If you’ve ever tried to describe the sport of racewalking to the uninitiated, the sentence usually starts with, “you know, the one with the funny walk.”
Your “detailed” description is almost always accompanied by a physical demonstration that bears very little resemblance to the actual, very disciplined skill racewalking is.
But, as even Richmond’s own Olympic medal hope Evan Dunfee admits, it is kind of funny, as per his Kraft KD ad currently airing on national TV.
Hence, a group of kids and adults from the tight-knit Burkeville community in Dunfee’s hometown took up the challenge from our Olympian’s sponsor, Kraft KD, to “not let Evan walk alone,” soliciting fans to record their own “silly walk” and post it on social media.
In the Twitter video, the kids and adults can be seen strutting their stuff Dunfee-style across the camera at a signposted “Silly Walk Zone” in their little community on Sea Island.
One of the adults in the video, Laine Bosma, told the Richmond News that Dunfee has been her children’s “track coach, mentor and all round amazing role model for years.”
At the end of their “silly walk,” the group reconvenes in front of the camera to give Dunfee a big cheer ahead of his 50K race next Thursday, Aug. 5 at 1:30 p.m. (Pacific).
In reply to the Burkeville group’s tweet, Dunfee posted a video of his own “silly walk” going right past the same “Silly Walk Zone” sign in the neighbourhood.
Unfortunately for Dunfee and the Burkeville silly walkers, they’re not the first to invent the comical strut – Monty Python broke the ground back in 1970, with its Ministry of Silly Walks sketch.
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