Want to run nekkid? Race the Bare Buns 5K on April 10

In 2017, I ran the Bare Buns 5K race in McDade. It was breezy. Leilani Perry photo

In 2017, during my self-proclaimed Year of Adventure, I peeled off my clothes one fine spring morning and ran a naked 5K race.

It felt weird at first, lining up with about 130 other runners, most of whom were wearing nothing but running shoes. But once the starting horn blew and I started scampering over pine needles and zipping through a hay field, I shed my inhibition and it felt pretty much like any other race – just a tad breezier. (You can read about my experience here.)

The year I ran the field was about three-fourths male. And women are allowed to wear whatever clothing they want – from sports bras to pasties. I chose to go naked, save my shoes, socks and a straw cowboy hat.

In the end, the lack of clothing made me run faster. I ran so fast, in fact, that my hat blew off and I finished first among the female contestants. It was a slow field, trust me.

Start of the Bare Buns 5K in McDade in 2017. Pam LeBlanc photo 

On April 10, Star Ranch will host its 24^th annual Bare Buns 5K Fun Run. The race serves as a qualifier for the American Association for Nude Recreation’s 5K running series.

The event starts at 1 p.m. at the nudist ranch, located 10 miles east of Elgin in McDade.

Registration is $35 for adults or $15 for children. You must register in advance; no race day sign ups are allowed. To register, call 512-273-2257.

Can’t make the April run? Mark Oct. 9 on the calendar. That’s the date for this year’s fall companion run, the Chilly Cheeks 5K.