An anticipated field of a thousand runners and walkers, who will flee Iola’s downtown business district early Saturday as Charley Melvin did in 1905, can be thankful that Melvin chose to do his dastardly deed in the middle of the night.
Had the event being commemorated occurred in mid-day, participants would battle oppressive heat and humidity, with both forecast at the upper end of the discomfort scale during daytime Friday and Saturday. As is, they will run and walk in somewhat more inviting temperatures predicted for the low 70s by 12:26 a.m. Saturday.
The race — many walkers will be out for a stroll — will cap activities that start late Friday afternoon and will go on throughout the evening. Included will be the much-awaited “drag race,” featuring some of the area’s finest men and women dressed in drag.
Chris Weiner at Thrive Allen County, co-sponsor with Allen County Crimestoppers for “The Charley Melvin Mad Bomber Run for your Life,” said total of participants was approaching 450, with about 200 signed on for the 5-kilometer run. The walk will follow a 3-kilometer course.
“Registration, including probably a fifth online, has really picked up,” Weiner said Tuesday afternoon. As in the past, “we expect a lot of people to sign up Friday night.”
Cost is $12 for the walk. Runners’ fees are $14 for youth to age 17, $20 for adults and $17 each for members of teams.
Runners in the third annual event will aim for best times of 15.40.06 for males and 20.44.78 for females, set last year.
Sticks of “Melvin Dy-No-Mite” will be awarded the first three places for males and females in each of five ages groups, 15 and under, 16-30, 31-45, 46-60 and 61 and over.
All participants will break from in front of the post office. Runners will follow a course that will take them on West to Washington, then Jackson, Jefferson and East to Cottonwood. They will follow Cottonwood to the east entrance to Highland Cemetery, then through the graveyard on the perimeter road and exit on Jefferson Avenue, which will take them back to the finish line at its intersection with Jackson.
Walkers will follow part of the same course, but cut off and go to Jefferson in the 900 block of North Cottonwood.
Homeowners along the race course will be asked to turn on porch lights Friday night to help guide runners and walkers. Door hangers encouraging porch lighting will be distributed Thursday.
Registration forms are available at the Thrive office, 12 W. Jackson Ave., and online at www.madbomberrun.com. Information also is available by calling Thrive at 365-8128.
IN A NUTSHELL, Melvin was a deranged prohibitionist who stole 1,500 sticks of dynamite from the local cement plant and blew up three saloons, the Eagle, Red Light and Blue Front. The explosion rocked downtown Iola, but, being done in the dead of night, claimed no lives.
Melvin fled — ran for his life — and several days later was arrested.
