Rubber Chicken Top Prize in Cross-Country Race

They did it for the rubber chicken.

More than 100 runners from all over turned out Thursday to raise money for Oddfellows Playhouse in a challenging 5K run in rough terrain through the woods at the Wadsworth Mansion at Long Hill Estate. Thunder rumbling faintly in the distance didn’t deter the start of either the children’s fun run or the main event — first prize: a rubber chicken.

In keeping with the evening’s theme, the second-place finisher earned a rotisserie chicken.

“One comment a kid made several years ago was, ‘we want to see more rubber chickens,’ says Oddfellows Executive Director Matt Pugliese. “So we were like, ‘great!’ People really liked that image.”

So when then 505 Main Street building collapse occurred Feb. 2 last year, famously destroying a large part of Oddfellows’ costumes stored there, staff, supporters, students and the public rallied.

“We started asking for a $5 donation to replace the cost of a rubber chicken,” Pugliese explained. “Of course, we really didn’t need that many rubber chickens.”

Who does?

Well, for one, Chris Zablocki, 23, of Essex, the first-place finisher.

"What's the prize?" Zablocki asked sincerely after winning.

Enjoying some fruit after the race, this Dartmouth grad says he’s been “running for 10 to 11 years. My brother Peter ran in the race and he runs for the Xavier [High School] cross-country team. My brother wanted to enter and that’s how I got involved.”

Having just run a half-marathon in Providence in 1:09:03, and claiming fourth place, three and a half miles was a walk in the park for Zablocki — or a jog in the woods.

Turnout was good for the event, Pugliese said. “We had over 100 register in advance, people from as far away as Barkhamsted, Vernon, New Haven.”

Proceeds support all of Oddfellows Playhouse’s scholarships and help to keep tuition low for students.

“All these fundraisers, the Mayor’s Ball, Children’s Circus, Eli Cannon’s beer tasting, are a multitiered effort — from a black-tie gala to a beer tasting to a race,” he said.

Editor's note: Race results will follow, more photographs and video.

Show us some love! Follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook.