Santa’s Speedo Run through Downtown Annapolis

When Eddie McGowan, local runner and member of the Celtic rock band, The Rovers, heard about a Santa's Speedo Run being held in Boston, the wheels started turning and he started planning. He approached Michael Alwan, a partner of , with the idea of starting a Santa's Run Annapolis. 
 
"I thought it would be a great way to spread holiday cheer, have a laugh and bring business to the downtown area," McGowan said Saturday morning before the bar began to fill up with scantily clad runners of every age, shape and size. "And it didn't take much to convince Michael to host it," he added.
 
The Rovers have collected toys for the Toys for Tots program at performances several times over the years so it was natural to combine the Santa's Speedo Run event and the charity. Last year with only 60 runners braving the blizzard of 2009, the toy drive still collected 1100 toys.     

People began filling the bar at around 11:30 Saturday morning.  Most came dressed in street clothes with the only hints of their intentions being the festive hats, beards and sometimes antlers. Others came fully prepared to reveal their speedos. Without exception, every person in the Federal House was in high spirits and ready for the fun to begin. 

Gretchen Benz sported a red Snuggie over her more provocative running outfit, "I was here last year but only happened upon it so I couldn't run," she shouted over the crowd. "I waited all year and knew I would be back this year to run it myself."
 
Eric Hittle was talked into the run by his cousin Winnie. "After doing the May Day ride across the St. Mary's campus completely naked, speedos seemed tame, so I was easy to convince."  
 
The crowds grew continuously until 1:30 when the runners headed out the door to begin singing a rowdy rendition of jingle bells and pose for several dozen photographers before heading off on the one-mile-course up and down Main Street and around City Dock. 
 
Janette Mccaffrey accompanied her husband for the second year in a row. Keith McCaffrey, a member of the Annapolis Striders said he was surprised more people were not involved with the event.

"It is just such a great event. Normally, The Rovers alone would pack the place."  

Keith McCaffrey needn't have worried.  Once the run was over the participants and their friends and families were joined inside Federal House by the dozens of spectators who had gathered outside. And by the time the Rover's took the stage, people began to wonder if they would be able to push through the crowds to take advantage of the drink specials that were on offer for the event 
 
The run itself took less than 15 minutes for all of the runners.  Many said they ran faster just so they could get back inside out of the cold. The rest of the event was all party.  With runners, friends, family and spectators enjoying the live music and the flowing beer, the holiday cheer Eddie McGowan had hoped for shown through.