85 runners gather outside of the West Salem Courthouse. The sun is bright–still warm at 7:32 in the evening on a Friday night. There are kids and parents. Adults dressed in all black with face paint. Others are in small pink shorts and bright yellow shirts carrying blue and green pool noodles as protection. And others are dressed in Daisy Dukes and sleeveless flannel, tube socks and running shoes. They are ready to run and defends themselves against a group of ninjas, waiting for them in Wallace Marine and Riverfront Parks.

Before it starts, I get on the megaphone and say a few words to christen the maiden voyage of the Ninja Run.

“Thanks for coming to first-ever Ninja Run. At the Courthouse, we celebrate the idea that fitness should be fun. That exercise should be enjoyable. That anyone should be able to join and do something they enjoy. So, thank you for celebrating in that with us and doing something kind of crazy. But, we are going to have fun.”

85 runners–kids, parents, friends, teams of bright-colored pool-noodle bashers and running woodsmen–descend on Riverfront Park on a pleasant Friday evening. Ninjas dressed in red caution tape chase the ninjas through the park, trying to grab flags which are attached to the runners. The runners must make it the end of the park and back, trying to keep as many flags as possible. The ninjas jump from behind bushes and statues and ultimate frisbee players. Onlookers wonder what is the heck is going on and ask how they can join in.

At the Courthouse, we celebrate the idea that fitness should be fun. We don’t need an excuse to dress up and run around like kids in a park. We do it because it is fun.

It is same reason we do Launch Week, why we put one classes, why we dance in Club Dance and Zumba, why we ride on bikes in Cardio3o and Ride, why we push ourselves to try new things, even when those things are silly.

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