This race turns into a costume party

In 2005, Gary Hearn ran as the Tablecloth. His costume for March 28? Wait and see. You may recognize him as Gary Hearn, middle-aged business man.

Or you may place him as The Banana; or The Tablecloth; or The Running Nose; or Bob the Builder; or Robin Hood.

For 364 days a year, the 50-year-old University of Richmond graduate is a regular sort of guy - dress shirt, tie, pressed suit, shined shoes.

Then the morning of the Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10K, Hearn reveals his other side.

Some may suggest the words run and fun belong on opposite sides of the dictionary.

Few combine run and fun better than Hearn, who will compete and, yes, likely entertain, March 28 in the 10th running of an event that figures to draw 35,000 entries.

Hearn is a legitimate runner (with personal 10K best 38:53), but with a flair for the theatrical.

"Really, it started when I was on heart medication and needed to throttle back," he said. "I needed an excuse to go slower."

In '04, Hearn re-invented himself as The Banana, winning third place in the "dress-up" division. He transformed into the Tablecloth (red and white checkered place setting) in '05, then The Running Nose (with Kleenex on head) in '06.

Hearn was Bob the Builder (bibbed overalls, tool belt) in '07; then he became Robin Hood (carrying bow 'n' arrow, handing out candy to the kids) a year ago.

"Just having fun. . . . It's a good way to talk to women," he said, noting that wife Jessica and daughter Amanda share his running hobby.

Hearn can play the clown, but he also is the serious runner, never out of training.

He's covered 5K in 18:06, a half marathon in 1:26 and a full marathon in 3:11, having run Boston. For years he's been a regular on the Cul-de-Sac and St. Joseph's Villa Series.

The Ukrop's race is the one event at which he says, in effect, "To heck with the stopwatch - let's party."

The economy is sagging, and Hearn is employed by a company (Land America) that has filed for bankruptcy.

"By the time of the race, I'll probably be unemployed," he said.

In such trying times, you can either laugh or cry.

Here's what Hearn says: "I'm thinking about running [he pauses to laugh] . . . as Résumé Man."