I know runners and bikers are wiped out after completing long events, but maybe they’re not all that…hungry. Two recent examples have brought athletic event food waste into focus.
Saturday, as I was biking to the office to finish my…book manuscript first draft (Trick or Treat!!), I came upon the finish line of a Habitat for Humanity bike race. As I was pedaling past, the keeper of the food tent beckoned with my two favorite words: “Free food.” I stopped.
With the race finished and so much food left, they were trying to get anyone and everyone to eat or take home some cookies, brownies, granola bars, yogurt, and fruit. Most of the food came as donations from Whole Foods, who, it seemed had been too generous.
I helped lighten their load a bit, but asked what would happen to the rest, especially the whole oranges and bananas. I suggested that they call the local soup kitchen/shelter, which was less than a mile away. I would have taken a load over myself, 
but I was on bike and had to get cracking on my book. I’d say there was about a 70 percent chance the food made it to good homes.
Then, on Monday, my wife’s colleague Erik called with news from the Raleigh marathon. They had 18 extra cases of fresh oranges they were going to throw away. Ever the vigilant one, Erik contacted me to ask what to do. I told him to call the nearby Inter-faith Food Shuttle.
From what I understand, the food recovery group snagged all 18 cases a few hours later and they went to those in need. This was an especially happy ending, because fresh produce and protein are the hardest things for food recovery groups to find.
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