There's going to be some serious sitting going on as part of the St. Paul Saints' annual spring run.
As it has for the past eight years, the team is sponsoring a 5K run/walk, as well as a shorter youth run and mascot run. New this year is the world's first (as far as team officials can tell) ZeroK, in which participants plant themselves on couches and are served snacks and drinks.
Like the runners, the ZeroK entrants will get a T-shirt, post-event picnic lunch -- apparently you can work up a powerful appetite eating snacks -- and a ticket to any Saints game in May. And, like the runners, they will have to sign a waiver clearing the team of liability in the event of injury.
Injury? "Hopefully, no one will pull a hamstring walking over to the couches," explained team spokesman Sean Aronson. But better safe than sorry.
The April 21 event starts with the 15-minute youth run at 9:30 a.m. and wraps up with the picnic at 11 a.m. Advance registration is available on the team's website, www.saintsbaseball.com, for $30 for the 5K and $15 for the ZeroK. Day-of-the-event registration costs $5 more.
The same way that the Boston Marathon attracts the world's best distance runners, the Saints are optimistic about drawing some heavyweight (so to speak) ZeroK participants. "We're looking for someone to set a world record," Aronson announced with tongue firmly in cheek.
