It began 27 years ago as a race between bars and as a training event for an Irish Olympian. Now it’s Seattle’s largest single-distance run/walk, jog or crawl where the winners cross the finish before the last person starts.  The Dash covers nearly 4 miles of city streets with a 15,000 person ribbon of green.

The F5 St. Patrick’s Day Dash benefits the Detlef Schrempf Foundation in support of Northwest children’s charities. This year the Detlef Schrempf Foundation is directing funds to four worthy organizations: Rise n’ Shine, Camp Fire USA Puget Sound Council, Seattle Children’s Autism Center, and the Healing Center.

If you haven’t been to the St. Patrick’s Day Dash before you’ll see a diverse group of participants. Don’t be surprised if you’re passed by a human pot of gold, a 6ft 3in leprechaun, a 4-pack of Guinness cans or a grown man in a tutu. With all of the costumes, it’s like a spring version of Halloween.

You can register for the 2012 St. Patrick’s Day Dash here: http://stpatsdash.com/