Running for Bats

"It’s no secret that Austin, Texas, residents have embraced the bat colony that spends its summers under the downtown Congress Avenue Bridge. The 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats have become a symbol of what makes the city unique and a source of pride for Austinites.
Nowhere is that more evident than in the streets of downtown, where hotels display bat logos, a prominent street sculpture depicts a bat in flight and hundreds of people line up each summer night to witness wildlife in an urban setting as the bridge bats emerge to eat up to 20,000 pounds of pesky insects.
Another big part of Austin’s downtown scene is its runners. Ranked by Men’s Fitness as one of the nation’s Top 25 Fittest Cities in 2006, Austin takes healthy living very seriously. So it’s no surprise that these two beloved downtown fixtures – bats and runners – will come together for their mutual benefit.
The Austin Bat Run Family 5k/1k Walk takes off at 7 p.m. Friday, July 13, at the Radisson Hotel and Suites near the north end of the Congress Avenue Bridge. (...)"

Full text: Batcon.org