But seriously now, was Run Camp worth it?

After a brutal run of rotten winter weather and the usual lack of organization, new and veteran Borgess Run Campers alike gathered recently at Ernie's Pancake House to debate the merits of the 13-week experience.

"BORRRRRRRING," said a first-time camper who had heard and read the hype regarding what organizers call "the first, the best, the original" camping experience in Kalamazoo County. The camper refused to identify herself.

"What you have to realize about Run Camp," said veteran Steve Brown, "is that when they say 'it doesn't get any better than this,' they don't mean that in the sense you thought they did. It starts out pretty lame and pretty much stays that way."

Asked why he returned to Run Camp every year, Brown -- in the spirit of full disclosure -- reported that he's on assignment from the Blizzard Rats, who make a few claims of their own regarding local run camp traditions.

Brown and others acknowledged that the "starting and starting over" 5K crowd had some notable victories in 2009, but that they may well have been offset by "overbearing overachievers" racking up extra mileage before and after camp to prepare for the Bayshore Marathon. "Why don't they just join Beth, Bad and Beyond and spare us having to watch them grind out the miles?" asked newcomer Amy Hughes.

Long-time Team Leader Phyllis Florian likened Run Camp to junior high school. "It's messy while you're going through it, but you look back on it in a different light, and just hope the emotional scars aren't too deep."

Peeps Protection Procedures Put in Place

Long aware that moles and spies have had the potential to undermine the sanctity of individual teams, and that "visitors" from renegade camps have infiltrated Run Camp in the spirit of general ill will, organizers this year "didn't know what hit them," when cross-jurisdictional "peeps" drawings started showing up on facebook and other places campers hang out.

"It's not like we weren't aware of the dangers of the little marshmallow candy Easter eggs, what you'd normally regard as a peep," said Run Camp Chief of Security Chris Baldwin. "And, yeah, we had pretty effectively banned those."

But, this drawing thing is some type of urban strain that our filters and security systems just can't handle. What can I say? We didn't anticipate them."

Baldwin did point out, however, that because camp has returned to the Borgess Health & Fitness Center, more personnel will be assigned to rooting out the problem "at the source."

"Obviously, I can't tell you what that means because we need to be one step ahead of them."

Suspected peepers led away from 4/11 Camp, told not to return until 4/18.

We get letters . . .

To the editor:
Don't you ever wonder why so many people join Run Camp?
-- TC in Belleville
Dear TC:
Not anymore. After five years, we figured out that half the campers were running for something and the other half were running away from something.

To the editor:
For or away from what, for example?
-- TR in Janesville
Dear TR:
A boyfriend.

To the editor:
Is that just the editor's view, or does Chris Crowell share it?
-- TX in Texas Township
Dear TX:
Chris doesn't care. He just wants you to keep moving.

Stand-Around Camp A Big Hit

Although not all Borgess Run Campers were aware of it, they were eligible (for an extra $5) to join the exclusive Stand-Around Camp, held in conjunction with the larger group activity -- usually before and after Run Camp. Clinics on Posing, Staring off into the Distance, "Looking Busy" and Waiting are popular components of Stand-Around Camp, headed up by Bryce Buffenbarger and Tessa Emenheiser, who train team leaders on how to assist stand-arounders put on their iPods. Stand-Around Day is set for April 25, starting at 7:30 a.m.