the winning bidder," Kirby wrote on eBay under the heading "Very Used Toronto Maple Leafs fan." "I will root for my 'new team' whenever they are on TV. I will argue with the guys at work that my new team is the best.
"The best part for me is now I can laugh at the Maple Laughs."
Kirby received 13 bids for his loyalty, starting at a penny, and donated the $25 to the Southlake Regional Cancer Centre project in Newmarket, Ontario, it was reported on Yahoo! Sports.
"I'm surprised I got that much, really," Kirby, 39, said.
The winning bidder was Chris Dawson, a Dallas Stars fan who initially thought the eBay post was for a 'very beaten up Leafs hat.'
"Then I saw it said 'Leafs fan,' and I thought it was kind of weird," Dawson said. "I just couldn't stop laughing. I couldn't believe someone would put their allegiance on eBay."
COMPILED BY TODD DEWEY LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
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